Tune into SUNS TV to hear from Guy McKenna 

By Michael Whiting

RE-SIGNED Gold Coast SUNS coach Guy McKenna admitted he had doubts a contract extension would come his way after a winless start to the season.

The SUNS put weeks of speculation behind them on Friday by re-signing inaugural coach McKenna until the end of 2014.

The West Coast great said there were times early this season when he wondered whether he would keep his job.

"I think you always think that," McKenna said at Metricon Stadium on Friday morning.

"But behind the scenes, the board, the chairman, the CEO, the players themselves have been very encouraging.

"You back yourself in but there's lonely times by yourself. We had that disappointing loss against Geelong in the NAB Cup and we go down to GWS (the following week) and we get beaten by them and you continue to scratch your head but you back your faith of the system and the personnel to buy into that and I've been able to see that over the last four to six weeks."

McKenna joined the club in its inaugural year and has coached the team through under-18, VFL and now AFL level.

Gold Coast SUNS chairman John Witheriff backed McKenna to take the SUNS from a fledgling team to a consistent force.

"Guy has been charged with the unique challenge of bringing together a playing group that predominately consisted of talented teenagers who were yet to play a senior game of AFL football and transforming them into an elite team," Witheriff told goldcoastfc.com.au.

"That transformation was always going to take longer than Guy's original contract period and the board was unanimous in its belief that Guy deserves the opportunity and time required to complete this challenge."

Witheriff said the club is now entering its second phase and the nature of the senior coaching job would change but McKenna has earned the right to undertake the challenge.

"Phase one started four years ago when we set-up the foundations of the club, building an administration, fan base, playing group and Metricon Stadium," he said.

"Phase two, is about success and that will be reflected in Guy's approach as senior coach.

"The reality for us is we're moving into phase two and phase two means in the next four years we've got to win consistently, and during that time, the position of senior coach will change from a developmental approach to a winning approach."

McKenna has an unflattering 3-27 win-loss record in his two seasons, but said the SUNS had solidified their values, their team and the way they wanted to play.

"It's about continuous improvement," he said.

"I'm sure there's people out there that at zero and eight (wins and losses) you scratch your head and say 'is there improvement?' but we see that. I'm very excited about our future, short term and long term.

"I know with another 20 or 30 games into these fellas it's going to be frightening up here."

Although not committing to any goals in the coming two years, McKenna said he expected the SUNS to be a force in that timeframe.