Adelaide Crows CEO Andrew Fagan resigns, saying now is right time and it has nothing to do with John Olsen

In his first interview since announcing his departure, Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan says “now is the right time” – and his exit has nothing to do with new chairman John Olsen’s arrival.

Andrew Fagan has quit as CEO of the Crows. Picture: AAP / David Mariuz

Departing Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan says he could have pulled the pin at any point in the past 18 months but “now is the right time”.

And he insists his exit has nothing to do with new chairman John Olsen’s arrival.

Fagan, whose resignation was announced at Adelaide’s season launch on Thursday night, told The Advertiser talks about when he would leave began with former chairman Rob Chapman more than a year ago and he stayed on to assist the club through COVID-19 and Olsen into his role.

Former SA Premier Olsen took over from Chapman in late October – two months after Fagan spoke about being “in it for the long haul” as the AFL battled through the pandemic.

Fagan said Olsen’s arrival meant leaving “got delayed a little bit”, rather than “changed the course of open discussions I’ve been having for some time”.

He planned to remain in the role until a yet-to-be-determined date to help with the handover, although expected to finish at the club before his successor started.

Fagan said he had already been approached by other organisations, “the majority from interstate”, but would not comment about whether any were in the AFL system.

“It might seem unusual but it’s not a particularly sudden thing,” Fagan said of the timing of his departure.

“I’ve spoken to Rob almost every day for six-and-a-half years so it wasn’t about one discussion, it was an ongoing discussion.

“And when I started that conversation with Rob, he wasn’t the only one I spoke to about it – there were other board members as well.

“The decision could’ve been made at any point over the last 18 months but eventually you’ve got to make it.

“Last year was unusual … and we were still working through a significant number of issues right through until now with significant personnel change, board changes and financial and commercial challenges that emerged from the pandemic so it just made sense to continue for a period of time.

“Rob leaving meant that it was important I helped John with his transition in.

“At that point it was then picking up discussions with John Olsen and just the timing of what was going to work best for the club.

“There’s never a perfect time but we felt that the majority of building blocks were in place.

“We felt like now is the right time.”

Of his comment in August about being “in it for the long haul”, Fagan said it would have been inappropriate mid-pandemic to talk about personal matters publicly when they might not happen for months.

Andrew Fagan has been Crows CEO since 2014. Picture: AAP / David Mariuz

Fagan said his and Chapman’s departures soon after each other – on the back of a new senior coach, football manager and panel of assistants – was not about the club resetting.

“There’s obviously an enormous amount of newness that’s there and I think it’s a great opportunity for someone to put their touches to it and be there for the next long haul,” he said.

“That wasn’t going to be me, it requires someone new.

“I was really consistent in my communication with the club and said when I first arrived here six-and-a-half years ago that I thought this was a role that had a tenure to it, and I thought that was a five to seven-year tenure, depending on what was facing you.”

Fagan joined the club in late 2014, overseeing its rise to a men’s grand final along with its fall to the wooden spoon and the controversial pre-season camp.

He was also at the helm when the Crows received their AFLW licence and won two women’s premierships, and for the shock death of senior men’s coach Phil Walsh.

Fagan said it was up for others to judge his time in charge.

But he said the club’s response to Walsh’s passing, the run to the 2017 grand final, the success of AFLW side and eliminating debt were among his highlights, along with the people he had met.

“I’d like to think I’ve always put the club first regardless of the consequences, someone who dared to innovate and test us to be better and who led with calmness and care when we were confronted by extraordinary circumstances, particularly in 2015 and again in 2020,” he said.

“I leave with many friends, both inside the club and those amongst the Crows supporter base.

“I’ll absolutely enjoy watching them from wherever I take up the next post.”

Fagan said he and the club would work out an exact departure date “down the track”.

He said he would be leaving an exciting football program and “strong commercial footprint”.

“I’m definitely there for the next period of time and I’ve agreed to stay close to the club during the time of any gap of me leaving and someone else starting, and again when they come on board to ensure a really solid handover,” he said.

Fagan did not believe the club was headhunting a successor.

Asked about his next move, Fagan said “approaches had been made” but he wanted to take time to contemplate it with his family.

“There’s been some discussions about some opportunities but I want to make those with clean air rather than whilst I’m focused entirely on the footy club,” he said.

Olsen said exit conversations between Fagan and the club began before he started, but the two of them continued discussions and the board was notified of his resignation earlier this month.

He believed Fagan would be remembered for his response to Walsh’s death, calling it a credit to him and the club, and his enormous job in helping the Crows win SA’s AFLW licence.

The ex-Premier said the club had a five-year plan and it needed a chief executive for that journey to rebuild post-COVID, focus on football and help its eventual move to a CBD base.

Olsen said the Crows would go to market immediately and seek the best candidate as early as possible.

Originally published as Adelaide Crows CEO Andrew Fagan resigns, saying now is right time and it has nothing to do with John Olsen