New Adelaide CEO, former rugby boss Andrew Fagan, has bold vision

NEW Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan wants to build a bigger Adelaide Football Club ... with a bigger trophy cabinet.

Crows New CEO

NEW Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan wants to build a bigger Adelaide Football Club ... with a bigger trophy cabinet.

Fagan, 43, yesterday became the surprise replacement for Steven Trigg giving the Crows not only the first “outsider” in the chief executive’s chair, but also a leader from outside the AFL community.

Born in Adelaide but raised in Sydney - with allegiances to both the Crows and Swans - Fagan arrives from rugby as a self-described career sports administrator.

He began studying sports management at the University of Canberra as the Crows started in 1991 and has spent the past 22 years in administrative roles at the Australian Sports Commission, the Canberra Brumbies rugby franchise and, since March, the Australian Rugby Union headquarters in Sydney.

Fagan returns to Adelaide - where he left at age three - determined to have the Crows measured by trophies rather than off-field metrics such as membership numbers and crowd figures.

He did note with a tone of displeasure that the Crows have not opened the trophy cabinet at West Lakes since 1998.

“The vision should be (to make the Crows) the most respected and successful (team) in the country,” Fagan said.

“That is my history ... deliver the best football program because that is what you can control. Put the right people in the right seats - and get the right system in place.

“That is the focus for me - give the Adelaide Crows the best football progam in the AFL.”

But how Fagan - who starts work at West Lakes next month - delivers on this vision remains unclear.

From the outside, Fagan has not been able to assess just what coach Brenton Sanderson has - or needs - to gain better results at a club that has appeared in just one of the past five final series.

“It is way too early to make that assessment,” said Fagan, whose arrival will trigger the appointment of a new list manager, a new senior assistant for Sanderson and a remodelled football department.

“But we do not need an overhaul. We will make the appropriate changes to deliver great results.”

Fagan last night accepted an offer from Trigg - who is at Carlton as its new chief executive - to have a rundown on the Adelaide Football Club.

Critical in this meeting will be Fagan learning of the complexities in the Crows’ deal at Adelaide Oval.

Fagan emerged from a short-list of six - that included insiders David Noble and Nigel Smart - and was chosen while the Crows were significantly tempted by an overseas-based applicant.

Fagan last night also acknowledged the need to regain ground claimed at home by the resurgent Port Adelaide Football Club.

“Competition is great,” he said. “We should not be worried by competition - there are a lot of winners with competition.”

FACT FILE

Age: 43

Born: Adelaide; grew up in Sydney

Family: two daughters, aged five and three.

AFL allegiance: Crows and Swans

Education: Bachelor of sports management, University of Canberra (1991-93); graduate diploma in legal studies, University of Canberra (1994-95).

Career: Senior sports consultant, Australian Sports Commission (1993-2000); program manager, ASC (2000-2002); general manager, Canberra Brumbies (2002-2005); chief executive, Canberra Brumbies (2005-2013); general manager of national teams, Australian Rugby Union since March.

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Originally published as New Adelaide CEO, former rugby boss Andrew Fagan, has bold vision