Richard Michael
DeanoHarmoGoing to Carlton a bad career move for Pagan
July 24th 2007 13:27
Category: No Category
In a season where the coaching merry-go-round has already claimed the scalps of Neale Daniher and Chris Connolly, it was no surprise when Carlton gave embattled coach Denis Pagan his marching orders.
Pagan came to the Blues in 2003, after the Blues had won their first ever wooden spoon. But although financially lucrative for him, the Carlton he joined was no longer the powerhouse club of the 1980s and 1990s. Saddled with debt from the Legends Stand that no-one sits in, the club was hit with harsh fines and loss of draft picks after a string of salary cap breaches during the John Elliot era.
Denis Pagan had enjoyed a succesful era at the Kangaroos. With Wayne Carey in fine touch, along with names such as Stevens, Archer and King, the Kangaroos took out two premierships in the 1990s. Although Carey had gone a year before Pagan, after the infamous affair scandal, Pagan had been able to build something special with his team at Arden Street, bouncing back from the pre-season turmoil to qualify for the 2002 finals.
But after crossing to Carlton, the loss of draft picks, costing the opportunity to build anything to an already weak side, was a blow that Pagan was unable to recover from. Although he had a few brief highlights, with pre-season premierships in 2005 and 2007; ther reality was that Carlton were never anywhere near the finals during Pagan's reign at Carlton, with the club's second and third wooden spoons coming during his time at the club.
Occasionally the club would lift and pull off a memorable result, but usually they would not; and when things didn't go their way they were often swept off the park. In the entire proud history of Carlton, they have only been beated by over 100 points on 11 occasions. 7 of them were under Pagan's coaching.
Will Pagan ever coach again? That's a great unknown. He came to Carlton with a reputation as one of the best in the business. He leaves with his tail between his legs, his reputation tarnished by the club's long stint in the doldrums.
Pic from Sportal.com.au
Pagan came to the Blues in 2003, after the Blues had won their first ever wooden spoon. But although financially lucrative for him, the Carlton he joined was no longer the powerhouse club of the 1980s and 1990s. Saddled with debt from the Legends Stand that no-one sits in, the club was hit with harsh fines and loss of draft picks after a string of salary cap breaches during the John Elliot era.
Denis Pagan's coaching reputation is in tatters after his disastrous stint at Carlton
Denis Pagan had enjoyed a succesful era at the Kangaroos. With Wayne Carey in fine touch, along with names such as Stevens, Archer and King, the Kangaroos took out two premierships in the 1990s. Although Carey had gone a year before Pagan, after the infamous affair scandal, Pagan had been able to build something special with his team at Arden Street, bouncing back from the pre-season turmoil to qualify for the 2002 finals.
But after crossing to Carlton, the loss of draft picks, costing the opportunity to build anything to an already weak side, was a blow that Pagan was unable to recover from. Although he had a few brief highlights, with pre-season premierships in 2005 and 2007; ther reality was that Carlton were never anywhere near the finals during Pagan's reign at Carlton, with the club's second and third wooden spoons coming during his time at the club.
Will Pagan ever coach again? That's a great unknown. He came to Carlton with a reputation as one of the best in the business. He leaves with his tail between his legs, his reputation tarnished by the club's long stint in the doldrums.
Pic from Sportal.com.au
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