Alan McConnell

Alan John McConnell (born 30 March 1957) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Footscray in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the early 1980s and later coached Fitzroy. McConnell is currently serving as director of coaching and AFL Women's head coach at the Greater Western Sydney Giants.[1]

Alan McConnell
McConnell coaching the Greater Western Sydney AFLW side in February 2018
Personal information
Full name Alan John McConnell
Date of birth (1957-03-30) 30 March 1957
Place of birth Terang
Original team(s) Kolora
Height 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 73 kg (161 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1980–1982 Footscray 37 (5)
Coaching career3
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1995, 1996 Fitzroy 11 (0–11–0)
2018– Greater Western Sydney (AFLW) 14 (5–8–1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1996.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 2019.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Originally from Kolora in the Mount Noorat Football League, Alan played with Terang in the Hampden Football League, under age football with Fitzroy and Victorian Football Association (VFA) football with Preston, McConnell was a fierce defender at Footscray and spent three seasons with the club. In 1995 he was appointed as the caretaker coach of Fitzroy when Bernie Quinlan was sacked during the season. He again coached Fitzroy's last eight games the following season year when senior coach Michael Nunan stood aside but he failed to register a win in either season. After leaving Fitzroy he joined Geelong as an assistant coach. After leaving Geelong he became the head AFL coach for the Australian Institute of Sport and later became the first appointment to the Greater Western Sydney Giants.

McConnell was appointed the head coach of the Giants' AFL Women's side in July 2017,[2][1] thus becoming the first person to coach both an AFL and AFLW side.[3] In the round three, 2018 match against Collingwood, McConnell registered his first win in his entire coaching career, having endured eleven losses from as many matches during his two stints as Fitzroy's caretaker coach in 1995 and 1996.[4]

References
  1. "McConnell Takes the Reins". gwsgiants.com.au. Greater Western Sydney Giants. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  2. "Ex-Lions coach takes over Giants' AFLW job". AFL Media. Telstra Media. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  3. Curley, Adam (19 December 2017). "AFLW: Giant challenge for a football veteran". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  4. Black, Sarah (18 February 2018). "GIANTS Break Through For Big Win Over Magpies". AFL Media. GWS Giants. Retrieved 18 February 2018.


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