Veteran Australian Rugby Union (ARU) boss John O’Neill believes the time was right for him to stand down with the move leaving his successor to oversee some crucial issues facing the Wallabies.
O’Neill announced his resignation as managing director and chief executive on Friday after 14 years and two terms with the 61-year-old to concentrate on his business interests.
The decision comes at a tough time for the Wallabies with uncertainty over the future of coach Robbie Deans and the unresolved matter of Quade Cooper’s claims the environment in the national team is “toxic”.
Cooper’s comments have caused unrest among players and officials.
ARU chairman Michael Hawker jumped in when the departing CEO was asked a question regarding Cooper at the press conference on Friday.
“I think Quade’s situation is in Quade’s backyard and it’s got nothing to do with John,” Hawker said.
“I don’t want this to become a press conference about Quade. This is a press conference about the ARU and John and his contribution to the game.”
O’Neill’s decision came earlier than he’d originally forecast, having said in the wake of the Wallabies’ semi-final elimination at last year’s World Cup that he would not continue beyond the end of 2013 when his contract expired.
But he finishes on October 31, allowing him to focus primarily on his role as the chairman of casino operator Echo Entertainment Group.
“I’ve just reached the point, and age has a little bit to do with it, I’ve turned 61 this year,” O’Neill said.
“Being a full-time chief executive is not something that is really for me (now) and it’s better to be honest about it.
“Fourteen years is a long time for one person to have run an organisation in any industry.”
O’Neill said he and Hawker agreed to bring forward his departure date while on the Wallabies’ recent trip to South Africa.
He first had the job from 1995 to 2003.
In March 2004 he took charge of Football Federation Australia before returning to the ARU in 2007.
O’Neill and the ARU board controversially re-signed national coach Deans for a further two years before last year’s World Cup, so the New Zealander could take the side through to the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia next year.
Deans’s contract was to expire at the same time as O’Neill’s.
The decision to stand down means O’Neill has ruled himself out of choosing between Deans and the popular Ewen McKenzie as Wallabies coach for the next Rugby World Cup campaign.
ARU deputy chief executive Matt Carroll will be caretaker CEO while a global search is conducted for a long-term replacement.
O’Neill was a major contributor to Australia’s golden era between 1998 and 2001, which included winning the 1999 World Cup.
He also led the planning for the 2003 World Cup in Australia before moving on to the FFA for a three-year stint where the A-League was established and the Socceroos qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 34 years.
“I’ve got so many good memories. Luck and timing in life always plays a significant role and I’ve been very lucky,” he said.
Mike
Guest
Why do you say he never attempted to address the issue of governance when in the above article he says that is precisely what he did do?
hog
Guest
Let's hope for Rugby's sake this report is read and then acted upon and not just filed. O'neill has done a lot of good things for Rugby, but i'm disappointed he has left saying rugby is in a good shape considering!!! He has made no attempt to address the 3rd tier issue His whole plan is based around the Wallabies winning, look at it this way if Australia had managed to string together just 2 more wins last year, everything would be rosy and Rugby would be healthy and wonderful. With over a dozen years in charge at no stage did O'neill attempt to address the issue of governance.
Mike
Guest
O'Neill's view on the problems in Australian rugby is quite different: "Rugby Union Modernise or face a dim future, John O'Neill warns rugby: Outgoing ARU chief executive John O'Neill has predicted a dim future for Australian rugby if the game does not modernise its governance. Unlike the AFL and rugby league, which have moved to independent commissions, rugby is still governed by an archaic federated model. O'Neill pushed for a review of rugby's governance when he returned to the ARU in 2007 after running Australian soccer for three years. Former Labor politician Mark Arbib has conducted the review and will present his findings to the ARU board in the week after next. "This governance review has been five years coming," O'Neill said. "I put it on the agenda in early 2008, pushing, cajoling etcetera. "Suddenly this year the unanimous view that we needed it. "It goes to the board on the 22nd. Have a good read of it because it will explain a lot about the shape of the game and why the modernisation of the governance of Australian rugby is not just a nice thing to do, it's an absolutely essential thing to do, otherwise the future is not very bright. "We are hamstrung with a governance structure which is from the amateur days." See http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/modernise-or-face-a-dim-future-john-oneill-warns-rugby/story-e6frg7o6-1226494735080 That would explain a number of issues, including why injuries to key players are occurring at S15 and club level.
Jorge
Guest
To be honest, Oneil could see the writing on the wall. The decline in Australian rugby has been there for all to see. A lack of any meaningful pathway by way of second tier domestic competition, is a telling factor. By bringing in a fifth franchise virtually ruined Australian rugby. What we ended up with, was this acrimonious and fractious relationships developing between competing franchisee's, as they fought hard to attract dwindling player resources. In some way, there could be some truth in what QC has been spouting off about. Australian rugby is in serious trouble. Its greatest foe is not the All Blacks. The enemy is lurking within its own organisation.