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Denis Pagan (born 24 September 1947) is an Australian rules football coach and former player in the VFL/AFL.

Contents 1 Playing career 2 Coaching career 2.1 Kangaroos 2.2 Carlton Football Club 3 References

Pagan played 120 games for the North Melbourne Football Club between 1967 and 1974, kicking 6 goals, mainly due to his permanent spot as a hard-nosed defender in the back pocket. He represented Victoria in State of Origin in 1971.

He then moved to South Melbourne for two seasons, 1975-1976, playing 23 games and kicking 0 goals.

Pagan first came to North Melbourne in 1993 without any Australian Football League coaching experience, and at 45 years of age, made his AFL coaching debut at a late age. Pagan had earlier taken North Melbourne Under 19s to 5 Premierships during the late 1980s and early 1990s, before he took the Essendon Football Club reserves to a premiership in 1992. Given Pagan's amazing level of success at the lower levels, it was only a matter of time before Pagan was offered a senior appointment.

He had an immediate impact at the Kangaroos, eventually taking the side to premierships in 1996 and 1999.

He was known for pioneering a successful tactic which was termed "Pagan's Paddock", based around his key forwards Wayne Carey and John Longmire. The coaching strategy involved moving all forwards out of the 50-metre arc and midfielders bombing the ball into empty space. The key forwards would run with the flight of the ball to take a mark or running goal.

By the end of his term at North Melbourne, he had established an impeccable reputation as a senior AFL coach and the longest serving coach in the club's history.

Pagan quit the Kangaroos in 2002 after his most disastrous year (finishing 13th - attributed by many to the loss of star player Wayne Carey) to take up a new job at the Carlton Football Club.

Since 2003 he has been coach of the Carlton Football Club. He made an immediate impact at the club by terminating the contracts of many senior players [1] to rebuild the side.

Several Carlton footballers have become good footballers under his tutelage. Two in particular are Brendan Fevola and Lance Whitnall. Brendan was the subject of speculation in 2002 as a possible delisted player. By 2006 he won the Coleman Medal as the AFL's leading goal kicker. Lance was also considered a possible delisting in 2003. Football commentator Garry Lyons had published in the newspapers stating that Lance was at the end of his career at just 23 years old. Three years later, in 2006 Lance won the John Nicholls medal as the best and fairest player at Carlton.

He has often been criticised for the lack of performance at Carlton during a time of financial crisis, and his lucrative 3 year incentive based contract. After much controversy and speculation over him leading the side to the 2006 wooden spoon, there were talks that he may be sacked. ^[1] However, after a 6-hour meeting, it was decided that Pagan would stay on at least until the end of the 2008 season. ^[2]

Preceded by Wayne Schimmelbusch

North Melbourne Football Club coach 1993-2002

Succeeded by Dean Laidley

Preceded by Wayne Brittain

Carlton Football Club coach 2003-

Succeeded by Incumbnent

1. ^ Pagan faces last rites, The Australian, 3 September 2006
2. ^ Pagan Stays With Strings Attached, The Age, 7 September 2006