ULSTER RUGBY WILL recruit a new CEO this summer as Shane Logan today announced his intention to step down after eight years as the figurehead of the northern province.
Logan’s move comes at the end of a severely testing season for Ulster in which they failed to escape their Champions Cup pool and also missed out on the Pro14 playoffs.
A fourth-place finish in Pro14 Conference B, however, did at least provide the opening for Ulster to qualify for next season’s Champions Cup with a playoff win over Ospreys.
In a campaign overshadowed by the trial, and ultimate acquittal, of Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding the problems were manifold off the field too with the sacking of director of rugby Les Kiss, the departure of head coach Jono Gibbes and a struggle to recruit a senior out-half to replace Jackson.
In his parting statement, Logan cited the renovation of Ravenhill, now Kingspan Stadium, and the financial state of the province as stand-out achievements of a tenure that showed an annual profit in seven of his eight years.
We have been able to build a fine stadium, repay our debts, deliver consistent profit and strong commercial growth. This is now allowing us to invest in our clubs, schools and very significantly in our Academy.
“In terms of win ratios, the senior Ulster Team has become more competitive but I am as disappointed as anybody not to have landed that elusive trophy.”
As Ulster begin the search for a replacement, IRFU CEO Philip Browne thanked Logan for his dedication.
“Having strong, financially secure provinces is vital to Irish Rugby, and Shane has worked with teams, managers, sponsors, government and other sports effectively over eight years at Ulster Rugby. We thank Shane for his dedication to Ulster Rugby and are sorry to see him go, but wish him all the very best for the future.”
Logan will depart his role in August, continuing the ‘day-to-day running of the business’ until that point.
It’s for the Best
@barry: Thank fook
Not too many Ulster fans will be upset at this news.
@Chris Mc: Best news in years.
Think that proves that I was right and Nucifora was the puppet master behind the recent sackings, Logan stepping down before being pushed. Nucifora identifed areas that were top heavy and had Logan do the unpopular cutting so that when the new man comes in he wouldnt have to do it and be unpopular from the start. Ulster now pruned, efficient and ready for a relaunch. Next season is all about bedding in and blooding young players, the season after we will be dangerous.
@Kingshu: Nucifora is performance director. Nothing to do with him.
@Kingshu: yawn, heard it all before
@Kingshu: Logan had been firing coaches for years. He didn’t need any help with that. In fact, I think that was part of the issue. There was very little continuity there
@Conor Paddington: Im glad Logan is gone, he was a coward, the invisable man and poor on the rugby side. Do you really think he made the unpopular sackings and made himself more unpopular and then stood down? Your naive if you do. Nucifora job title is invented his role is to as a paper put it ‘modernise the professional game’ that includes pruning the provincial branches. Do you not think he’ll have a say in who the new CEO is? Because if you think he does have a say in the new CEO then he also has a say in pushing the old one out.@Harry O’Callaghan: You must have missed that I am praising Nuciforas actions in Ulster for once. It must be because you are tired, yawn back to bed for you.
@Kingshu: Do you really think Savid Nucifora has a say in firing and appointing someone who’s role has major business/commercial responsibilities, not a chance!! His role is purely rugby development and structure in the country. Philip Brown has the ultimate say in this and delivering the parting statement shows this.
Way too much of this is laid at the feet of Logan. He’s actually been pretty good at the business side of the game which was why he was brought in. I think the way he’s handled the last year has been awful and he had to go but he’s not the one who’s been making the rugby decisions. He’s signed off on them but the same lads will still be pulling the strings behind the scenes on the PGB and committees. They’re the ones that need to be moved on. They’ve pushed the injury prone signings, the bad coaching appointments and so on. Still work to be done at Ulster
If Shane Logan’s title had of been “Commercial Director” we would all be singing his praises, he has done a great job in attracting sponsorship and the refurbishment of Ravenhill. Unfortunately he has had to fall on his sword because of the failures of recent coaches and some poor player signings. He has also struggled in establishing a rapport with the fans, most likely due to his quiet nature, he’s a good man and I wish him well. Best of luck to Stuart and Paddy in France.
@Bob Cummings: I’d agree with all of that.
@Bob Cummings: Now to lure Brian McLaughlin back! Stephen Ferris said the thing keeping McLauglin from Ulster was Logan! Still Logan was successful in all things but the rugby.
They might as well start the clear out from the top down.
@Ger Buckley: They have just finished the clear out. It started with a Kiss
The clearout is complete but now we should be allowed to reinvest
if only the same was done in Munster..Fitzgearld had outlived his time, performance wise he has made too many poor calls, he too has Lost the respect of the supporters, very evident in the poor renewal of 10yr tickets. too many questions unanswered over the years time for change
@peter english: when you consider the legacy of both CEO’s stadium builds, Logan definitely financially managed things better than Fitzgerald has.
@EK: Shows that as the game is getting more and more professional the IRFU need to prudent and appoint guys with good business sense rather than just promote blazers from within the branch
Its not the firing of Coaches thats made him unpopular,its the incompetent hiring,leaving Ulster not once but twice without a coach for the start of a Season,,,,how can you compete like that,most of my Ulster friends feel yet again they start a Season with one arm tied behind their back
This is announced the same day as paddy jackson gets signed? Has his been the plam for awhile but they have waited to berry the story?
How come Ulster can turn a profit 7 years out of 8 but Munster’s finances poor?
@Andrew Hurley: Probably because they got a government funded stadium while Munster had to finance their own and built it just before the global financial collapse. And they had a guy with a good grounding in business matters at the helm rather than a blazer.
@Andrew Hurley:
Naming rights???