Fitzroy Football Club caretaker senior coach (1995), (1996) In 1995, he was appointed as the caretaker senior coach of
Fitzroy when
Bernie Quinlan was sacked during the season. He again became the caretaker senior coach of Fitzroy, in the following year in the 1996 season for the last eight games when senior coach
Michael Nunan stood aside, but he failed to register a win in either season. McConnell then became the last official senior coach of Fitzroy Football Club in the AFL.
Geelong Football Club McConnell then joined
Geelong as an assistant coach. In the
round three, 2018 match against , McConnell registered his first win in his entire coaching career, having endured eleven losses from as many matches during his two stints as 's caretaker senior coach in 1995 and 1996. On 26 March 2022, it was announced that McConnell would step down from his role as senior coach of the Giants' AFL Women's side at the end of the 2022 season and move into another role within the club. However, on 12 April 2022, McConnell reversed this decision and stepped down early from his role as senior coach GWS AFL Women's side effective immediately and was replaced by Cameron Bernasconi. ==Coaching statistics==