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Burke already getting questions on next season
Tom Goodhand was among a handful of fans on hand in Canad Inns Stadium Friday for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' last practice at the location. (WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Though Saturday's game is the last game of the 2012 Canadian Football League season, Tim Burke was facing more questions about next season at Friday's media availability.
The identity of the new Bombers defensive coordinator was one hot topic of discussion, with a couple of familiar names dropped such as former Bombers defensive coordinator Greg Marshall and Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive coordinator Casey Creehan.
As the press conference on Thursday to announce Burke was the Bombers' full-time head coach and no longer the interim bench boss, Burke had announced that he would be replacing himself as defensive coordinator.
"First of all, he (Creehan) has got another year left on his contract so I really don't want to speculate on it. He's got a two-year contract and you just can't make a lateral move, you don't get that choice," Burke said.
Asked if he'd consider Creehan if he were fired by the Tiger-Cats, whose defence was largely outclassed in their last game of the season on Thursday night in a 43-40 loss, in which the Toronto Argonauts used many backup players on offence.
"We have a good guy on our staff in Chip Garber (linebackers coach). Whatever we do, I definitely will let you guys know as soon as we do it, how's that?" Burke said, smiling.
Creehan was a defensive coach with the Bombers in 2010 (defensive line) and 2011 (linebackers). In media reports out of Hamilton, Tiger-Cats head coach George Cortez refused to comment on his coaching staff.
Burke was cryptic when also asked about Greg Marshall, who spent three seasons (2006-2008) as the Bombers defensive coordinator.
"Greg's obviously a really good defensive coordinator. I would think he'll end up in the CFL this year (2013) as a coordinator again. That's all I'll say."
Many of the Bombers players interviewed Thursday after the announcement Burke had been retained as the head coach, shedding the interim status he had since replacing the fired Paul LaPolice on Aug. 25, said Burke could now put his mark on the team starting with Saturday's 2 p.m. meeting at Canad Inns Stadium with the Montreal Alouettes.
"I think I've put my stamp on the team a little bit already but it's more of a whole-season process. To me, the 2013 season starts on Monday or Tuesday. Once the player interviews are done for this season, then we start talking about the next season."
"It's an approach towards a team for a whole year. There's the mental aspect of the team I'm going to start working on immediately."
By Ashley Prest
Though Saturday's game is the last game of the 2012 Canadian Football League season, Tim Burke was facing more questions about next season at Friday's media availability.
The identity of the new Bombers defensive coordinator was one hot topic of discussion, with a couple of familiar names dropped like former Bombers defensive coordinator Greg Marshall and Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive coordinator Casey Creehan.
As the press conference on Thursday to announce Burke was the Bombers' full-time head coach and no longer the interim bench boss, Burke had announced that he would be replacing himself as defensive coordinator.
"First of all he (Creehan) has got another year left on his contract so I really don't want to speculate on it. He's got a two-year contract and you just can't make a lateral move, you don't get that choice," Burke said.
Asked if he'd consider Creehan if he was fired by the Tiger-Cats, whose defence was largely out-classed in their last game of the season on Thursday night in a 43-40 loss in which the Toronto Argonauts used many backup players on offence.
"We have a good guy on our staff in Chip Garber (linebackers coach). Whatever we do, I definitely will let you guys know as soon as we do it, how's that?" Burke said, smiling.
Creehan was a defensive coach with the Bombers in 2010 (defensive line) and 2011 (linebackers). In media reports out of Hamilton, Tiger-Cats head coach George Cortez refused to comment on his coaching staff.
Burke was cryptic when also asked about Greg Marshall, who spent three seasons (2006-2008) as the Bombers defensive coordinator.
"Greg's obviously a really good defensive coordinator. I would think he'll end up in the CFL this year (2013) as a coordinator again. That's all I'll say."
Many of the Bombers players interviewed Thursday after the announcement Burke had been retained as the head coach, shedding the interim status he had since replacing the fired Paul LaPolice on Aug. 25, said Burke could now put his stamp on the team starting with Saturday's 2 p.m. meeting at Canad Inns Stadium with the Montreal Alouettes.
"I think I've put my stamp on the team a little bit already but it's more of a whole-season process. To me, the 2013 season starts on Monday or Tuesday. Once the player interviews are done for this season, then we start talking about the next season."
"It's an approach towards a team for a whole year. There's the mental aspect of the team I'm going to start working on immediately."
ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca
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