The Winnipeg Football Club announces today that Tim Burke will not return as Head Coach in 2014.

 

“We thank Tim for his passion, hard work and professionalism throughout the past year and a half he has been in this role, and for his tireless efforts over the past three seasons with the Winnipeg Football Club,” says President and CEO Wade Miller. “If an opportunity does arise for him to join our staff as a defensive coordinator, our organization would definitely be open to exploring this with Tim.”

 

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in Winnipeg and am grateful for the opportunity this franchise gave me. The fan support in this city and province is just really remarkable and it is one of the greatest things I can take away from this experience in Winnipeg,” said Burke.

 

Burke joined the Blue Bomber coaching staff prior to the 2011 season in the role of Defensive Coordinator, before taking over on an interim basis in August of 2011 and officially being named Head Coach on November 1, 2012.

Ottawa would be crazy to not look at Burke for DC.  But that would mean giving up his HC salary here.  I strongly suspect Miller wants to retain Burke (which is smart on multiple fronts) and the decision is probably made pending the announcement of Khari as HC.

 

Although it is interesting that Miller would publicly announce interest in Burke as DC when our own DC hasnt been fired yet.  if Im Creehan Im like "uhhh...what?"

Creehan is gone & he knows it. I won't miss that nutbar on the sidelines.

Lots of nice people get fired from their jobs. That's life. In this situation, it had to be done. No way the team could have any legitimacy going forward with the fanbase trying to sell Tim Burke as the guy who would coach this team to a championship. Renewals probably went up 15% this morning with this firing. And I agree that the entire architect of this mess was Joe Mack. Our import & Canadian talent is the worst in the CFL. From his comments last week, Miller hates the guy.

 

Going back and forth with Penton on Twitter ...

 

He said Burke was "doomed" with the roster Mack gave him. I still stand by the fact that the import talent may not have been great, but Burke did absolutely nothing to turn those guys into better players.

 

I'll ask the question here, same as I asked Penton because I'm curious. Can anyone name an import player who actually improved with time during Tim Burke's stay as HC?

Alex Hall sure did but he's not here anymore. Other than that...

 

Did Hall really improve though? Took him a couple weeks to get used to the Canadian game when he first came but after that he was pretty good at getting to the qb. Bottom line a lot of guys got worse with Tim Burke and the best performances were from the guys who weren't here long enough to have their games completely destroyed. Burke had to go just because he wasn't making players better than when they fist came in outside of a rare occasion. Now it's probably not all Burkes fault directly, but he is still the guy supposed to be responsible for putting a coaching staff together than can get the most out of players and he absolutely failed to do that. 

I realise Creehan is as good as gone but it's still poor form to publicly hope a specific guy stays as DC when you havent publicly settled the current DC yet.

 

Burke is of a certain age.  If he likes Winnipeg, has roots here, likes the organization, likes Walters and Miller, I could definitely see the appeal in staying on here as DC.

Agreed that it's always shitty to see a nice guy lose his job, but in this case, it had to happen. Still not sure how I feel about this "keeping Burke as DC" stuff, unless everyone really does buy in. I'd rather have a completely uninhibited GM come in and hire a completely uninhibited HC to hire his own coordinators. If, after all that, they decide Burke is the best guy, then by all means, I'm in...

Keeping Burke on as DC seems totally absurd to me.  Nothing against the guy as a defensive coordinator, but I just don't see how that could work.

I still don't get the timing of this. Why was this not announced right after the last game (or after he had the team take a knee)? Why the wait and then why not wait until after the GC? And to talk about him being DC when they haven't let go of Creehan just makes me shake my head.

 

Something is still not right with the management of this team. And until that gets fixed, we will continue with the shitshow.

I still don't get the timing of this. Why was this not announced right after the last game (or after he had the team take a knee)? Why the wait and then why not wait until after the GC? And to talk about him being DC when they haven't let go of Creehan just makes me shake my head.

Something is still not right with the management of this team. And until that gets fixed, we will continue with the shitshow.

I wonder if that interim thing just may have something to do with it /endofsarcasm

Great move by the club

Gary Lawless tweets that the Free Press can confirm Dave Dickenson is not interested in the Bombers HC gig at all (...I assume he called to check...) So no real big surprise there, but still a shame.

Bye Bye Burke.  I'm not the least bit sorry to see him go as HC.  I am a bit surprised to hear he would be in the running for DC next year from the CEO.  That's the HC's call IMHO.

Hell with regards to Creehan I think after the past 2 years his shot at ever being a DC again is pretty much nonexistant so why don't we keep him as linebackers coach? He did well at that and I do think the linebacker play was better this year than last so..... what if?

We can't keep fired coaches like Creehan & Burke on.... That would be a cancer. They have to go. I don't blame Dave Dickenson for not coming here. You know he's talked to his brother & knows just how effed up this organization is right now. This team has very little credibility out there in the football world. Things need to change fast.

 

Going back and forth with Penton on Twitter ...

 

He said Burke was "doomed" with the roster Mack gave him. I still stand by the fact that the import talent may not have been great, but Burke did absolutely nothing to turn those guys into better players.

 

I'll ask the question here, same as I asked Penton because I'm curious. Can anyone name an import player who actually improved with time during Tim Burke's stay as HC?

Alex Hall sure did but he's not here anymore. Other than that...

 

 

You think Alex Hall improved while he was here? I don't.

 

Two years and he was an elite pass rusher from the day he got here but nobody ever figured out how to correct his inability to stay onside.

 

Not a major issue in the grand scheme of things, but the weak part of his game was never addressed by these coaches.

We can't keep fired coaches like Creehan & Burke on.... That would be a cancer. They have to go. I don't blame Dave Dickenson for not coming here. You know he's talked to his brother & knows just how effed up this organization is right now. This team has very little credibility out there in the football world. Things need to change fast.

 

wow. seems like the endof the world for you. chill man.

We can't keep fired coaches like Creehan & Burke on.... That would be a cancer. They have to go. I don't blame Dave Dickenson for not coming here. You know he's talked to his brother & knows just how effed up this organization is right now. This team has very little credibility out there in the football world. Things need to change fast.

 

I think you're overreacting.

 

Dickenson didn't say he doesn't like Winnipeg, he said he's not interested in leaving Calgary.

going to miss Mike's avatars...

Gary Lawless tweets that the Free Press can confirm Dave Dickenson is not interested in the Bombers HC gig at all (...I assume he called to check...) So no real big surprise there, but still a shame.

I'll wait until the actual check is waved in front of his face and we'll see if he still turns it down (if asked).

 

Asking him right now is dumb.  Anyone can say no.  But then someone comes along and puts money in front of you and says the HC job is all yours all of a sudden thing change.  It's like saying you'd never sleep with a hot prostitute, even if it was for free.  But wait until she strips naked in front of you and starts lap dancing you and all of a sudden your **** is taking over your brain.

 

We can't keep fired coaches like Creehan & Burke on.... That would be a cancer. They have to go. I don't blame Dave Dickenson for not coming here. You know he's talked to his brother & knows just how effed up this organization is right now. This team has very little credibility out there in the football world. Things need to change fast.

 

I think you're overreacting.

 

Dickenson didn't say he doesn't like Winnipeg, he said he's not interested in leaving Calgary.

 

Nope. Don't think so. Our team has a major problem to overcome. Getting a quality GM will help alleviate the stigma this team has.

Name one thing Jones does that deserves a promotion to HC. And please dont say "players like him" because that was said for over ten years about Kavis Reed.

We can't keep fired coaches like Creehan & Burke on.... That would be a cancer. They have to go. I don't blame Dave Dickenson for not coming here. You know he's talked to his brother & knows just how effed up this organization is right now. This team has very little credibility out there in the football world. Things need to change fast.

 

We can't keep fired coaches like Creehan & Burke on.... That would be a cancer. They have to go. I don't blame Dave Dickenson for not coming here. You know he's talked to his brother & knows just how effed up this organization is right now. This team has very little credibility out there in the football world. Things need to change fast.

You have no idea if that is why he doesn't want to come here...

I think it has to do more with Dickenson have a young family in Calgary and that in a couple seasons that he will be the head guy in Calgary.

Name one thing Jones does that deserves a promotion to HC. And please dont say "players like him" because that was said for over ten years about Kavis Reed.

He's a winner!!!

Ummm.... Calgary is still in the playoffs, why on earth would Dickinson give any sort of response other than staying in Calgary.

 

Ask him when Calgary's season is done, not while his team is prepping for the playoffs FFS.

Herb Zurkowsky is saying that he heard last week that Khari is the next Wpg HC

Name one thing Jones does that deserves a promotion to HC. And please dont say "players like him" because that was said for over ten years about Kavis Reed.

I don't think anyone in this board thinks there IS anything. But through rumours, and his connection to Miller, that's the general consensus right now. Things could certainly change depending on who they hire as GM, but the chatter right now is Jones.

I think most here would love to see Khari join the coaching staff -- as OC.