Redblacks fire head coach after three wins in 14 games this season
The Ottawa Redblacks have fired head coach Paul LaPolice.
The Redblacks announced that LaPolice has been relieved of his duties hours after the club returned from Vancouver following a 34-19 loss to the BC Lions.
The Redblacks have three wins in 14 games this season, sitting in last place in the East Division. LaPolice had a record of six wins and 22 losses in 28 games as head coach with the club.
"I have enjoyed working with Paul and thank him for his contributions to this team over the past two seasons; today isn’t an easy day,” Redblacks general manager Shawn Burke said in a statement. “In this business, sometimes a change is required to help move a team forward and that’s what we’ve done here."
In a statement on Twitter, LaPolice said while he disappointed, he understands that "coaches are fired."
"I am accountable for our record and we have not won enough games this season," LaPolice said. "I want to thank Roger Greenberg and the rest of the ownership group, as well as Mark Goudie and Adrian Sciarra."
LaPolice said Burke has been an "outstanding supportive general manager who always look to find solutions and it was a pleasure to work with him."
"I cannot thank enough the players, coaches, and staff that I had the honour and privilege to work with the past few years."
LaPolice was hired as head coach in December 2019,. After the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, LaPolice guided the club to three wins in 2021 and three wins this season.
“Paul is a excellent man who has put everything he has into this job. But, unfortunately, we haven’t won nearly enough games,” said OSEG CEO Mark Goudie. “We are committed to getting back to what RNation deserves which is exciting and winning football.”
LaPolice said he will now spend some time with his family.
"I have loved my time with the people of this football team, I loved my time interacting with the people of Ottawa and I will now love to spend some much needed time with the family," LaPolice said.
Special teams coach Bob Dyce will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the season.
The Redblacks next game is Thanksgiving Monday in Montreal to face the Alouettes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Gangs netting up to US$3 trillion a year as Southeast Asia human trafficking becomes a global crisis, Interpol says
Human trafficking-fuelled fraud is exploding in Southeast Asia with organized crime rings raking in close to US$3 trillion in illicit revenue annually, the head of Interpol has said in comments that reveal the huge profits being earned by cartels.