Ottawa Redblacks fire general manager Marcel Desjardins
The Ottawa Redblacks have fired Marcel Desjardins, the only general manager in franchise history.
Desjardins said Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group CEO Mark Goudie visited his office early Monday morning and told him the team was making a change.
“I said well, I think you guys are making a mistake, but that’s up to you guys, and thanks very much, and packed my bag and came back home,” Desjardins told TSN 1200’s John Rodenburg and Shawn Simpson.
“It’s disappointing to leave on this note, but at the end of the day it’s the business. I’m looking ahead.”
The Redblacks were eliminated from playoff contention after a 32-3 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday. The team has a 2-9 record this season.
Goudie said in a statement that Desjardins, the first employee hired by the team in 2013, "has put everything that he has into our organization."
"His many accomplishments include bringing Ottawa its first Grey Cup win in 40 years," Goudie said. "I respect Marcel very much and thank him for his unwavering commitment to the REDBLACKS, RNation and our community.”
Desjardins said he still believes the team is on the right track, but admitted he was disappointed in the results this year.
“We do a lot of things the right way, we just don’t end up with the results, and that’s the disappointing part. And I take responsibility for that.”
However, he also suggested that others bear responsibility for the team’s lacklustre results.
“There are obviously things that I could have done better, but there are things that a lot of people could have done better,” he told TSN 1200. “At the end of the day, if there’s anything to be learned from this, it’s when decisions have to be made, make sure you control your own destiny. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mode where that’s concerned, and I’ll leave it at that.”
Assistant general manager Jeremy Snyder is taking over as interim general manager for the rest of the season, the team said Monday. Jean-Marc Edmé, who has been with the organization since 2016, will assume the Interim Assistant General Manager role. Snyder has been with the organization since 2013, and Edmé since 2016.
Redblacks last in East Division
The Redblacks have not made the playoffs since losing in the 2018 Grey Cup game to the Calgary Stampeders. They missed the playoffs in 2019, and the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They sit in last in the East Division this season.
The franchise hired Desjardins in 2013 as its first-ever general manager. He oversaw the assembly of a roster, led by quarterback Henry Burris, that led to a Grey Cup appearance in 2015 and a Grey Cup victory the following year.
Before joining the Redblacks, he spent the prior 10 seasons as an assistant general manager with the Montreal Alouettes.
Asked whether he has a message for the fans of the team on Monday, Desjardins was blunt.
“Some of them have been great, some of them have been very difficult on me, especially,” he said.
“To those who were supportive, thank you. To those who weren’t, you got what you wanted.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Israel vows military operation 'in the very near future' following Hamas attack
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
Chemical spill could be cause of stinky water in Puslinch, Ont., new report says
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.