GOODBY RITCHIE

Eskimos to unveil Richie Hall as their new head football coach EDMONTON

- Richie Hall is going to finally get his shot to be a CFL head coach. Two league sources requesting anonymity told The Canadian Press that Hall has been hired as the new head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos. The CFL team will make it official at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

Hall got the job after being placed on a short list along with B.C. Lions defensive co-ordinator Mike Benevides, Eskimos assistant coach Noel Thorpe and Greg Marshall, who was the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' defensive co-ordinator last season. Hall spent the last 15 seasons as a coach with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the last eight as the club's defensive co-ordinator. A former CFL player, Hall is respected throughout the league for being a classy gentleman off the field and a bright defensive mind on it. He orchestrated a Riders defence that helped the team win a Grey Cup title in 2007 - its first since 1989 - and finish second in the West Division this past season despite a rash of injuries. Hall had interviewed for a number of head-coaching vacancies in the CFL, but had always been bypassed. (The Canadian Press)
at 12/17/2008 16 comments

ESKS CLOSE TO NAMING HEAD COACH


Is Richie Hall about to be named the Edmonton Eskimos' newhead coach?
There is growing speculation that suggests the SaskatchewanRoughriders defensive co-ordinator is in the driver's seatin the race to be the club's next bench boss.

In fact, two sources believe Hall will be hired rathersoon.
"Danny (Maciocia) and Richie have really hit it off," saidone source.

"Plus, (Maciocia) knows that it will cripple one of hisopponents (the Roughriders)."
"And Richie will have some pretty damn good players followhim over from Saskatchewan."

However, only Maciocia - the Esks new GM - knows who thefront-running candidate is.
Maciocia has kept relatively quiet during the search andthere is no way to sense which way he's leaning.

But an announcement could come as early as this afternoon.

Current Edmonton assistant coach Noel Thorpe is the otherprime candidate.
B.C. Lions defensive co-ordinator Mike Benevides is not inthe mix, according to a source.
"It won't be Benny," he remarked. "If Danny wants a younggun, it will be Noel."
Thorpe is clearly a head coach in waiting in the CFL.

An excellent communicator with respect in the locker room,Thorpe is a known commodity.
That is a big plus for the straight-shooting Canuck.

Given the respect Maciocia has for Thorpe, it wouldn't be asurprise to see the Esks stay in-house and give Thorpe thejob.

But multiple sources are favouring Hall in this race.

There is an outside shot Greg Marshall - Winnipeg'sdefensive co-ordinator - could be the longshot winner.

But a source within the Eskimos poured cold water on thatnotion last night.

If Hall is announced as head coach, there will be immediatespeculation on his assistant coaching staff.
There will also be speculation on how long Thorpe willremain with the Eskimos.
While nobody is suggesting Thorpe wouldn't return in 2009in an assistant coaching capacity - if unsuccessful in thehead coach derby - it's fair to suggest he will likely beon the radar of the next team searching for a head coachafter the start of next year.

If the Eskimos pass over Thorpe in this search, will theclub eventually lose him to another CFL team looking for arising star?
Is that a risk the Esks want to take?
(Courtesy, The Edmonton Sun)