Charlie Taaffe is no longer in the running for the vacant coaching job with the Montreal Alouettes, if he ever was.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Thursday that they will retain Taaffe as coach, despite a disappointing 3-15 Canadian Football League season in 2007.

Charlie Taaffe became the Ticats coach before the 2007 season, and he'll continue in that capacity next season.
(Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

"Well, I'm extremely excited to be able to continue and move forward. Last year was a tough year for everyone," Taaffe, who has two years left on his contract, told the Hamilton Spectator. "I have had a chance to reflect on the season and there is an urgency to right the ship. I don't think it is that far away."

This past season, Hamilton fielded four different starting quarterbacks, was forced to start two rookies on the offensive line because of injuries, featured an inexperienced receiving corps and started a new defensive backfield for each of the first eight weeks of the season.

Because Taaffe, a former bench boss in the American college ranks, was hired just last December, the rest of the coaching corps was largely inexperienced with the CFL game.

"After several meetings and in-depth discussions with Charlie about our football team, I am confident that we have the right coach to lead our team," recently hired Ticats general manager Bob O'Billovich said in a statement.

"Charlie is a coach who understands what it takes to win and I am confident that he has the ability to help develop this team into a championship contender."

A factor in O'Billovich's decision was continuity. With a full season under his belt, Taaffe has a much better handle on Hamilton's situation overall and can better assess Ticats players than a new coach coming in.

"Charlie has been there for the whole season so he has a good feeling for not only players' abilities but also the players' qualities," O'Billovich said. "Who the good team guys are, who the guys are who have leadership abilities and he can put that into good, positive decision-making for the upcoming season."

Taaffe, 57, will be working alongside some new assistants as O'Billovich moves ahead with the hiring of a new offensive and defensive co-ordinator. Taaffe said he already has candidates in mind and hopes to have them in place by Christmas.

"I appreciate the confidence that management has shown in me with this decision," he said. "I'm more determined than ever to bring a winning team to Hamilton."

Taaffe believes the Tiger-Cats must also address a porous defensive secondary, find a starting strong-side linebacker, stabilize the quarterbacking and find some receivers who can catch.

Taaffe was named CFL coach of the year in 1999 and 2000 with Montreal before leaving Canada to become an assistant coach at the University of Maryland.

His future in Hamilton was the first order of business for O'Billovich, 67, who was hired last week. O'Billovich met with Taaffe before joining the Ticats and said the coach had made a favourable impression upon him.

The Ticats' dismal showing this past season prompted management to fire general manager Marcel Desjardins, who has since returned to his old post in Montreal as Alouettes GM.

With files from the Canadian Press