'I'm not going anywhere': Bombers coach Kelly
Last Updated: Monday, November 9, 2009 | 5:56 PM ET
The Canadian Press
Winnipeg head coach Mike Kelly, who replaced Doug Berry after he was fired following last season's 8-10 campaign and semifinal loss, did admit to some professional and personal mistakes during his rookie reign. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)Many Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans want controversial rookie head coach Mike Kelly ousted, but their target is confident they won't get their wish.
"I know damn well I'll be back," Kelly told reporters Monday, a day after his 7-11 team was eliminated from the CFL playoffs.
"I'm not going anywhere. I came here to do a job. I have, in case you hadn't noticed, a little bit of passion about this job."
When asked why he knows he'll return and if the community-owned team's board of directors has told him he'll be back, Kelly pointed to improvements made during his first year.
The special teams was better and so was the secondary and an offensive line that had holes entering the season, he noted.
"We addressed a lot of needs," said Kelly, who's believed to have two guaranteed years and an option left on his contract.
"I think what we've done speaks volumes for what's going to happen here over the next couple of years. We know we have a couple of things to address, and we get those things addressed and things will be just fine here."
Bombers president and CEO Lyle Bauer declined any comment.
Professional and personal mistakes
Kelly, who replaced Doug Berry after he was fired following last season's 8-10 campaign and semifinal loss, did admit to some professional and personal mistakes during his rookie reign.
He was sometimes rude and abrupt with the media and fans and was recently fined $2,000 by the league for his "continued pattern of disrespectful behaviour towards the media."
Kelly said he should have had a veteran quarterback heading into training camp and should have watched his words more carefully.
"Probably the thing that I'm the least proud of is, you know what, I'm going to speak my mind and sometimes it rubs people the wrong way," Kelly, 51, said.
"But probably choose my words a little bit better than what I did. But probably still make the same point, just do it in a different manner."
Kelly cut nine-year veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn in the off-season and went with first-time starter Stefan LeFors. Kelly said he tried to keep Glenn, but he turned down an "altered" contract.
Bounced by Ticats
It was a Glenn-led Hamilton Tiger-Cats squad (9-9) that bounced the Bombers out of the playoffs with a 39-17 win Sunday, leaving the B.C. Lions (8-10) to cross over into third place in the East Division with its better record.
It was the first time Winnipeg has missed the playoffs since 2005 under Jim Daley.
When the Bombers opened the season with a 1-3 record eight-year QB Michael Bishop was signed, but the offence was still hot and cold.
Kelly said he wants Bishop back and will look at the QBs they still have and others who may be out there. There will also be adjustments to the offensive system.
He believes the team will be better when a familiar group is together from the outset of training camp.
His players were backing him as they cleaned out their lockers and had final meetings with coaching staff.
Slotback Terrence Edwards said he hasn't heard any of his teammates say a bad word about Kelly and that's why they never quit on him.
"I think coach Kelly will be a way better head coach next year," Edwards predicted. "I think he has learned a lot and I think people in Winnipeg, just give him a chance. I think he's the right guy for this job.
"He's a passionate coach and that's what you want from your head coach."
