Tom Coughlin just got a 1yr extesion to 2008.
Hope this helps.
yep, whoever thought?
January 11, 2007 -- They are either clueless and in denial or else visionaries who see beyond the obvious. Time will tell what the Giants co-owners wrought yesterday by standing by their man.
"Tom Coughlin is our coach for 2007 and hopefully for many years after that," John Mara proclaimed yesterday.
"In all of my discussions, and our discussions with the players, it's my sense that they are craving the stability that is now afforded by the coach's remaining," added Jonathan Tisch, the team's treasurer.
So there it is. Three days after the Giants ended an 8-8 season with a 23-20 playoff loss to the Eagles, the official word is that Coughlin will not be fired. Instead, he received a one-year contract extension through the 2008 season. Many fans will be outraged by this and more than a few Giants players may be wincing at this very moment, but Mara insisted "We remain convinced that he is the right man for the job."
Some of the players would disagree.
"Guys are so sick of hearing him yapping all the time," one starting player who asked not to be identified - he expects to be back next season - yesterday told The Post. "You watch film, a guy gets beat and he yells 'We can't have that!' Like a whiny baby."
The not-so-hidden message contained in the modest one-year extension might as well be up on a billboard: Coughlin, 25-23 in his three years with the Giants and 0-2 in the playoffs, next year is coaching for his job.
Coughlin said he wished the owners did not disclose the length of the extension. "That's something to me is a private matter when you start talking about contract," he said, and added he was "never really worried" about his job security.
Mara and Tisch met with Coughlin this past Monday and Tuesday, explaining they did not demand anything but wanting to hear a detailed plan for improvement.
"He did not have to save his job; he did not have to talk us into anything," Tisch said.
Obviously, Coughlin was smart enough to promise changes in his coaching staff. The two areas of greatest concern, in Mara's view, are the development of Eli Manning and the inability of the defense to come up with enough plays. Connect the dots and it's likely in the coming days defensive coordinator Tim Lewis will be dismissed, along with several other assistants. Kevin Gilbride, who replaced the banished John Hufnagel as offensive coordinator, will be retained.
Lewis yesterday was interviewed by Miami owner Wayne Huizenga for the vacant Dolphins head-coaching job.
As for the search for a new general manager to replace the retiring Ernie Accorsi, Mara promised a decision shortly. He seemed to squelch speculation that even though Scott Pioli of the Patriots declined an interview request, he could emerge as a candidate after New England's season is done. "I would be surprised if it took until the end of the playoffs," Mara said. "I hope to have a decision much sooner than that."
Jerry Reese, the director of player personnel, remains the favorite to fill the GM job.
As for the fans - many of whom chanted "Fire Coughlin" in the 30-7 loss to the Saints in the low moment of the season - Mara said he's aware of the discontent.
"I'm certainly sensitive to what the fans think," Mara said, "but at the end of the day you can't make decisions based on what the fans' sentiment is at that time."
While ownership has mild concerns about Coughlin's comportment, sideline behavior and relationship with his players and the media, none of these issues threatened to cost him his job. There were no demands that he become kinder and gentler.
"Tom has been around awhile ... he is 60 years old, or whatever, so I'm not anticipating any major changes," Mara said. "The only change that I want to see is us win more games."
The image of the Giants as dysfunctional, fractured and undisciplined is not a vision shared by ownership.
"There is this notion out there that [Coughlin] lost the locker room, that there is a mutiny going on down there," Mara said. "That is absolutely not the case. And I think if you talk to the players who are down there, including the leaders on this team, I think they will certainly dispute that. And particularly the ones that have guts to be identified."
