CFL.ca
CFL.ca Staff
– With files from The Canadian Press
HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced today that George Cortez has been relieved of his duties as Head Coach and Director of Football Operations.
“After a thorough evaluation of our organization and our goals moving forward, we have determined that a change in direction is needed,” said President Scott Mitchell.
“We want to thank Coach Cortez for his contributions to the Tiger-Cats and wish him well in his future endeavours. We will immediately begin the search for our new General Manager and Head Coach.”
The Ticats also announced that as part of their longstanding agreement with Bob O’Billovich, he has been offered a position within the organization as a consultant to the President and the Football Operations staff.
“Bob has done a very good job of bringing competitive football back to Hamilton and we look forward to working with him for many years to come,” said Mitchell.
Cortez said he was surprised by the news, but seemed to be taking his dismissal well when he talked to reporters Tuesday.
“That’s the way things go,” he said. “We didn’t win enough games, and ultimately that’s what you’re judged on.”
When asked if he would have done anything differently over his tenure in Hamilton, he replied: “I would have won more games.”
“I think we had a good plan of how we did things,” he added. “It was pretty much based on places I’d been in the past and how we’d done things successfully in the past, so I don’t do a lot of second-guessing. Once you make a decision you move forward.”
Cortez said he would like to return to coaching next year, possibly as an offensive co-ordinator. He said he hasn’t ruled out a return to the CFL’s head coaching ranks, but noted that as of right now job vacancies are hard to come by.
“I know obviously there’s going to be a job in Ottawa in a year or two, but as of right now there’s no jobs out there,” he said.
