Like the Montreal Alouettes earlier this season, the Ottawa Redblacks went through a coaching change in 2022.

The team from the Canadian capital still has chances to reach the playoffs, even if the 3-11 record is not very good. That case also caused the loss of head coach Paul LaPolice, who was fired the day after the September 30 loss to the BC Lions.

“They changed their head coach and I’m sure a lot of people are playing for their job, for opportunities in 2024, whether coach or player,” said interim Alouettes pilot Danny Maciocia on Friday.

The footballer expects the Rouge et Noir to put in maximum effort in their Monday game against the Sparrows and his men need to react with the same intensity. Montreal could secure a ticket to the playoffs with a win.

“For us it is a game that has a certain meaning. For them it has a certain mathematical meaning because they can still hope to qualify for the playoffs,” Maciocia recalled.

A good reputation

Bob Dyce is no stranger to the battalion. The 56-year-old Manitoban has held various roles in the Canadian Football League since 2003. He played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Rouge et Noir, but almost never as a head coach.

Maciocia knows that his opponent has a talent for motivating his troops… and that he likes to thwart the “als”.

“I know him because he is known in the CHL as an excellent special teams coach. Someone shared this with me: He was interim head coach a few years ago and he’s 2-0 against the Alouettes. I hope we finish this sequence on Monday,” he smiled.

In 2015 Dyce took over after the poor start of the Roughriders under Corey Chamblin (0-9). He had led his men to three wins in the remaining nine games. Two of those actually came against Montreal, including the last of the year that required extra time.