I'm seriously fed up with this bs that a Canadiens coach has to speak French before being a good coach. In Europe you can have a soccer coach that doesn't speak the country's language and no one gives a shit as long as the team wins. The same thing for star players. Why is it that here in Quebec, the only thing that's important is the language the coach speaks? Hire a translator or a press agent to deal with the media if you have to. What matters is WINNING!
What's more important? A coach that can win or one that speaks French?
- Thread starter Techman
- Start date
I totally agree with you. I find it ridiculous. Montreal is a billingual city & most of its residents understand english, so i don't get it.
Personally, i think it would be more important for the team to have more french-speaking players instead of having a french-speaking coach.
Think of it. In Russia they come over here for coaches who can't even communicate with most of the players they coach, much less the press, and no one bats an eye.
And as much as it would be nice to have a French Canadian star on the Habs, it ain't gonna happen as long as the Montreal media behaves the way it does. French players here are hounded by the press and if they make even the slightest mistake they are torn apart. No French player in his right mind wants to play here because of that.
And as much as it would be nice to have a French Canadian star on the Habs, it ain't gonna happen as long as the Montreal media behaves the way it does. French players here are hounded by the press and if they make even the slightest mistake they are torn apart. No French player in his right mind wants to play here because of that.
Hello Tech,
You didn't explain the situation clearly. Is speaking French a rule, or is this a perception of bias, no matter how obvious? How much of this situation involves a clear bias toward the language, and how much of it is about personal perception aggravated over the usual bilingual issues? Well, maybe one is too angry to assess that dispassionately.
The answer is no language issues should interfere with the smooth operation of the organization or the game. IF it does...then adjust one way or another that least interferes with having the best talent and skill.
If the idea of having to speak one language or another to be good is just some notion of what is proper, or some ethnic imposition that has nothing to do with function...then it's silly.
Cheers,
Merlot
BTW...what a great choice of voting options.
the language is not a issue,to be a good coach you need goods players.Unfortunatly we have 2 or 3 goods players and it is not enough make a winning team.
The Montreal Alouettes don't have a french speaking coach and no one makes a fuss about that.
It's just certain media types who want a french speaking coach so that it'll be easier for them to stir the pot and get good sound bites for their articles.
A true Montreal Canadiens fan will not care whether the coach speaks french or not, it's whether they win or not that counts!!
It's more imortant to have quebec born players than quebec born coach.
It's just certain media types who want a french speaking coach so that it'll be easier for them to stir the pot and get good sound bites for their articles.
A true Montreal Canadiens fan will not care whether the coach speaks french or not, it's whether they win or not that counts!!
It's more imortant to have quebec born players than quebec born coach.
Who said you have to be French speaking to be a good coach?????? Who saidthe only thing that's important is the language the coach speaks??????I think it is important to have a French speaking coach in Montréal unless no good French coach is available at the moment. I bet they'll find one next year. The Montréal Canadien is a strong symbolic institution in Québec and I think that the main spokesman for the club, the one that talks the more to the public through the media, should be able to speak french. Nothing ethnic here. Gainey had a lot of respect in the population.
There is a difference with football where it is certainly more difficult to find very good coaches speaking french.
Merlot, I haven't the slightest idea what the hell your post is about so I can't really respond to it. It should be enough to say that one of the usual French language lunatic fringe groups has already called for the new coach to be fired and for a public apology from the Habs for hiring him in the first place. They are true hockey fans.
gugu, the problem here in Montreal is that the main requirement to be the coach of the Habs is that he speaks French whereas the first requirement should be that he is a good coach. If he can speak French, bonus! The same thing goes for the players. Their nationality or language should be secondary to the ability of the coach or player. The last time I checked, language skills didn't help put the puck in the net.
It should be enough to say that one of the usual French language lunatic fringe groups has already called for the new coach to be fired and for a public apology from the Habs for hiring him in the first place. They are true hockey fans. gugu, the problem here in Montreal is that the main requirement to be the coach of the Habs is that he speaks French whereas the first requirement should be that he is a good coach. If he can speak French, bonus! The same thing goes for the players. Their nationality or language should be secondary to the ability of the coach or player. The last time I checked, language skills didn't help put the puck in the net.
Merlot, I haven't the slightest idea what the hell your post is about so I can't really respond to it.
gugu, the problem here in Montreal is that the main requirement to be the coach of the Habs is that he speaks French whereas the first requirement should be that he is a good coach. If he can speak French, bonus! The same thing goes for the players. Their nationality or language should be secondary to the ability of the coach or player. The last time I checked, language skills didn't help put the puck in the net.
Hello Tech,
Basically, you didn't explain the circumstances much.
I was wondering if this is just more ethnic bickering. I support the preservation of French in all aspects and in Montreal knowing the language has got to be an asset. But is it a necessity? The idea that the coach HAS TO BE French is debatable at the very least, but calling for an automatic firing just because a coach may not speak French smacks of idiotic ethnocentric baiting to me. It seems to also imply that Americans, Swedes, Czechs, Slovakians, Poles, Finns, Russians, or anyone else who does not speak French should not be on the team...perhaps not in the league. Pfffsssst!!!
I support the French language and culture, but in this case it seems some of the French are being superficially obsessive about something that is really not a vital issue. Some things are silly.
Cheers,
Merlot
Here is the truth. A real Habs fan, and a real Fan of Hockey in general, wants one thing more than anything else for his team, TO WIN and nothing more. If the language a coach speaks or fails to speak determines how a fan feels, then he is not a true fan of his team or of the game.
What Montreal fan would be pissed if the habs went on to win La Coupe Stanley this season and not be happy they won because their coach does not speak French? They have not had a French Canadian as Captain in 11 years and have survived that, i am sure they will survive having a coach that does not speak French. Dont get me wrong, I love the French Canadian culture, people, business and everything Quebec, but this is just so silly whats going on about Cunneyworth and is more about ego/self serving agendas than winning hockey games. Shame on you who feel this way and call yourself Habs fans and more importantly, Hockey Fans. (not talking about members here, just those in a uproar who do not realise it is the year 2011)
What Montreal fan would be pissed if the habs went on to win La Coupe Stanley this season and not be happy they won because their coach does not speak French? They have not had a French Canadian as Captain in 11 years and have survived that, i am sure they will survive having a coach that does not speak French. Dont get me wrong, I love the French Canadian culture, people, business and everything Quebec, but this is just so silly whats going on about Cunneyworth and is more about ego/self serving agendas than winning hockey games. Shame on you who feel this way and call yourself Habs fans and more importantly, Hockey Fans. (not talking about members here, just those in a uproar who do not realise it is the year 2011)
"Bien que notre priorité soit de gagner et d'être continuellement à la recherche de l'excellence, il est évident que la capacité de l'entraîneur-chef à s'exprimer en français de même qu'en anglais sera un facteur très important dans le choix d'un candidat sur une base permanente."
Geoff Molson
Geoff Molson
I would expect them to not only hire a coach who speaks French, but one who also speaks Czech, German, Swiss, Russian, Finnish, and Bostonese.
I am an anglo exile, so I got a bitter chip on my shoulder.
That being said, there is 1 Quebec team. About 60% of players in the NHL are from Canada. Even if only 10% of those were from Quebec, that would be enough players to fill two teams. I think Canadian teams should try to recruit within their regions as much as possible via draft or trade, excepting of course goalies and the occasional mega player, you get a 99, you hold on for dear life. Anyhow goalies are the drummers of the hockey world, they are supposed to be weird.
Without that, why give a damn which team wins. In the last Stanley cup everyone was getting all nationalist when the Boston team had more Canadians if memory serves.
That being said, there is 1 Quebec team. About 60% of players in the NHL are from Canada. Even if only 10% of those were from Quebec, that would be enough players to fill two teams. I think Canadian teams should try to recruit within their regions as much as possible via draft or trade, excepting of course goalies and the occasional mega player, you get a 99, you hold on for dear life. Anyhow goalies are the drummers of the hockey world, they are supposed to be weird.
Without that, why give a damn which team wins. In the last Stanley cup everyone was getting all nationalist when the Boston team had more Canadians if memory serves.
There are 22 players on the Montreal roster:
3 are from Quebec, with French names
7 are from elsewhere in Canada, none of whom have French sounding names.
12 are from other countries.
This is much ado about nothing.
3 are from Quebec, with French names
7 are from elsewhere in Canada, none of whom have French sounding names.
12 are from other countries.
This is much ado about nothing.
There's a huge uproar all over Quebec today in regards to the Cunneyworth hiring. That's all they're talking about on local radio & on the news. They've even spoken about it in the house of commons. Louis Jean of Rogers Sportsnet was on Hockey Central at Noon today & when asked if he believed if Randy Cunneyworth would still be the coach by season's end, he replied he doubted very much he'd still be the coach due to all the pressure surrounding the team since the hiring & added that the pressure would likely continue until a billingual replacement would be found. Nuts.
There are strong rumours circling that the next habs coach will be Guy Boucher, currently with Tampa. That will only be possible if Tampa continues to struggle.
There are strong rumours circling that the next habs coach will be Guy Boucher, currently with Tampa. That will only be possible if Tampa continues to struggle.
Hello all of you !!!
The most important, whatever the coach speaks only English or is bilingual,
should be to invite me to watch a game, if ever you have 1 over ticket :lol:
The most important, whatever the coach speaks only English or is bilingual,
should be to invite me to watch a game, if ever you have 1 over ticket :lol:
