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Dolphins give the boot to Sparano
Source: Agencies |
December 14, 2011, Wednesday
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THE Miami Dolphins fired head coach Tony Sparano and named assistant coach Todd Bowles as his replacement on an interim basis, the National Football League team said on Monday.
Sparano led the Dolphins to an AFC East title in 2008, his first season in charge, but that proved to be his only winning season and Miami has not made the playoffs since.
"When I purchased the team I said there was nothing more important to me at all than being a winning team and bringing back the glory to Miami that it had in the past," Dolphins owner Stephen Ross told a news conference.
"There has been a lot of distraction, a lot of speculation over whether Tony will stay or go and I think, in the interests of the football team and the development of this team, that this is the time that we need to make a change."
The Dolphins (4-9) are last in the AFC East with three games remaining in the regular season and Sparano's position has been vulnerable after a dreadful 0-7 start to the 2011 NFL season.
Sparano is the third NFL coach fired this season, joining Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio, who was fired two weeks ago, and Kansas City's Todd Haley, fired earlier on Monday.
Ross said a "thorough search" would begin to find the team's next head coach and confirmed that Bowles would be interviewed for the post. Bowles, however, is not viewed by many observers as a real challenger for the position with many pundits expecting Miami to turn to an experienced 'name' such as former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher.
Ross also confirmed that general manager Jeff Ireland would remain in his position and said that the roster he had built was not far away from being successful. "The foundation is there to build a winning team," he said.
Sparano led the Dolphins to an AFC East title in 2008, his first season in charge, but that proved to be his only winning season and Miami has not made the playoffs since.
"When I purchased the team I said there was nothing more important to me at all than being a winning team and bringing back the glory to Miami that it had in the past," Dolphins owner Stephen Ross told a news conference.
"There has been a lot of distraction, a lot of speculation over whether Tony will stay or go and I think, in the interests of the football team and the development of this team, that this is the time that we need to make a change."
The Dolphins (4-9) are last in the AFC East with three games remaining in the regular season and Sparano's position has been vulnerable after a dreadful 0-7 start to the 2011 NFL season.
Sparano is the third NFL coach fired this season, joining Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio, who was fired two weeks ago, and Kansas City's Todd Haley, fired earlier on Monday.
Ross said a "thorough search" would begin to find the team's next head coach and confirmed that Bowles would be interviewed for the post. Bowles, however, is not viewed by many observers as a real challenger for the position with many pundits expecting Miami to turn to an experienced 'name' such as former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher.
Ross also confirmed that general manager Jeff Ireland would remain in his position and said that the roster he had built was not far away from being successful. "The foundation is there to build a winning team," he said.
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