'I've played for him': Former Leaf takes aim at current team in heated remarks
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Former Maple Leafs player turned analyst Jay Rosehill defended Craig Berube after there are those who question if he is doing a bad job as Toronto's head coach.
Speculation has skyrocketed over the last 24 hours after the Toronto Maple Leafs' latest loss. A 4-0 drubbing at the hands of the Capitals has led to many wondering if the team is constructed properly, and that includes their head coach.
Craig Berube can be blamed partially for not being able to rally the troops, but when those same soldiers are considering a mutiny against you; there's only so much you can do before giving up.
Things are tense and a lot of the sentiment has surrounded Berube's inability to keep the locker room and wonder if his hard-nosed approach and gruff attitude is alienating his players.
Jay Rosehill to Berube detractors: 'It's a f****** disgrace'
One person who thinks that's a bit egregious is former Maple Leafs player Jay Rosehill. The co-host of Leafs Morning Take defended Berube on Friday after there were questions about him doing a good enough job.
Rosehill took umbrage with the fact that people think Berube is some iron-fisted dictator in the locker room:
I've played for him. I've had coaches where the whole team hates them; he's negative, he belittles guys, he chucking s***, he's sarcastic...Craig Berube is none of those things.
He's so straightforward, he's honest, he isn't crazy negative, he doesn't flip tables or scream in guys' faces. He just says 'We gotta show up, work hard, play our game, it's not a big f***** circus. North-South, that's our game. You guys are skilled enough to do whatever you want, but getting that time will take a little more effort.'
I think the next 24 hours...like something's gotta give here. It is probably Craig Berube getting fired and it's a f***** disgrace.
He's so straightforward, he's honest, he isn't crazy negative, he doesn't flip tables or scream in guys' faces. He just says 'We gotta show up, work hard, play our game, it's not a big f***** circus. North-South, that's our game. You guys are skilled enough to do whatever you want, but getting that time will take a little more effort.'
I think the next 24 hours...like something's gotta give here. It is probably Craig Berube getting fired and it's a f***** disgrace.
These are some pretty passionate words from a pretty passionate guy, and Rosehill never leaves a stone unturned when it comes to his opinions. But they aren't just shrouded in a personal bias, he brings up a lot of good points.
Craig Berube has never been the problem
We've seen behind-the-scenes looks at Berube in the locker room and while he uses a lot of expletives; it's not like he's targeting players. He praises when need be, and criticizes as well. He doesn't say 'Auston you're trash.' or single out one niche play that he didn't like.
He tells it as it is, reiterates the game plan, and has a proven and successful system. It's not like he's some run of the mill coach fresh off the presses. This is a Stanley Cup winning coach with a lot of respect and admiration from former players.
Yes, he is the coach and his responsibility is to make sure his players work together but when it's clear that ego has superceded rationality; what do you want him to do? The players feel like they are above him, and their indirect protest of his style is only going to continue frustrating fans.
So maybe it is going to end up with Craig Berube being fired. But it's not his fault, nor is it the fans. It's the players who drove him out, and feels like only a matter of time before whoever comes in has to face a lot of turmoil.
But this would be their fourth coach in the Auston Matthews era, which starts to make you wonder.
Maybe this isn't a coaching problem whatsoever.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 20|3013 ANSWERS 'I've played for him': Former Leaf takes aim at current team in heated remarks Do you think Craig Berube deserves to be fired? | ||
| Yes | 1023 | 34 % |
| No | 1990 | 66 % |
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