Schottenheimer set to guide Bolts in ‘07

Wednesday, Jan 17, 2007
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

Marty Schottenheimer didn’t get the Chargers where they wanted to go this season, but he’ll have the opportunity to guide them there in 2007.  

President Dean Spanos announced Wednesday that Schottenheimer will return to coach the team for a sixth season.

“There were a lot of things that were discussed between (General Manager) A.J. Smith and myself, but I think the most important thing is that I think he gives us the best chance to win next year,” Spanos said.  “It keeps the continuity of the team together.  There’s a tremendous amount of support by the players.  Those types of things were the things that were important to me.”

In five seasons with the Chargers, Schottenheimer has posted a record of 47-33 and won two AFC West titles, including a 14-2 campaign in 2006, the best record in franchise history.   

“We are all bitterly disappointed how this season ended, but we can’t allow our disappointment to cloud the achievements of our franchise over the past few years,” Spanos said.  “Only two teams have won more regular season games over the past three years than the Chargers.  We have 24 key players under long-term contracts through at least 2009.  This is a fine young team, with great chemistry, and right now stability is important for this team.  I’m already looking forward to next season.”

Schottenheimer met with the media Wednesday afternoon and expressed gratitude to the Spanoses for giving him another opportunity to bring a Super Bowl title to San Diego.

“The players, the coaches and the investment that has been made by all of us, we still have work that’s undone,” Schottenheimer said.  “It’s our intention to go back to work as is our custom and go at it in a way in which we can ultimately fulfill the ambitions of our organization and most importantly our fans.”

Schottenheimer has one year remaining on his current contract.  He was offered a one-year extension this week but decided to turn it down.

“When I looked at the whole picture, I just felt like we have this season to deal with,” Schottenheimer said.  “We’re only going to invest in and focus on this season.  I think in this situation, it’s in my best interest and in the organization’s best interest that we proceed on the basis that we entered to in this most recent contract.”

Spanos and Smith waited until Tuesday to have any discussions on the team’s future because it was important for them to allow the emotions from Sunday’s loss to die down a bit before making such a substantial decision.  Smith consulted several of his confidants for advice, and he and Spanos agreed that it would be best to retain Schottenheimer.

“After all that information, I made the recommendation that we continue next year with Marty Schottenheimer based on the fact that we are so talented a football team,” Smith said.  “The information that I got from everybody was that we’re so close.  We made some mistakes in that football game and still almost won it.  I just felt it was the best for this organization to continue.  

When asked if he considered Schottenheimer’s playoff record when making the decision, Spanos said that the coach’s 13 playoff appearances were important to him.

“The more times you get there, the more chances you have to win in the postseason,” Spanos said.  “You can talk all you want.  You saw the game on Sunday.  You can’t blame that game on the coach.  That’s baloney.”

On Monday, several Chargers players were vocally supportive of their coach and expressed strong desires to see him return.

“All we could ask for as players is to have a coaching staff that puts in a great plan, prepares us to play, allows our bodies to recover and gets us emotionally ready,” defensive end Luis Castillo said.  “As players, we love playing for him. We love stepping out on that field knowing that he’s with us.  He gets you ready for games.  The whole staff does.”  

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson agreed with Castillo and also pointed to Schottenheimer’s success throughout his tenure with the Chargers.

“I think Marty has done a tremendous job, when you look at before he came, where we were,” Tomlinson said. “He's totally changed not only the perception of the franchise, but the mind-set of the players. He's done a tremendous job, in my opinion.”

Spanos also offered one-year extensions to Schottenheimer’s assistants that will keep them with the team through 2008.  

“I have great respect for what we’ve been able to achieve through (the players’) efforts and through the efforts of our coaching staff,” Schottenheimer said.  “You’ve heard me say on a number of occasions, I live vicariously through the performance of these players.  It’s a treat when you get a chance to work with them and then watch them go play in a winning fashion.  What I’m anxious to do is find a way, notwithstanding the record, to get over that hump.”

(Read quotes from Dean Spanos, AJ Smith & Marty Schottenheimer after speaking with media on Wednesday)