Problems In Hamilton?

A prominent CFL agent says strife is brewing inside the Hamilton Ticats’ locker-room.

In an interview with the Team 990 radio station in Montreal on Wednesday morning, Darren Gill said the relationship between Ticats head coach George Cortez and defensive co-ordinator Casey Creehan is already strained and that veteran players are not enjoying life under Cortez.

“I’m not going to tell you that there’s major problems in that locker-room but they are certainly starting,” said Gill, who represents several Ticats. “George Cortez is not known as a players’ coach and that’s been known from day one. He’s not brought the veterans on his side and it’s made it very difficult for him to try to get that team on the right page.”

In addition to the discord among players, Gill says Cortez and Creehan have clashed. The Ticats are last in several defensive categories.

“There’s been some pretty well-known confrontations in that team’s locker-room between George Cortez and defensive co-ordinator Casey Creehan,” Gill said. “They’re not on the same page.”

Cortez, however, denies there’s an issue with his rookie defensive co-ordinator.

“I was pretty much flabbergasted when somebody told me that Casey and I supposedly had a rift. I said, ‘Really, about what?’ ” Cortez said. “That’s so far out in left field.”

Cortez also said his relationship with veteran players is fine.

“If players were feeling alienated, they would come to talk to me,” Cortez said. “From time to time, everybody is unhappy about something and it’s inevitable that they’ll come talk to me about it.”

Regardless of the reality of the situation, there is little question a win would help. With an 0-2 start and facing a suddenly dangerous Toronto Argonauts team this Saturday, the Ticats could be headed down a dangerous road, Gill says.

“I’m not telling you this team is in trouble, but there’s certainly some early signs that they are in trouble,” he said.

Cortez, however, said he wasn’t going to lose sleep over comments made from a player agent who has yet to attend a Ticats practice this season.

“I have no idea where it comes from,” Cortez said. “I am going to call Darren, though.”

(From Hamilton Spectator)