Courtesy Montreal Gazette:

We can say this much about the Alouettes’ search for a new head coach - it will be thorough and exhaustive, a stark contrast to a year ago, when the position was retained by general manager Jim Popp, without any candidates being interviewed.

It has been two weeks since team president Larry Smith announced Popp wouldn’t return as Montreal’s coach, but would remain GM, following an 8-10 season and opening-round playoff elimination. Smith admitted that the interview process still hasn’t been concluded. When all is said and done, close to a dozen candidates will have been interviewed. Smith has told those close to him the organization won’t be rushed into making a decision.

“It’s 180 degrees in terms of difference,” he said. “Last year was an easy decision. The alignment of the stars were where they were. This time, we’ll make sure we’re thorough.”

Smith denied that the organization blundered in giving the job to Popp, who replaced Don Matthews in October 2006, and guided the Alouettes to a Grey Cup appearance.

“You can say what you want, but the issue was structural,” Smith said.

“We tried a different structure. Now, we recognize we have to go back to the original structure. I’m satisfied we did the right thing … last year. That was right at the moment.”

Among those already interviewed are Marcel Bellefeuille and Chris Jones, offensive and defensive coordinators under Popp; Calgary’s Tom Higgins; Winnipeg’s Greg Marshall; Toronto’s Steve Buratto; Saskatchewan’s Richie Hall; and Bob Price, the Als’ head coach in 1996. Price has been at the University of Virginia since then and hasn’t returned repeated messages left by The Gazette.

“We’re following a normal course of action,” Smith said. “It seems exhaustive, but these are different circumstances.”

It appears the Alouettes are delaying their decision to see what transpires in Hamilton. The future of Tiger-Cats head coach Charlie Taaffe, who coached Montreal in 1999 and 2000, has been in limbo since Hamilton hired Bob O’Billovich as its GM last week. O’Billovich could be delaying his decision on Taaffe knowing the Als’ potential interest in him.

Another potential candidate could be Peter Vaas, the Als’ offensive coordinator under Price in ‘96. Vaas coached quarterback Brady Quinn at Notre Dame in 2005-06 and has been a head coach in NFL Europe.

Smith hopes to make an announcement shortly, but won’t be pinned down on a timetable.

“I would hope that we come to some form of conclusion, but we won’t put pressure on ourselves,” he said, indicating the leading candidates will be invited back for a second round of interviews.