After the dismissals of manager Rick Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer at the Minnesota Vikings, players speak openly about interpersonal problems. That will go a long way in charting the course in the search for successors.

Munich – Layoffs can release new forces in the short term. They can provide a boost, new approaches, ideas – and ideally also success.

At first, however, they are sometimes tongue-twisters.

And that provides interesting insights – like now with the Minnesota Vikings. Because it’s clear: when owners Zygi and Mark Wilf fire both coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman, they want a complete fresh start. A reset.

At first glance, this is no surprise, since the Vikings missed the playoffs for the second time in a row. A clean cut at the entire sporting management level is a tradition on “Black Monday” – and in many cases the result of a lack of results, i.e. prolonged lack of success.

Mike Zimmer: Not a bad overall balance

Zimmer, who took his first NFL head coaching job with the Vikings in 2014 at the age of 57, comes in with a 72-56-1 record in the regular season and 2-3 in the playoffs, where he took his team three times. Spielman had even been with the Vikings since 2006.

The “Minneapolis Miracle” in the 2017 season is certainly unforgettable, which enabled the team to make the Divisional Playoffs, but the Super Bowl in front of its own audience still didn’t happen then. A 7-9 and an 8-9 record in 2020 and 2021 were ultimately too little to go on.

“The results speak for themselves,” said Mark Wilf. “We’re not happy. We’re not where we want to be. But we have a great organisation. We have a great squad to build on. I think every coach and manager knows there’s something to build on here.”

There was a commitment as owners “to provide the resources to be able to compete at the highest level and try to win titles”, he said.

The decision is often worth a second look, however.

Spontaneous talkativeness

Because the firings of coach and GM caused spontaneous talkativeness among Vikings players. Accordingly, the franchise will not simply need a fresh start in terms of personnel, i.e. a new manager and coach, but a new culture.

Because that has suffered under Zimmer in recent years, as a few players have let slip.

Linebacker Eric Kendricks described a general culture that works on a team as “a culture where communication is at the forefront and you have a voice regardless of your role on the team and you can say things you think are important,” he said. “I think it’s important to make yourself heard and be considerate of other people’s feelings, no matter how big your role is,” Kendricks said, adding that his last sentence made people sit up and take notice: “I don’t think a fear-based organisation is the way to go.”

Zimmer is an old-school coach, a sometimes tough-as-nails coach, defensive guru, discipline fanatic, who apparently hasn’t gotten anywhere lately with his brusque and sometimes hurtful manner. There are players who need that, and as long as success is there, the means seem to be right. But recently the balance between carrot and stick got too out of joint because the results were no longer there either.

You could call the culture toxic if you listen to the players. But at the very least, various relationships in the dressing room between coach and players were disturbed.

Receiver Adam Thielen said he had “a lot of appreciation” and “a lot of respect for Zimmer.” As for the next coach, he said he wants someone who is “a strong leader, a strong communicator and a strong collaborator. “

Personal things make a big difference

Employee in the sense of a boss who is keen on collaboration. “You can’t just do it your own way. You need the help of others. Everyone works together for the same goal and is able to give constructive criticism,” says Thielen.

Also looking deep is tackle Brian O’Neill, who wants little things from the bosses “like ‘Hey, how are you?” or “that feeling when you walk by guys and they say, ‘Hi, how are you? Good morning'” wishes.

You spend so much time together and the season is so long, O’Neill said, “that little personal things here and there can make a big difference to a young player because guys play best when they feel good about themselves and their role on the team. The more we all understand as coaches and players that we’re in this together, the better it gets, I think.”

Things went from bad to worse recently, with Zimmer verbally berating quarterback Kellen Mond, for example, or receiver Justin Jefferson missing a franchise record in the meaningless final game of the season because the ex-coach doesn’t care about bests.

That’s in the past now, the future should be different. The Vikings’ plan: First, a new general manager is to be hired, who will then join the search for a new coach.

The competition is fierce, because besides the Vikings, the Chicago Bears have also fired their GM and coach, the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins their head coaches and the New York Giants their GM. So the Vikings are not alone in probing the market.

Offensive Players Coach the approach?

The Vikings don’t need a complete rebuild. One approach could be to hire an offensive coach, a so-called “players coach”, who has a good rapport with the players but shows the necessary toughness at the right moments. That would be the opposite of the way things have gone so far.

“The best coaches I’ve had are the ones who have made me a better person off the field,” Kendricks said: “People I’d like to surround myself with, talk to and get things off my chest.”

Because that can also release strength. Even in the long run.