PRO FOOTBALL: THE AFTERMATH : Chargers Dismiss Saunders : Continuity Is Said to Be a Consideration in Hiring New Coach

The Chargers issued a 7-paragraph statement Monday, confirming the worst-kept secret in the National Football League.

They announced the firing of Coach Al Saunders.

“We feel at this time it is necessary to make a change in the head coaching position,” said owner Alex Spanos in the prepared release.

Saunders’ dismissal marked the second time in less than 26 months that Spanos has dumped his coach.

Yet in the sixth paragraph, the statement quoted Steve Ortmayer, the team’s director of football operations, as saying: “A degree of continuity at this point is a definite consideration.”

Ortmayer was apparently referring to his desire to keep the rest of the Charger coaching staff intact as much as possible.

Meanwhile, at a mid-afternoon news conference at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, Saunders smiled frequently and looked almost relieved that the speculation surrounding his job in recent weeks had ended.

Asked if he was bitter about Spanos’ decision, Saunders retorted, “Do I look like a lemon?”

“Just kidding,” he added quickly.

Despite his good spirits in public, Saunders was, by most accounts, calculating and ambitious to a fault. And, sources close to the Chargers say, it was those qualities that eventually turned off Spanos.

Both Spanos and Ortmayer recognized that Saunders had done a good coaching job with limited talent. What bothered them was his need for everybody to know how consistently overmatched his team was.

Neither Spanos nor Ortmayer would publicly discuss the firing or where the search for a successor may be leading them. But Charger offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome said he has been told that Ortmayer will meet today with Saunders’ assistants.

Rhome said it was too early to be considered a possible successor. But his name has been mentioned, as well as Charger defensive coordinator Ron Lynn and former Raider coach Tom Flores.

Ortmayer has consistently praised the present Charger coaching staff.

“We have coaches on this staff that a new coach would be comfortable with,” he said.

One way to be sure of that would be to name Rhome or Lynn. Another way would be to hire a coach who doesn’t mind taking over a team with the staff already in place. Might such a coach be Ortmayer? He has denied reports in the past that he has any interest in coaching.

For now, none of Saunders’ assistants have been dismissed.

Ortmayer may want to move quickly in retaining Lynn, who has been linked to the recently vacated coaching job at Stanford University.

Stanford Athletic Director Andy Geiger said Monday that Lynn is on Stanford’s “long list” of candidates. Geiger also said that Saunders is on that list, but added that he has not had any contact with either Lynn or Saunders.

Asked about his immediate plans, Saunders said: “I’m gonna get Denny Stolz’s phone number and go play golf.”

Stolz is the recently deposed football coach at San Diego State.

Saunders informed the players of the decision at a meeting Monday morning, less than 24 hours after the Chargers had finished their season by beating Kansas City, 24-13. It was their fourth victory in Saunders’ last 6 games. But it wasn’t enough. Earlier in the morning, Spanos had told Saunders of the decision.

Saunders, who took over in the middle of the 1986 season for Don Coryell, had a 17-24 record. He had 3 more years on his 5-year contract. Neither side discussed details of the severance settlement.

Saunders’ shining hour occurred during the 1987 strike when his “re-Chargers” won all 3 replacement games. But when the regulars returned, the Chargers lost their last 6 and finished 8-7, missing the playoffs.

After a 2-2 start this season, the Chargers lost 6 straight again. Before the game against the Raiders Nov. 6, Saunders infuriated Spanos by comparing his players unfavorably to several Raider players. There were reports that Spanos wanted to fire Saunders immediately but was talked out of it.

Spanos said that Ortmayer will conduct the search for a new coach.

“Steve knows what is needed and will be in charge of finding the right person,” Spanos said.

Of Spanos, Ortmayer and Saunders, Saunders was the only one who chose to meet publicly with reporters to discuss the firing. But he declined to answer almost all controversial questions. He chose instead to make a rather rambling farewell speech in which he thanked his friends, the fans, the media and his players.

“I’ve enjoyed tremendously my association with the players,” he said, naming sKellen Winslow, Wes Chandler, Charlie Joiner and Lionel James. “My regret is that we weren’t able to finish what we started. We hope we laid the groundwork. We had dreams and I wish I could have been part of fulfilling them.”

The 1988 Chargers finished with a 6-10 record and fourth in the AFC West. Saunders, 41, ended his news conference by saying he had to go shopping “for Christmas presents for my kids.”

None of the players or the coaches were surprised at the firing. “It wasn’t like it was a secret that this might happen,” Rhome said. “But I’m sad it did. It’s something the organization thought it needed to do. I didn’t want it to happen.”

Both Rhome and Lynn have expressed desires to become head coaches.

“Everybody wants his shot,” Rhome said.

But neither has started openly lobbying for the job.

Lynn said: “I think Al did a great job at staying above this (firing rumors) and helping everybody focus on the direction we wanted to go. He wanted us to do our jobs and play well.”