Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 18, 1990 TAG: 9007180063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Resorting to Plan B after Peter Horachek, the early No. 1 candidate, began negotiating with the ECHL franchise in Nashville, Tenn., Rebels owner Henry Brabham said Tuesday he "will probably hire" Noel.
An official announcement could come as early as Friday, Brabham said.
"I've talked with Claude on the phone several times, and I hope to get him in here for an interview Friday," Brabham said. "I hope to offer him the job then. I think he wanted it worse than the other guy [Horachek] did anyway."
A week ago, Brabham said Horachek was the front-runner for the Rebels' vacancy. Horachek was scheduled to come to Virginia to meet with Brabham late last week.
"Then Nashville got in the damn way," Brabham said, raising his voice. "He stopped off in Nashville and took the job there. He never made it here. I think he made a big mistake when you consider what's going on in Nashville these days."
Horachek will replace controversial Archie Henderson in Nashville. The Knights finished sixth in the eight-team league last season and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Henderson was fired April 20. On May 31, he filed a lawsuit against Knights owners Ron Fuller and Bob Polk, contending he did not receive back pay. The suit has not been settled.
A source close to the situation said Horachek has all but signed a contract with Nashville. The Knights will have a news conference July 27 to announce Horachek's hiring, the source said.
With Horachek detoured by Nashville, Brabham was left with two candidates: Noel and former National Hockey League player and coach Butch Goring.
Goring, who was fired by the NHL's Boston Bruins in 1986, sent a resume to Brabham, who apparently did not take Goring's inquiry too seriously.
"Once a guy has been in the NHL, he becomes hard to handle," Brabham said. "I think a young guy working to move up will work harder than a guy who has already been to the top and has been knocked down."
That leaves Noel, a 34-year-old former center who spent most of his playing career in the American and International leagues. A native of Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Noel served as a player-assistant coach in his waning years in the IHL in Toledo, Ohio, and Kalamazoo, Mich.
"Everybody who I've talked to seems to like Noel," Brabham said. "I think he can do a good job for us."
by CNB