ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, July 11, 1996 TAG: 9607110046
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
Three weeks after it appeared contract talks had stalled, Frank Anzalone received a new two-year deal to remain as coach of the Roanoke Express.
Anzalone, the only head coach in the Express' three-year history, agreed to a contract that runs through the 1997-98 season.
``We've entered into a two-year contract with Frank that was finally approved at our board meeting [Tuesday night],'' said Joe Steffen, the Express' vice president and director of communications. ``The deal had basically been 98 percent done. We got hung up on some semantics things and had to come up with solutions that made everybody happy.''
Before the two sides reached the agreement, there had been speculation that Anzalone might not remain as coach following the team's ownership shake-up three months ago.
Anzalone's contract status was left in limbo after Express president John Gagnon and general manager Pierre Paiement were removed April 19 as officers on the team's board of directors. Anzalone, who was heading into the final year of a contract that had been extended following the 1995 season, was left waiting for an extension.
Steffen said Anzalone's contract negotiations were delayed in order for the team's owners to adjust to the management change, which left Richard Macher as president and Steffen as vice president. Paiement retained his job as general manager but is no longer an officer on the board of directors, the group that runs the club's business.
The two sides were close to a new agreement three weeks ago, but the negotiations were discontinued and were not expected to be renewed until after the beginning of the upcoming season.
``We had to get the proper language in the contract,'' said Steffen. ``It's more of a complex legal document than his previous contract. That was the desire of both the owners and Frank. We needed to spell things out. There was never any doubt that we wanted Frank as our coach. It just took time to work things out.''
Anzalone, who coached Lake Superior State to an NCAA championship in 1988, has guided the Express to winning seasons in each of his three years, compiling a 112-75-19 record in that span. The Express has made the playoffs all three years.
Anzalone said in a statement that he is ``pleased and grateful for the confidence the owners of the Express had shown in [the] program'' and that ``I look forward to working together with Pierre and the new leadership to continue to build on our recent success.''
Steffen said the Express soon will make announcements regarding player signings and new affiliations with teams from higher leagues.
The Express has been trying to sign goalie Daniel Berthiaume, center Ilya Dubkov and wing Jeff Jablonski.
``Frank and Pierre have been working endlessly on player recruitment and affiliations,'' Steffen said. ``Within the next couple of weeks we should be making some positive announcements.''
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Anzalone (headshot) color.by CNB