Why Mike Singletary Failed as the 49ers Head Coach

The San Francisco 49ers and team president Jed York finally did the right thing and fired Mike Singletary as the head coach. While Singletary wasn't the only the problem the 49ers had this season, he was certainly a big problem. Singletary is the issue to look at the moment and the reasons why he failed as the 49ers coach.

- When I first started this blog, Singletary was still the interim coach of the 49ers. One of my first posts was about the fact if Singletary wanted to the full-time coach of the 49ers, he needed a team plan for the team to achieve success.

"Singletary though should provide a type of plan to the team if he wants to be the next coach. He has done great so far this season, but what is his future plan if he where named the coach. It has been rumored, the only reason Singletary hasn't received a job yet is because of his lack of plan while interviewing."

As Mike Lombardi noted today on NFL.com, Singletary failed to provide a long-term plan for the team's success and failed explain his plan in detail and motivate his team to follow through on his plan. Singletary never had a plan from the start for this team. Jed York only hired Singletary because Jed looked up Singletary in a uncle kind of way. Jed never saw Singletary has an employee, but rather like a friend.

Warner Visting With the 49ers

The San Fransisco 49ers have already talked about the possibility of signing Michael Vick. While that doesn't look reasonable, they are meeting with Kurt Warner today.

Now I have already talked about how they are giving up on Shaun Hill to soon. And signing Warner would push Hill to the back of the line once again.

First let me give you my opinion on Warner. Kurt Warner is a fine quarterback. Only one problem though, he has only preformed when surrounded by great receivers. In St. Louis, he had Issac Bruce and Tory Holt in their prime. In Arizona he has had Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Bolden. He has only preformed with great receivers around him.

He had his chance with the New York Giants. He wasn't surrounded with top flight receivers and was sub-planted for the job by a rookie quarterback in Eli Manning.

Warner will also be 38 when the season begins. So do they want to give a big contract to a player who is old and has injury problems in the past. Once again the Niners are turning their backs on Shaun Hill.

While I realize Hill isn't the ideal quarterback you want, the guy is a winner. He doesn't have the strongest arm in the league, but the guy is a winner. For heaven's sake, he took Maryland to a BCS bowl game. No other quarterback has been able to do that since.

Niners coach Mike Singletary needs to realize, he wouldn't have had this job if it wasn't for Hill during the stretch last season. Singletary would be an assistant somewhere in the league right now, if it weren't for Shaun Hill.

The Niners and Mike Singletary would be stupid if they turned their backs on Shaun Hill now. For all the things he has done for them, you would think he would get more gratitude. Shaun Hill is the Rodney Dangerfield of the 49ers, he can't get no respect.

Should the 49ers Keep Singletary?

With the San Francisco 49ers much improved play, the big question is should the team keep Mike Singletary?

Singletary insists that he is not trying out for the job.

"I'm not thinking about the Yorks. I'm not thinking about who's grading. I'm not thinking about (general managers). I'm not even thinking about the media," Singletary said in his closing statement Monday to the, ahem, media at 49ers headquarters.

He can say all he wants about not thinking about next year, but he really is. Iron Mike has always wanted to be an NFL coach. He has insisted that he is the "right man" for the job. And you know what, he is the right man.

Since the 49ers elevated Singletary to head coach in late October, the team has been much improved. The offense and defense has improved, and he has gotten offensive coordinator Mike Martz to buy into his type of system.

The team has won 3 games out of the seven Singletary has coached. They dominated the New York Jets and actually beat Brett Favre, who had only lost to the 49ers once in his career. Last week, against the Miami Dolphins the 49ers controlled the time of possession, but they just couldn't get in the end zone.

Singletary though should provide a type of plan to the team if he wants to be the next coach. He has done great so far this season, but what is his future plan if he where named the coach. It has been rumored, the only reason Singletary hasn't received a job yet is because of his lack of plan while interviewing.

If he provides a future plan, than he is the right man for the job. The players listen to him, and he has an authority type of persona.