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Whether he continues to play or moves to the sideline as an assistant, Nik Lewis said the Alouettes’ new head coach must build a trust factor with the players he inherits.

From the releases of Bear Woods, Jovon Johnson, Donald Unamba, Ryan Phillips and, even dating back to 2016, Duron Carter, the players’ trust in management was lost following a series of personnel moves.

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“It almost felt like certain people didn’t want us to win,” Lewis told the Montreal Gazette on Monday, as frank and outspoken as ever. “When attitudes and egos change, it changes the culture.

“When you have people in place and coaches not wanting certain players …”

Lewis didn’t name names. Then again, that wasn’t required. It was clear from his comments he was referring to former head coach and offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine along with defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe. Both were fired in mid-September, with the Als at 3-8. They completed the season with a 3-15 record, losing a record 11 consecutive games.