The Future

[marky]

Ok, so where do we go from here? How kuch of a must-win game is the Port Vale match? What can Sammy do with the team he's given himself? Should we buy out 2 or 3 contracts? Do we just keep going and hope it gets better? Etc, etc...

Discuss

[tillshrimps]

Changes from the top

[marky]

A new manager would still have the same problems with regard the salary cap and would have to work with the same players so I don't really think that's an option. Admittedly Sammy has brought this on himself but sacking shouldn't even be on the plate... for now.

[tillshrimps]

Why wait any longer. Christmas is around the corner, then the new year. I can't see this getting better. The probs started mid last season, after the time of Lewis going and Drummond coming.

[Christies Child]

It's ironic that the one player who has figured all season in the defence is Jimbo.

I'm a big admirer of his, but can he escape some of the blame for what's been happening?

[Burnley Shrimp]

No significant pace right through the squad and only one or two at most reach the quality to play at football league level.

Plan A for me would be to put Waynaldo on the bench, play defensively and try to stay level, then throw Wayne on with about 25 mins left. Always thought he looked very good against tiring defences and tbh thats the only time we've really rattled teams this season. That way we might just snatch a late winner. I haven't got a plan B so if plan A fails it's Barrow for the local derbies next season.

[marky]

It's ironic that the one player who has figured all season in the defence is Jimbo.

I'm a big admirer of his, but can he escape some of the blame for what's been happening

No.

[steve mfc]

Beware the ides of march.

[Posh]

It's ironic that the one player who has figured all season in the defence is Jimbo.

I'm a big admirer of his, but can he escape some of the blame for what's been happening?

Why get on the back of players like Jimbo? He's been a brilliant servant to Morecambe, is committed to the club and fans and is an excellent defender. Given our current situation its the senior players like Jimbo who are going to get us out of this mess.

The manager is a different story. He's been down this road before and knows the score. If he can't get results out of players he bought then we'll need to bring in someone else who can.

[The Fury]

It's ironic that the one player who has figured all season in the defence is Jimbo.

I'm a big admirer of his, but can he escape some of the blame for what's been happening?

Why get on the back of players like Jimbo? He's been a brilliant servant to Morecambe, is committed to the club and fans and is an excellent defender. Given our current situation its the senior players like Jimbo who are going to get us out of this mess.

The manager is a different story. He's been down this road before and knows the score. If he can't get results out of players he bought then we'll need to bring in someone else who can.

And he has usually jumped before being pushed hasn't he. I wonder....

[marky]

Some say there's no room for sentiment in business. I'm not saying I agree with this entirely, but Jimbo has been culpable for a few goals this season (based on highlights and reports) so he has to share the blame. Also, a number of times late on during the Rochdale match Sammy remonstrated with him about not geeing up his team and getting them to push on. However, I do think he should be quite far down the list of players people get 'annoyed' with.

[Neil G]

It's ironic that the one player who has figured all season in the defence is Jimbo.

I'm a big admirer of his, but can he escape some of the blame for what's been happening?

No need for that

[badger]

I think the problem started at the beginig of the season, sammy in my opinion brought some players in who are not up to league 2 football. i think we need at least two new players.

one player with pace up front, and anouther player like baker with skills that frighten defenders. the problem is that sammy has to sell before he can buy,but i cannot see anyone wanting to buy our weeker players, unless it is a lower league team.

we are all now keeping our eyes on what bournmouth are doing.
this season is all about staying up.

people said the second season is allways the hardest,so what about the third season will that be easyier.

[thegentlegiant]

Ok its hard to stay positive while we keep letting in goals....We all want to throw the KItchen sink at the team and ask what the f**k is going on but i think we whould give the team till christmas day to change things.....If after then maybe we need to think about new player and a new manager lets not be to haysty thoy...Sammy got us here but I feel results need to change and quick...People keep looking at stats but why forget stats lets get behind the team and cheer on the team until christmas then if we are still in trouble the board need to look at the team and management.....Sammy and Mark both nearly got new jobs and maybe they were gutted to miss out but thats management and if your a great management team you get on with it...COME ON MORECAMBE.....WE LOVE YOU!!!!

[campdave]

one player with pace up front, and anouther player like baker with skills that frighten defenders. the problem is that sammy has to sell before he can buy,but i cannot see anyone wanting to buy our weeker players, unless it is a lower league team.

I don't think anyone would disagree with that. One things for sure, platers like that are not only hard to find, but expensive, and moving to Morecambe may not even come close to being on their agenda, unless they are from a lower league - then it's a taking a chance if they can "step up" to league 2.

As for management replacements, unless there is a better candidate out of work, who are we going to attract to Morecambe, to likely work under a restricted budget (an assumption) until a new stadium is finished?

[P/T Indie]

The manager is a different story. He's been down this road before and knows the score. If he can't get results out of players he bought then we'll need to bring in someone else who can.[/quote]

And he has usually jumped before being pushed hasn't he. I wonder....[/quote]


I am not the only one then

You would have to feel sorry for any poor manager coming in and inheriting this team with no room for manouver because the last chap brought all the players in and spent up to limit of the wage cap, I can't see what another manager would be able to do.

Strange how at Wembley my dads mate who has never really seen us play said I can see you struggling in the league because of the lack of pace in the team and to be fair at times last year we did struggle eg darlo at home.

In the second year teams have now worked this out like the Gillingham manager and they just get their teams to run at us.

[badger]

I think carlisle united manager john ward could be the next manager for the chop.
they got beat 1-0 away to hereford who are at the bottom of league 1.

carlisle have only one point out of ther last 8 games,which is wors than our run.

i think it is sammy who has got us in to this fix and he needs to get us out of it.
we have to give him at least 5 more games,and see where we are then.

[shrimper]

Strange how at Wembley my dads mate who has never really seen us play said I can see you struggling in the league because of the lack of pace in the team .

...and that was when we had Thommo and Danny!!

[P/T Indie]

Strange how at Wembley my dads mate who has never really seen us play said I can see you struggling in the league because of the lack of pace in the team .

...and that was when we had Thommo and Danny!!

exactly and we struggled at times last season with Thommo and Baker

I wonder if it has been done on purpose take out the flare players to help us become resilient or is it we just cant get that type of player.

[shrimper]

Sammy said not to expect us to replace those two with similar players. Part of that, I imagine, will have been because players with such pace or skill aren't ten a penny. Also there would have been a bit of "we need to be more consistent and resolute and, while these were both match-winners on their day, they weren't consistently effective".

Unfortunately we have only been able to replace them with players who have not been more consistent and who, by any measures - including Sammy's own - are clearly not as much use.

[marky]

It's probably a bit of both. Reading between the lines Sammy wanted us to be more resilient defensively this season. Problem is, most of the players he's brought in to the midfield & defence have failed spectacularly, and even those that were already here are underperforming.

[PottedShrimp]

It's probably a bit of both. Reading between the lines Sammy wanted us to be more resilient defensively this season. Problem is, most of the players he's brought in to the midfield & defence have failed spectacularly, and even those that were already here are underperforming.

Agree with that. Our defence just collapses in complete panic at times - as those who were at Gillingham will have seen to their embarassment - an old bloke said to me "you're not that bad every week are you?" as I wandered down to the station. Another problem, I feel, is that, given this fragility at the back, we defend far too deep. If you play "come and get us", they will come and get you. This is what happened in the 2nd half at Chester and could well have cost us the game.

[Harry]

No significant pace right through the squad and only one or two at most reach the quality to play at football league level.

Plan A for me would be to put Waynaldo on the bench, play defensively and try to stay level, then throw Wayne on with about 25 mins left. Always thought he looked very good against tiring defences and tbh thats the only time we've really rattled teams this season. That way we might just snatch a late winner. I haven't got a plan B so if plan A fails it's Barrow for the local derbies next season.

That's the current plan, but it doesn't work! Trying to keep a 0-0 or 1-1 ends up with the opposition sussing us out quickly, taking a couple of risks and scoring, leaving us to chase the game and escape with a "well-earned point"

Also, with regards to the "turnaround in form" that happened in January, we had no control over Joe Lewis leaving. He was always going to be with us until that last game against Peterborough, and Norwich decided to cash in on him rather than let us keep him on loan. We couldn't afford him so that ship sailed.

Drummond has probably been the best signing of 2008, apart from maybe Howe. He shows an awareness in midfield, undoubtedly has influence among the other players being a former captain of the Shrimps (and Shrewsbury too) and, more improtantly, has scored early goals for us from midfield in 2 games already this season.

[Posh]

Unfortunately we have only been able to replace them with players who have not been more consistent and who, by any measures - including Sammy's own - are clearly not as much use.

Take Neil Wainwright for example, he was released by a club in our league who thought he was past his best and who their fans, almost universally, thought had clear and major weaknesses to his game. This information was available at the time yet we signed him and it hardly inspired me at the time (the same for Andy Parrish).

In both cases I can't believe that we ever watched these players but instead brought them in in the hope that they might work out. Both have played OK in some games and poorly in others but generally are not as good as what we had. That obviously isn't the progress that Sammy talked about in the summer.

[Posh]

Drummond has probably been the best signing of 2008, apart from maybe Howe. He shows an awareness in midfield, undoubtedly has influence among the other players being a former captain of the Shrimps (and Shrewsbury too) and, more improtantly, has scored early goals for us from midfield in 2 games already this season.

I agree Harry. I think the comments about Drummy are way off the mark. I'm just gald we've got an experienced campaigner who knows what's needed to win games at this level playing at the club. Interestingly he started the season as another Sammy reject but has forced his way back into the side because Sammy's preferred players weren't as good as he thought.