Andy Morrell

[Prodigal Dragon]

Originally Posted by Phils-an-alki

Nothing as a manager then? He can't compare to Morrell and you know your point is flawed.
He was a player at the World cup not a manager. Huge difference. Does this even matter? I'd say not.
He was a coach at Everton and Wigan. Woohoo.Roll out the red carpet and book the band.
There are loads of coaches in the prem and beyond who have far more on their CV than him so why aren't any of those being mentioned? Because they never played for Wrexham. So you've just confirmed (again) its purely based on sentimental bollocks. Did you learn nothing from the Hughes appointment? Staggering stuff even for you PD.

We do not know whether Lawrence would have been successful or not; and I suggest he won’t get another chance. Sentimental tosh? Possibly! But how do you rationalize bringing Morrell back? We need someone better than all the ex-Wrexham names that have been bandied about.

[Number6]

Isn't there a thread for this somewhere, like the 'Ex-Reds Thread'?

[krux]

Originally Posted by Number6

Isn't there a thread for this somewhere, like the 'Ex-Reds Thread'?

Under normal circumstances maybe...
Posted via mobile theme

[Haruki]

Originally Posted by GiggityGiggityGiggityGoo

If anybody needed someone like Barrow or Flynn as his right hand man it was Morrell. I think he'd have secured promotion with that experience beside him.

He also kept the reserves going and knew the importance of competition for places, how that drives up standards and performances. Whether it was a youngster or a more seasoned pro.

Of all the managers we've had down here, I feel he got the club. Wasn't resting on his laurels in going for promotion, he wanted to ensure it's future in making sure the reserves and CoE were backed as best as possible.

We are supposed to be a big club, so perhaps it's time to start acting like one, not the disjointed one we see today.

And sadly all the hard work Morrell did in ensuring good football foundations was ruined the moment Keates closed the reserve team and ran down the COE

[Wrexham's Patrick Bateman]

Originally Posted by Haruki

And sadly all the hard work Morrell did in ensuring good football foundations was ruined the moment Keates closed the reserve team and ran down the COE

Wow. Is this true.. Alarm bells should of been ringing in the corridors of power. A rookie manager making such a decision..

Or were they implicit with it, and they were fully behind him.

[Bagger Vance]

Originally Posted by Wrexham's Patrick Bateman

Wow. Is this true.. Alarm bells should of been ringing in the corridors of power. A rookie manager making such a decision..

Or were they implicit with it, and they were fully behind him.

Go back on here and many senior Trust figures were arguing the CoE and youth team were “Geoffs baby” because his kid was there and making the case for closing it - even when it made good returns they argued. It was Trust ownership that saw fees introduced, it was Andy Morrell that argued that it was an important part of a clubs structure when they wanted to close it, it was under Trust ownership that Joey was pushed out, under Trust ownership that coaches were recruited without interview and qualifications, Trust ownership that saw the reserves go, Trust ownership that saw a failure to meet National League standards meaning 3rd tier college football program. Keates only used the kids to throw them to the lions to chuck a Trophy game doing more harm to most than good.

Keates is just following orders but he is quite happy to - he doesn’t get the long term bigger picture like Andy did.

[Red Light]

Originally Posted by Bagger Vance

Go back on here and many senior Trust figures were arguing the CoE and youth team were “Geoffs baby” because his kid was there and making the case for closing it - even when it made good returns they argued. It was Trust ownership that saw fees introduced, it was Andy Morrell that argued that it was an important part of a clubs structure when they wanted to close it, it was under Trust ownership that Joey was pushed out, under Trust ownership that coaches were recruited without interview and qualifications, Trust ownership that saw the reserves go, Trust ownership that saw a failure to meet National League standards meaning 3rd tier college football program. Keates only used the kids to throw them to the lions to chuck a Trophy game doing more harm to most than good.

Keates is just following orders but he is quite happy to - he doesn’t get the long term bigger picture like Andy did.

I don't pretend to know all the facts of what happened - but who does ?

My thoughts on Morrell were and still remain - he inherited a team assembled by Saunders and continued to steer the ship in what were turning out to be decent times - for a while.
If Saunders had stuck with us things could have been quite different - that factor and allowing the departure of Obeng at a critical part of the season.
As a club we are never ever ruthless with big decisions.

Morell's downfall was twofold.

He should have hung his boots up and continued playing well beyond his shelf life - in doing so he couldn't see the bigger picture - he should have stepped back, paused and managed - not played on.

He was truly hopeless in strengthening the team and couldn't bring in players beyond the old pals act. Perhaps to be expected as a rookie manager with nobody to lean on for big advice.

A manager is judged on results - for the here and now - nothing else matters.
If he has £100 in his budget does he throw it all into one pot and try and bring in the best first team players he can entice here to achieve his ultimate goal ? or spend half of it (for example) on setting up / maintaining a CoE - reserve team and other issues which some would say 'might' bear fruit and improve us in the long term.

Problem is a football manager's tenure is not likely to reach the long term and the majority wont be planning for their ultimate successor - I would imagine others have followed a similar path - what would you do ? I think I would chuck my whole £100 on the first team knowing that if it doesn't work I'm out of a job regardless of how the reserves are doing or the CoE is performing.

[GiggityGiggityGiggityGoo]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.b...l-14254861.amp

Old news now, but he's left behind a bit of a legacy behind at Tamworth while being competitive side during his tenure. With players now starting to emerge into the first team, no excuses on the lack of protection, refreshing.

Despite relegation Tamworth kept it going and are now looking to expand with the inclusion of a girls academy.

[northwalian dragon]

Originally Posted by KingBuxton_Forever red

I was a big supporter of Keates first time round. I rated him as a player and a leader and he did an excellent job or making chicken salad out of chicken sh*t. The players we had on the books under Mills were some of the worst we have had since we have been in this division. The brand of football and all that doesn't bother me in the slightest, if it works I don't care.

My chief concern with Keates is that he doesn't appear to have the same success this time around. Nor did he have it at Walsall. So either he either fluked it in the first place or Walsall has broke him. Either way he should never have been brought back against the wishes of so many fans, cheap or not. Was never going to work.

I honestly feel bad slating Morrell because as people have pointed out we had the FA Trophy out of him, and a 98 point season. I just feel how it went after that points to the fact he wasn't upto it. I am of the opinion cream rises to the top in the end so if he is as good as most say I would expect him to be managing higher up before long (like Ricketts.)

What success did he have the first time around? He got a worse points per game than Gary Mills in that disastrous season and is hailed for it, then he had 3 good months as a manager and had us near the top before it all started to go pear shaped (4 wins from his last 15).

Also just for arguments sake I remember you stating that a couple of good results would see the fans come back onto Keates' side. It will never happen and I think even Keates knows that now.

As for past managers (and discounting Saunders because of his larger budget)

Kevin Wilkin made the best signings (Moult, C Jennings, Manny, Bachmann, Flatt, Waterfall, Storer, Finley, Morris, York, Holman, Durrell) all of them would walk into our team now. He had to deal with vicious misconduct by Dean Keates and Andy Bishop amongst others. I think if he were given another year and could get rid of the bad apples he'd have done a lot better.


I think what needs to be taken into account also is how our expectations and ambitions have been lowered year after year. Even the entertainment we expect to see is at the lowest it can be.