Best squad ever?

[tim-sanchez]

Does anyone else think this is the best squad we've ever assembled?

It certainly rivals our League Two promotion squad if you look at pedigree before we signed them. We've got a core of players with League One and above experience, we normally are signing players from non-league.

Given the size of the squad as well, this must be our largest ever playing budget. Credit to Panjab Warriors if they can maintain this, they seem serious about promotion. Of course having good players on paper doesn't necessarily translate to results, but it's exciting times.

And this squad was assembled weeks after the season started. I'm excited to see who they can bring in next summer with a full season to identify and recruit players.

[black morse]

Always very difficult to compare teams (or individuals) now and then. Add to that the previous team you refer to was playing against better opposition. However, on paper, we seem to have a very good blend of talent and experience and undoubtedly greater numbers than ever before. Let's see where that takes us. If we don't finish in the top half I'd be surprised and even promotion is not impossible....but let's not get our expectations too high and just enjoy the games.

[Phoenix Shrimp 2017]

I think it's a bit premature to say this is the best squad ever assembled. Yes it has potential and there are undoubtedly some exciting players in the squad but lets judge them later in the season when we've seen a lot more of them.

To my way of thinking the best squad ever was our first season in EFL 1. Don't forget the quality of the teams in that league at the time. I thought it was one of the strongest League Ones ever assembled and we gave most of them a good game.

[red shrimp]

I think it's a bit premature to say this is the best squad ever assembled. Yes it has potential and there are undoubtedly some exciting players in the squad but lets judge them later in the season when we've seen a lot more of them.

To my way of thinking the best squad ever was our first season in EFL 1. Don't forget the quality of the teams in that league at the time. I thought it was one of the strongest League Ones ever assembled and we gave most of them a good game.

Personally I thought the L2 promotion team was better than the league 1 team. We had the link up play of Adam Phillips & CMG and a very good Cole Stockton. The defence was much more solid as well.


We only stayed up in league 1 because of Stocktons 23 league goals. Without him we would have been down by Christmas.

[DavidHowson]

It's a special 'Band of Brothers' type squad, not sure about best ever but one of the sides I've got nothing but respect for.

These lads said 'Yes' to us when we needed them and they've been great.

[redrobo]

Could it be the way Ash has gone about selling the club and his project that has attracted the players to some new thinking rather than the same old same every other manager offers.

[black morse]

What interests me is how we are funding such a large squad of decent quality players. Maybe the Sikhs are really plugging the whole project in India and money is coming from there. Whatever I'm sure we're all very grateful.

[Wild Bill]

I agree, a squad of real potential but too early to say the best ever.

Our L2 promotion squad was the best team.

Our first season in L1 was the best quality.

It will be interesting to see what all the players are being paid. I suspect we have a few bargains with signings so late. Also saved 2-3 months of wages.

[Gone_Shrimping]

Much too early for accolades like "best squad ever".

Let's achieve something first (preferably promotion to the EFL) and then we can start making comparisons.

[CityShrimp]

Much too early for accolades like "best squad ever".

Let's achieve something first (preferably promotion to the EFL) and then we can start making comparisons.

Absolutely.

It’s a good squad on paper but that doesn’t guarantee anything. Remember that season we signed Tony Capaldi and Chris Shuker? On paper that was a quality squad but it performed very poorly and finished about 19th or 20th in league two.

[Keith]

Remember that season we signed Tony Capaldi and Chris Shuker? On paper that was a quality squad but it performed very poorly and finished about 19th or 20th in league two.

Crap-aldi was one of the worst players ever to pull on a Morecambe shirt. His level of 'can't be arsed' was only rivalled by Sulky-Stockton in his last season, but at least he had previous achievements to rest upon. Crap-aldi was more interested in Guinness and going to Vegas than football.

From what I recall, Shuker at least worked hard?

[Hodgie1978]

I remember when we splashed big on Ruffer, O Connor and Jimmy Kelly.
It was as disaster

[redrobo]

With us operating with 2 out and out wide men it is even more necessary to have an old fashion type of centre forward who operates and does the business in the penalty box. It's not the modern way I appreciate that but for me there is no harm in reverting back to the days of an out and out centre forward who does the business purely in the box and stays there putting pressure on the oppositions defence all of the game.

[Seasider9601]

Remember that season we signed Tony Capaldi and Chris Shuker? On paper that was a quality squad but it performed very poorly and finished about 19th or 20th in league two.

Crap-aldi was one of the worst players ever to pull on a Morecambe shirt. His level of 'can't be arsed' was only rivalled by Sulky-Stockton in his last season, but at least he had previous achievements to rest upon. Crap-aldi was more interested in Guinness and going to Vegas than football.

From what I recall, Shuker at least worked hard?

Tony Capaldi faced a club disciplinary for his Twitter post regarding the club and its training sessions referring to himself, "now that I'm playing in the pub league."

But then, some months later, the aforementioned Chris Shuker came out with this:

"I had a bit of a bad time mentally in the game with a few things that happened at Tranmere and then I went to Morecambe, where I didn't enjoy it. The training was poor and I basically spent my time thinking that I didn't want to be there. It wasn't a confidence issue with me it was more to do with the training and being unfit because of it. It was a bit of a bad 18 months for me. Players who don't have your ability, but who want it more, become better than you so I had to sort that out. They wanted it more than me there because that was where they loved playing and basically I didn't want to be at the club. That wasn't down to ability – if I wanted to I could turn it on. We did the same thing every day – playing 15-a-side games on a postage stamp. Touching the ball was like murder, and playing on a mud bath every single day was terrible."

[P/T Indie]

"They wanted it more than me there because that was where they loved playing and basically I didn't want to be at the club"

I think that is why we have been lucky and had very few billy big bollocks over the years, people want to be here they haven't just come for a big payday, so we always end up with a good group of lads who put 100% effort in.

Where as say at Bradford you probably have people just happy to pick up their wage every week and couldn't careless about the team/club which is why they underperformed for so long.

[Gone_Shrimping]

I certainly hope this is not the best squad we have ever had !

[BerlinWaller]

It isn't even the best squad we have had in the Conference.

[Andy D]

Positionally most unbalanced squad ever more like.

got players going out on loan already.

[Wild Bill]

Who's sticking by their comments?

[BerlinWaller]

Who's sticking by their comments?

It isn't even the best squad we have had in the Conference.

Me

[Wild Bill]

Who's sticking by their comments?

It isn't even the best squad we have had in the Conference.

Me

Everyone got excited when we beat Wealdstone. Your comment came after we hit the floor after losing two games in a week, including 5-0 at Truro

[BerlinWaller]

I was never onboard with Johal, i was on the right side of history with him and Panjab

[CityShrimp]

I stick by my comments - it was a good side on paper (mostly, at least) and we’d have had a successful season if we’d just had a competent manager from the off.

[Little Shrimp]

I was never onboard with Johal, i was on the right side of history with him and Panjab

Wow! So you thought we were better off with a four time promotion winning manager with 15 years experience instead of a novice academy coach? What incredible insight

I think 90%+ of fans felt that sacking Derek for Ash was the wrong call - it’s not exactly a hot take. You shouldn’t mistake wanting Morecambe FC to win some games of football for a genuine endorsement of PW’s decision.

[Billy bodger]

Looking back at my posts I feel I was open minded about ditching Derek and bringing in Ash, it was after all the owners preferred appointment, (there is evidence Ash knew he was going to be manager way before it was announced), the owners where counselled against getting rid of Derek by people within the Club and Derek fans, so they turned out right.

My take after the opening game of the season was we got lucky on the day, we were wide open on so many occasions and if it was not for Kaccuri we would have lost by a few goals.
At the time I think I called for us to tighten up and have some bite in midfield and mix it up a bit rather than the pass, pass, pass across the back.

I could see what Ash was after but thought it was the wrong approach for this League.
As it turned out by mid Oct, I thought Ash should be ditched, he was out of his depth, which I believe the majority of fans all came to see.