- 2 years ago
Walsall opposition preview - Morecambe with Dave Salmon
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00:00Hi Sadlers fans and welcome to a new segment that we'll be bringing you before each game
00:06this season. For an opposition lowdown and I'm delighted to say I'm joined by Shrimps
00:11Live commentator for Beyond Radio, Dave Salmon. We were just talking off air there that we
00:17first met during a rain soaked night on a game that never went ahead back in February.
00:24We did. It was one of those games where you know you drive through and away fixture, George,
00:29you can see the weather's not great, everybody's telling you the game's on but you know in
00:33your head there's no way this game is going ahead and we got there and I came off the
00:37motorway at Junction 9 and I was just driving past Morrison's and there was a big pool of
00:42water across the road that we couldn't, could barely drive through. So we got there, there
00:48was the groundsman, he was sat on his pitchfork just leaning up the tunnel and he just shook
00:52his head at me as I walked past and that was about half past four in the afternoon and
00:55I knew then but hey, it worked out well for you guys because then you walloped us when
00:59we eventually did play. So it was all right for you at the end, wasn't it?
01:04Well hopefully there's no such situation this weekend but before we get onto the game, you
01:09know it's been a whirlwind summer for Morecambe which all really started when they were imposed
01:17with the transfer embargo back in March. Just give me a little bit of background in terms
01:22of what led to that.
01:25So we've got ongoing ownership issues which are well documented. I won't bore your viewers
01:32with the long drawn out version of that. The short version is we've been up for sale for
01:38nearly two years now and it's an ongoing situation. If you simply Google Morecambe FC ownership,
01:45everything you need to know will be there. The transfer embargo came around due to, well
01:51what the club called a matter relating to a VAT payment with HMRC and it was a significant
01:58amount of money. It wasn't small change you could find down the back of the sofa or the
02:03directors couldn't just write a cheque and clear the debt. That meant that the AFL placed
02:08us under an embargo and what that means in real terms is you can't sign or improve your
02:15squad or add to your numbers unless under exceptional circumstances and that led to
02:21two things. It meant that we couldn't announce players who we had signed on already for next
02:26season. We had to wait three months almost to announce them and it also meant that we
02:32couldn't actually, although as a business we could sign players and we could employ
02:37them as members of staff, we couldn't actually register them with the AFL until the embargo
02:45was lifted. Now we did a deal with, or more to the point, our co-chairman did a deal with the
02:50AFL. We paid off our debts in installments basically and we paid off what we owed and
02:56the embargo was lifted a few weeks ago. So that meant that we announced all in one go 15 new
03:03signings. Now on the face value of it, that looks as if, blimey, you've gone out and signed 15
03:08players in a day, well that's a bit chaotic isn't it? The reality was they were actually with us
03:13for a large part of the summer already. They were training with us, they were playing behind
03:17closed doors games with us, they'd already been part of our employment if you will for a few
03:23weeks. It's just that we couldn't register them and because we couldn't register them we couldn't
03:27announce them. We had to announce all 15 in a single day simply because we had a friendly the
03:32following Saturday that they were going to play in. So we couldn't keep it quiet and drip them
03:37out one at a time because people were going to go to that friendly and then go, oh I recognise
03:42him and he meant, oh that's so-and-so and that's so-and-so. So that's how it came about. Very,
03:46very bizarre but we're pleased that the embargo is lifted and we can obviously now look forward
03:50to the season. And someone who Walsall fans will be really interested to hear about is Ben Sadler
03:57and I know one thing he was praised for and he's been praised for since he's taken over in his new
04:02role as the CEO at Walsall is his transparency and during that period he was someone who was a
04:09real voice piece for the supporters. Well that's one thing you all get with Ben is he will be as
04:15honest and upfront as he possibly can be within the role of Chief Executive. Now you wouldn't
04:21expect anybody at that level of managership if you will to give away all of the trade secrets
04:28of the business. That's not how it works and I'm sure fans obviously appreciate that whoever you
04:34might support. What I would say about Ben is you've got a fantastic human being who knows how
04:40to run a football club at this level inside out. He did an amazing job for us at Morecambe. We are
04:45absolutely devastated that he's left us. He steered our ship through some very, very stormy waters.
04:52We're still in those stormy waters now but I think the fact that we are, the ship is still afloat is
04:59by no small part down to the work that Ben did behind the scenes over the last year, 18 months
05:04or so. So you've got a great Chief Exec there and as you've probably already seen on Twitter,
05:09I think I saw him tweet last week when you were on tour in Ireland, I'll come and meet you in the
05:14bar for a Guinness and that's what, he would have gone. He would have gone. I'm sure he would have
05:19probably would have had a bite with some of the fans who made the trip. So you'll definitely get
05:23transparency and he's very, very approachable and you've got yourself a good and you've got
05:29a saddler. Saddler's managed by a saddler. I mean, where's this going to end really?
05:35Very true, very true. It seems like it's part of the job description now.
05:42I think you're in it and it's just about holding up and now we'll kind of get on to the squad.
05:48So you mentioned there about the players that have come in but I was also looking at the
05:53fact that I think there's only six players from the squad which close the season against Winden
05:57in that squad are still on the books at Morecambe. So a huge overhaul and a big change for the club
06:06again this summer. Huge change, George. Absolutely massive change. 17 players in total have come in.
06:14We made offers to others who we would have desperately wanted to stay and those offers
06:21got rejected for a number of reasons I suppose. I think in one or two cases they knew that they
06:27could get a move to a bigger club and in a couple of cases they have moved on to the one clubs we
06:33wish them all the best. Other players have moved to clubs in a similar stature if you will, more
06:40of a sideways move and I think that perhaps is down to our present off the field situation.
06:45A bit of a mixed bag really. So a big churn of players. The team that plays on Saturday,
06:52there may be one or maybe two at most of the players that played in the fixture last season
07:00who will take to the field on Saturday and I think that shows the overhaul of the squad that
07:06we've had to go through in the summer. And in terms of those additions, pre-season's been
07:13gone. I think it was five games, unbeaten, two wins, three draws, some good signings. One that
07:20I thought was a standout was George Ray. What have your views been of the players that have come in?
07:26We've got a bit of a mixed bag, George, to be honest. And again, this is where we are at
07:30purely and simply in terms of our finances and our budget. We've had to shop where we've had to shop
07:38and we've got some experienced football league players. We've got some young players making their
07:46way and we've also had to take a bit of a chance, a bit of an educated punt, if you will. That's
07:53possibly a bit harsh. More of a knowing that they're going to make the step up but players
07:59who have predominantly played in non-league football in their career up to now. So that's
08:05where we've had to pitch it in terms of our budget. We've had to use our resources wisely and
08:11Derek Evans, I'm sure we'll talk about in a second, I think he's done a terrific job really in
08:17bringing to the club the players who he's brought in. There's a number of unknown quantities.
08:23We have got some quality in the club to start with. We've got in quality, you mentioned
08:30Jordan Trey. When you get a player of Jordan Trey's calibre on the market,
08:40he was one of our very first signings. It's a no-brainer really. We snapped him up and
08:47he's going to be a rock for us at the back. We've got Tom White from Barrow as well,
08:51also vastly experienced in league football. And then we've got other players, Luke Hendry
08:57at right back as well. He's got about 200-odd games in football league. And then we've got
09:01other players who have excelled in non-league such as Jamie Tollett, who played every second
09:06for Halifax in the National League last season. Never played in the Football League before but
09:11looked great for Halifax in the National League so there's no reason why he can't step up.
09:15We've got others who have done very well at either National League or National League North level in
09:20a couple of cases and we hope they're going to make the step up. So a bit of a mixed bag.
09:25Pre-season, I'm one of these where it's not about the results for me. It's great to go
09:31on beating in pre-season but I think sometimes you can make too much of, didn't play too well,
09:36didn't show much signs of an attacking threat. For me pre-season it's all about minutes in legs,
09:42it's all about fitness, it's all about trying to get some kind of shape together for the season.
09:48And it's about trying not to be injured as well for when the real thing happens. So
09:52I think you can look a bit too much into pre-season but overall I think we're in pretty
09:57decent shape. We've got no injuries as far as I know going into the season so I think we're
10:01looking forward to it really. And you alluded to it there but Derek Adams' return, obviously won
10:08promotion back in 2021. It's his third spell now and how important is it to have someone come in,
10:15firstly that's been successful with the club but secondly that understands the club so well during
10:20what is a difficult situation right now? Well we had Jed Brannan leave us. He was one of a number
10:29of staff, similar to Ben Sadler, similar to the players, who left where perhaps if the off-the-field
10:36situation was a bit more settled maybe they would have stayed because I think Jed from the football
10:44point of view is very much liking being a manager. It was his first managerial appointment and he's
10:49gone back to his former club Accrington as assistant manager and we wish Jed all the best.
10:54Now Jed split opinion with fans in terms of his style of play and his tactics and whether he was
11:01actually the right manager for the job. I thought he was personally. I think if Jed had stayed we
11:05would have had a good solid season this year but he opted to leave. He was still under contract when
11:11he left and we wish him all the best at Accrington. It was one of those twists of fate I suppose
11:18George really that we found ourselves needing the manager and not for the first time Derek
11:24Adams was on the market and you put two and two together. It's like going back to your ex time and
11:28time again isn't it? You know you can't quite break that bond really and there was only ever going to
11:34be one call to make really. I don't know if the job was advertised. I think the board picked the
11:40phone up straight away and Derek left us previous October to go to Ross County. It didn't work out
11:49for Derek perhaps as he would have liked. He found himself back on the market and the two go hand in
11:55hand really. If we need a manager and Derek needs a job that's always going to be the way it is I
12:00think but in terms of the experience and his fit for us George it's perfect. Absolutely perfect
12:06because not only has he got the pedigree and he's got the experience. I think Derek's managed about
12:12850 games in his career and he's not that old. He's only about 48 I think Derek is. He was a manager
12:21from about 30 I think so he's been around the block many many times but more to the point
12:27he knows Morecambe as a club. He knows us as a fan base. He knows us as individuals and
12:34the whole thing just works so we need somebody to steady the ship through
12:41what might be a challenging few months head on the pitch. Who knows we might end up being top
12:45of the league come the end of September we just don't know but it could be a challenging time as
12:49well and you put all of that together there's just one man for the job and I think we've probably got
12:55one of the best managers if not the best manager in the league to be honest so that's not a bad
13:00start is it? Not at all and for you what would you deem a successful season for Morecambe this year?
13:08It's difficult to quantify George for the reasons that our squad has been put together with
13:16a very limited resource and the fact that it does contain a good number of players
13:22who haven't got football league experience. We've got a very good track record of pulling
13:28players out of non-league football and making them shine. We've got a very good track record
13:33of bringing in young lone players from clubs and making them shine. We've got a very good
13:38track record of bringing through, for want of a better word, rejects at other clubs and
13:46they found their perfect home with us so put all that together we should have plenty of positivity.
13:59We are where we are in terms of that from a financial point of view. A successful season
14:16first and foremost will be me and you talking in 12 months time
14:20and Morecambe Football Club still being in existence and I don't say that lightly.
14:29I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:33I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:35I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:37I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:39I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:41I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:43I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:45I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:47I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:49I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:51I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:53I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:55I'm not saying that lightly, I'm not saying that lightly.
14:57Or a couple of them. Well, you've got Derek Adams as manager, you're just about survival.
15:01We'll put you 22nd. I don't subscribe to that person.
15:03I think we're going to have more than enough.
15:05I would like a settled season.
15:07I would like a settled season.
15:09We're not in any relegation trouble.
15:11And who knows, with Derek Adams at the wheel,
15:13we might just get a bit of magic.
15:15So you never know. So fingers crossed.
15:17My heart says we're going to challenge for the playoffs.
15:19My heart says we're going to challenge for the playoffs.
15:21My head says we're going to have a nice steady season
15:23and stay out of relegation trouble.
15:25I don't see a prediction as sensible as that.
15:27I don't see a prediction as sensible as that.
15:29And we'll see how we go in the first few weeks of the season.
15:31And we'll see how we go in the first few weeks of the season.
15:33It cut out a little bit during that, but I'll manage.
15:35There's enough in there for me to kind of slice it up
15:37and get a good answer to that, which is good.
15:39and get a good answer to that, which is good.
15:41And I guess, really, to finish off,
15:43And I guess, really, to finish off,
15:45what are your predictions for Saturday
15:47what are your predictions for Saturday
15:49on the big kick-off?
15:51I actually think we're going to get a positive result.
15:53I actually think we're going to get a positive result.
15:55I think one thing that was said about Derek's previous spells with us
15:57I think one thing that was said about Derek's previous spells with us
15:59I think one thing that was said about Derek's previous spells with us
16:01was our form on the road.
16:03And certainly when we were in Lead 1,
16:05we were ultra defensive.
16:07We set up not to lose.
16:09And, frankly, we had some hammerings on the road.
16:11And, frankly, we had some hammerings on the road.
16:13We played some really good teams in Lead 1, don't get me wrong.
16:15If you go to an Ipswich or a Derby
16:17and you're little old Morecambe,
16:19you're onto a high knee for nothing
16:21I suppose.
16:23But, in his spells last season
16:25we did play some good football on the road.
16:27we did play some good football on the road.
16:29I think we're going to see more of the same this season.
16:31I think it will be a 4-2-3-1
16:33I think it will be a 4-2-3-1
16:35which is the formation that Derek likes to play more than any other.
16:37which is the formation that Derek likes to play more than any other.
16:39It might be a back three, but I think it will be 4-2-3-1.
16:41And I'm going to go for a 2-1 Morecambe win
16:43And I'm going to go for a 2-1 Morecambe win
16:45with Guillaume Edwards scoring the winning goal.
16:47with Guillaume Edwards scoring the winning goal.
16:49Fair play, I've gone for 1-0 on the podcast.
16:51Fair play, I've gone for 1-0 on the podcast.
16:53So I'll stick to that.
16:55I think it's going to be a tight one.
16:57I think with Walsall's
16:59at the moment it's a hunt for a centre forward
17:01which is deciding on
17:03whether they can make a push
17:05for it again or not.
17:07I reckon a low scoring game
17:09for me, I've gone for 1-0.
17:11I reckon a low scoring game for me, I've gone for 1-0.
17:13From what I see,
17:15you don't appear to have too much
17:17in the final third.
17:19I think you're OK at the back.
17:21I know you've lost the goalkeeper
17:23and you've lost Isaac Hutchinson
17:25and some big losses there.
17:27But you don't appear to have much in the final third.
17:29But you don't appear to have much in the final third.
17:31I mean that in the nicest possible way.
17:33You haven't got a fit out-and-out
17:35goal scorer, have you?
17:37So I think that might limit you a little bit.
17:39So hopefully we can come good on that.
17:41I think you'll have all the possession.
17:43I think that's the way it's going to be
17:45from home, that you'll have probably 60-65%
17:47possession. But hopefully we can
17:49catch on the break with pace and
17:51we can create those chances.
17:53And of course the sun always
17:55shines at the Poundland-Beskott Stadium as well.
17:57It's going to be a nice afternoon
17:59and hopefully we'll get back up the M6 with all
18:01three points.
18:03Hopefully that's not the case
18:05from my perspective.
18:07But yeah, I mean,
18:09I kind of concur with that.
18:11I think defensively,
18:13last season I think they shipped 73 goals.
18:15But
18:17although they've only brought in
18:19David Icagua in terms of centre-backs,
18:21they kind of
18:23addressed the right wing-back slot with
18:25Adomo and Connor Barrett.
18:27They've brought in Evan Weir, who can
18:29sort of play left wing-back and left centre-back.
18:31And they've got players that
18:33return from injury who kind of
18:35really feel like new
18:37signings. Oshin McEntee,
18:39Priestley Farquharson's back.
18:41So the defence is in a good position
18:43now, I feel.
18:45But yeah, attack
18:47is kind of the priority
18:49now between now and the end of the transfer window.
18:53I mean,
18:55in Mr Johnson
18:57you've got a good striker. I think you don't use
18:59him perhaps as well as you should.
19:01I think you'd probably get more out of him if you played
19:03a different formation perhaps.
19:05But every club wants
19:07a 25-goal centre-forward
19:09and it's as simple as that.
19:11That's the man you'd play in any
19:13team. I think you might be right on
19:15the tight game, George. I think
19:17for clubs like Man
19:19Warsaw, I think it's key
19:21for us to get off to a nice steady start.
19:23I think your manager is obviously under
19:25a lot more pressure than ours.
19:27We're not expected to get off to a great start.
19:29So if we do, it's going to be something of a bonus
19:31perhaps. Matt Sadler
19:33is going to be under enormous pressure
19:35from the off.
19:37Certainly with playing our first game of the
19:39season, a lot of Warsaw fans
19:41are going to be seeing that at home
19:43as well. They're going to be seeing that as well.
19:45We must win that. It's almost Olof's game
19:47one of the season. It's a must-win.
19:49So if we can put some pressure on
19:51that by that not
19:53happening, then
19:55it might set some wheels in motion
19:57perhaps.
19:59I understand
20:01at the moment you're sunning it up
20:03in Zante.
20:05It's quite hot on the balcony.
20:07Unfortunately,
20:09I'm not now because
20:11I don't come back until after the weekend.
20:13I will be watching it
20:15online.
20:17It's on two different
20:19channels, isn't it? I follow
20:21all on Sky Sports Plus.
20:23Spoiled for choice really.
20:25I'm missing my
20:27annual trip down because I'm from
20:29the Midlands originally.
20:31A lot of Morecambe fans know this, but some
20:33don't. I was a Walsall
20:35season ticket holder for many
20:37years before I started working
20:39in sports media
20:41up until the
20:43early noughties when
20:45work took over.
20:47As a Walsall fan, I had
20:49many, many happy days
20:51and happy times at both
20:53Fellowes Park and
20:55the Beskott, then Banks'
20:57and then whatever else. It's been sponsored.
20:59I've had a lot of happy
21:01times. Hopefully, we can get another happy time on
21:03Saturday, but from the other side of the fence.
21:05Fair play. Fair play.
21:07I appreciate you talking
21:09to me. Good luck
21:11for the new season, but
21:13hopefully not for Saturday.
21:15Always a
21:17pleasure, George. I'm sure
21:19we'll catch up again later in the campaign. All the best, my friend.
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