Morecambe manager Derek Adams has high praise for Kevin Ellison and Barry Roche

Derek Adams has paid tribute to Kevin Ellison and Barry Roche for their roles in steadying the ship at the Globe Arena in the last fortnight.

The departures of former manager Jim Bentley, assistant boss Ken McKenna and goalkeeping coach Lee Jones left the Shrimps in need of leadership until a successor was named.

Ellison and Roche stepped up to become acting managers, overseeing a league win against Leyton Orient before last Saturday’s FA Cup loss at Blackpool.

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Both matches were watched by Adams, who was impressed by how they switched from playing to management.

“Kevin, Barry and John (McMahon) did a fantastic job for the last two weeks,” he recognised.

“It hasn’t been easy for them but they have looked after the football club and Kevin and Barry took themselves out of the team – I think they have done really well.”

Adams is on the lookout for an assistant to join him in plotting Morecambe’s escape away from the bottom of League Two as they head to Crawley Town this weekend.

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One man who has been linked with the role was former Plymouth Argyle colleague Kevin Hodges, who left his role as the club’s academy director last week.

Following Adams’ move to Morecambe, there had been some speculation that Hodges’ Home Park exit could free him up to make the journey north.

Nevertheless, Adams insists he would be happy to look among those staff currently working at the Globe Arena to potentially take the role of his assistant.

He acknowledged: “I’ll appoint an assistant manager at some point; it will either be from outwith or it’ll be from within.

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“You should always analyse the staff that you have in the building, there are a lot of good people at football clubs.

“I want to do that as well as look outwith because it’s an important role for someone to take on.”