New Morecambe manager takes Stock of County’s progression
New Morecambe manager Ashvir Singh Johal believes Stockport County are an example for the Shrimps to follow as a new era begins at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.
Johal’s first managerial role sees the 30-year-old having succeeded Derek Adams following Panjab Warriors’ takeover.
Having spoken about his desire to see the club develop on and off the pitch, Johal was asked about his long and short-term plans with Morecambe back in non-league.
He used the Hatters as an example of a club that has a plan to progress, having been in National League North as recently as 2019.
However, under Jim Gannon and then Dave Challinor, they won three titles in six years and finished third in League One last season.
Johal told Morecambe’s website: “I think the short-term plan this year is to make sure we retain our place in the National League by playing exciting, energetic football, working hard. The long-term aim is to build the processes, the infrastructure.
“There’s a clear commitment from the owners about the direction they want the club to go in.
“If you look at the teams that went from the National League to League Two, Stockport’s a great example with clear processes, system strategies and now they’re able to thrive in League One and on course to challenge for promotion to the Championship.
“Dave is someone I did my UEFA Pro Licence with, we graduated from the same course in June this year.
“Looking at Dave, how he took the club from the National League and now they’re on the cusp of the Championship, obviously it’s really difficult to do that but I think we now have that.
“We have complete alignment where the ownership, the board, the management, everybody’s here for the club but everybody is prepared to put in place the infrastructure, the processes that’s required to help this club become a force in the EFL because, ultimately, I think success can happen by chance.
“We can sign some good players and we’ll have success. A player might do something magic in a game and we’ll have some success.
“Long-term sustainable success is a product of the quality of people that are involved in the project, but also the systems and the processes we can implement – and that is the priority.”