Morecambe have chosen to appoint ex-Tranmere, Man City, Motherwell, Wigan, Accrington player Ged Brannan as their new permanent manager.
He’s been given an 18-month contract, coming in to replace the departed Derek Adams, who left the club for another stint at Ross County.
The appointment comes following a 6-0 defeat away at Wrexham, with Morecambe sitting 12th in the League Two table with 27 points from 17 games played, while Wrexham are 2nd with 36 points from 19 games played.
Morecambe Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Ged Brannan as the Club’s new First Team Manager!#UTS 🦐
— Morecambe FC (@MorecambeFC) November 27, 2023
CLUB STATEMENT
Morecambe Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Ged Brannan as the Club’s new First Team Manager.
The 51-year-old has signed an 18-month contract at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium after initially arriving in September as First Team Coach and Senior Professional Development Coach.
No stranger to Shrimps fans, Brannan signed as a player in 2005 and went on to make more than 60 appearances, ultimately playing a key role in securing EFL status for the very first time following a 2-1 play off final victory over Exeter City at Wembley.about:blank
After hanging up his boots, the Liverpool-born and ex-Manchester City midfielder arrived back at Morecambe following a successful spell with Accrington Stanley in various roles, including U23s Manager, where he worked closely with a number of young players as they broke into the first team.
His track record of developing senior academy players by assisting their transition into the first team environment is a key characteristic which aligns with the Club’s strategic ambitions. Ged has an extensive network of contacts that he has forged throughout a distinguished playing career that has helped him as he crossed over into his coaching and management.
In his short period of time since re-joining the Shrimps, Brannan has quickly forged strong working relationships with playing and non-playing staff alike, matching the positive impact he has had on the pitch with a clear understanding of the importance of all parts of Morecambe FC working together off it.
We feel Ged is the perfect appointment to take Morecambe Football Club forward, having seen off a large number of impressive and reputable names during the recruitment process.
Speaking following his appointment, Brannan said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be in charge of a Club like Morecambe.
“The fans are great, I’ve been here before as a player and I always loved it – as you can see, I’m absolutely buzzing, I’m just so glad the board have stuck by me and given me this opportunity.
“If they [the fans] are anything like Saturday at Wrexham, that’s all I can ask. Come down on Tuesday, sing your hearts out and get behind the team because you’re an extra player for us, you’ve been brilliant so keep it going.”
He was in the role of interim co-manager along with and John McMahon for Saturday’s 6-0 defeat at Wrexham, labelling it one of the lowest points of his career.
Brannan said, as per Lancaster Guardian: “I am devastated. I feel physically sick and would say in my whole career in football, as a player and a coach, I have never felt this bad.
“I didn’t expect this. We had a game plan and trained well all week.
“We spoke about the importance of not conceding early against a team like Wrexham, who are flying at home.
“We talked about quietening the crowd and staying in the game but we gave away two goals in the first six minutes and it was game over.
“I can’t defend us. We didn’t track runners, we didn’t win our headers and we didn’t do anything right defensively.
“We have a young team but they are good players and they all know they have a man to mark, tackles to win, runners to run with and we just didn’t do that.
“You have to do the basics in football if you are 16 or 35 and there are no excuses for us.”
This is how fans reacted as Morecambe appoint the ex-Tranmere, Man City, Motherwell, Wigan, Accrington player as their new manager…
@LeebakerTT: Nothing against Ged, but this is such an underwhelming appointment. Let’s hope he can prove us all wrong.
@_Owxn_h8: Will back him but seems like the cheap easy option
@olliemagill_: Skint FC
@JLeech456: Good luck Ged
@morecambe_hisp: Ged Brannan army 🫡
@lxchrstphr: He looks just as surprised as everyone else.
@jacton999: Yeah did well Saturday 🤣🤣
@georgemarshhh: Lose 6-0 in your first game, CONGRATS YOU’RE HIRED. Ugh.
@K3ll_mari3: Congratulations, and good luck Ged!!
@MorecambeFCFeed: Fucking hell thought this was a parody. What a bizarre appointment given the other options. Christ.
@Matt_Severn: We couldn’t find someone who has experience successfully managing in League Two for this critical season?
@CRparker88: Honestly don’t know how I feel about this
@harry_statter: We are a mess. Good luck steering this circus Ged
@samhansson: We must be seriously skint. Happy to get behind the lad but this feels like the cheap easy option. Hoping to be proven very wrong.
@samhansson: What the fuck
@JakeEnglish_: Agreed, especially on an 18 month deal – but we need to back him. The board obviously think a lot of him
@Matt_Severn: Absolutely baffling decision especially after Saturday. We couldn’t find an experienced manager despite the cash from Ross County?
@Martin_FGC: Smacks of cheapness
@Lakes_Shrimps: We’re going to look rather silly if we get beat 6-0 again tomorrow, I definitely would have seen what happens tomorrow first!
@jamieeholmes: we are the only club in the world that can have a caretaker manager lose 6-0 and then appoint him 2 days later…
@shaunrichards73: Not Artel then 🤷🏼♀️
@VaniaMorozov15: Although I am surprised by this, I am 101% ready to give him the support he requires! Let’s support him tomorrow from the beginning until the final whistle! ❤️
@OliMGraham: This is a positive appointment, let’s get behind him and the team
@mickeymfc: Gone with the easy option here in my opinion. Good Luck Ged, gonna need it running this shitshow😂
@ParadersThe: Doesn’t fill me with optimism if I’m a Morecambe fan 😬😬
@LeamyLad: If the seasons anything like the game Saturday we are doomed 😳
@RonanMacca99: How can you give the bloke the job off the back of a 6-0 battering hahahahahah
Fuck me I hope he proves a lot of people wrong https://t.co/ixnKCKfONr pic.twitter.com/DDKfL24lpS
— Jamie Kay (@jamiekay1613) November 27, 2023
You must be logged in to post a comment Login