Is This Turning Into a Failed Experiment? - Inside Morecambe's Bold - and Risky - Managerial Gamble

Is This Turning Into a Failed Experiment? - Inside Morecambe's Bold - and Risky - Managerial Gamble

For a side that were in League One for the first time in their history just three years ago, Morecambe's decline has been unforgiving. The Shrimps found themselves on the brink of going under at the start of the season, having been relegated from the fourth-tier into the National League.

As they embarked on the start of a first campaign outside the football league for eighteen years, issues with financial problems continued to be the topic of discussion. Then owner Jason Whittingham had put the club up for sale in 2022, but had been unable to find a buyer.

Morecambe FC are set to become the first majority Sikh-owned pro club in England.

After lengthy negotiations with current owner Jason Whittingham, a deal has been agreed for Panjab Warriors to save the National League side. pic.twitter.com/QI1MQT6TQW

— VERSUS (@vsrsus) August 18, 2025

Questions were raised over Whittingham's past dealings, which included forcing Worcester Warriors rugby club into liquidation during his time as owner, and the Lancashire club also missed their first three league fixtures of this campaign due to failing to comply with the National League's financial rulings.

When the announcement was made that an agreement was reached with Panjab Warriors Complete Club to buy out Whittingham, huge relief circulated around the fanbase. This now meant that all the clubs debt could be paid off, allowing them to continue this season as normal.

A Bold Decision By The Ownership

Just a day after the new owners were announced, they parted company with Derek Adams as head coach, leaving fans anxious to find out who the club would be appointing in his place. The owners decided on Ashvir Singh Johal to be the new boss, who is the first Sikh manager in English football and is only 30-years-old.

This was to be Singh Johal's maiden first team coaching role, having worked under Kolo Toure at Wigan and as assistant coach to a certain Cesc Fabregas at Como 1907. Right from the get-go, Singh Johal and his Morecambe team were playing catch-up, having missed their first three games of the season. His tenure started off with aplomb, as they won 2-1 at home against Altrincham.

Morecambe have appointed Ashvir Singh Johal as their new manager to replace Derek Adams 🚨

He becomes the first British Asian manager in the top five leagues of English men's football. pic.twitter.com/d2uVqrNExt

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 19, 2025

Unfortunately for Johal, there hasn't been much to shout about since that moment. They would go on to concede twelve goals in their next four games, which all ended in defeat. A ridiculous 4-4 draw with Solihull followed, before a 4-3 win against Wealdstone saw the Shrimps win for only the second time in seven games. Despite the victory, Singh Johal's side looked far too open at the back and easy to break down.

They have failed to win a game since Wealdstone, and the pressure is mounting for the man in charge. Johal was quick to focus on the positives from his side's recent draw away to Tamworth, expressing in the post-match interview that his side have been working hard on their defensive shape, which in truth showed, conceding just once in the game.

"I thought the players were magnificent in the defensive area." 💬

Ashvir spoke on the defensive resilience against Tamworth.#UTS 🦐 | #TAMvMOR

— Morecambe FC (@MorecambeFC) October 5, 2025

When the owners announced the new manager, there were mixed emotions around the decision. The fact he is so young and lacks experience as a head coach was the worrying factor, but a CV so established for someone of his age made it difficult to argue that he could not have the capabilities to get Morecambe back to the Football League.

Time Is Running Out

Morecambe currently sit rock bottom of the National League, albeit level on points and with three games in hand on their nearest rivals. Speculation on the manager's future has started as fans begin to lose their patience with their man.

Some difficulty that the manager has faced is the fact that he has a squad of players that are very unsettled. With a limited pre-season and uncertainty around the club's continued existence, add in to the mix that relegation last season saw many players leave on a free transfer, following the expiration of their contract in the summer.

After Singh Johal was made the club's manager on 19th August, he and the owners had to very quickly have conversations around incomings. Since that day sixteen new faces have been brought in, with thirteen of those on a permanent basis. Now those players will need time to gel, with half of those arrivals only entering the fray last month.

Morecambe Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of experienced winger, Rolando Aarons.

Jamaican International, Aarons brings a wealth of experience to the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.

📄 https://t.co/Nf2h3g1LZx#UTS 🦐 pic.twitter.com/Vvng5b3G5y

— Morecambe FC (@MorecambeFC) September 22, 2025

In comparison, Carlisle, who came down with the Lancashire side last season, have made six signings over the summer. They are currently in third place, and have a manager in Mark Hughes, who is a veteran in football coaching and over twice the age of Singh Johal.

Morecambe's next fixture now looks to be a huge one away at Scunthorpe who are seeking back-to-back promotions this season. To make matters worse, the Irons haven't lost a game at home all season. It's certainly crunch time for the Leicester-born Morecambe boss.

Johal's Success in Coaching

Whilst most wanted to play the game at the highest level, Singh Johal quickly realised his passion for coaching. After being appointed the Morecambe manager, he said, "It’s what I’ve wanted to do. It’s been my dream since I was 14 or 15 years old."

He began coaching at his hometown club, Leicester City and spent a decade there, where he developed his abilities working with academy players from U7s to U18s. He looked back on his time there as a privilege, as while there he saw Leicester enter its best years in the club's history, winning a Premier League and Community Shield, as well as being a part of famous European nights.

Singh Johal then joined Kolo Toure's coaching staff at Wigan in the Championship, who too had Leicester connections, being assistant coach to Brendan Rodgers during his time with the Foxes. He'd then experience a new challenge abroad with Italian side Como 1907. Owned and managed by Cesc Fabregas, Singh Johal would become the Spaniard's number two.

He knew there would be teething issues

Ashvir Singh Johal isn't overly concerned by Morecambe's challenging few weeks 🤷‍♂️

— Enterprise National League (@NL_Enterprise) September 4, 2025

After achieving his first coaching qualification at just 16 years old back in 2011, Singh Johal achieved his UEFA Pro Licence (the highest possible rank in the football coaching system) earlier this year.

It is worth noting that Ashvir Singh Johal makes a strong case for tackling the racial inequality in football management. The lack of diversity within coaching has been an important topic of discussion in recent times, with concerns over people of colour being limited to opportunities.

"I follow a certain set of principles from the Sikh religion and that will not change whether I work in football or not"

Singh Johal has joined Kolo Toure at Wigan and is the first Sikh-Punjabi frontline coach in Sky Bet Championship history 👏 pic.twitter.com/aMzEQnY9tu

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 9, 2022

In over His Head

It's far from the circumstances that Singh Johal will have expected to be entering his first role in as a manager at senior level. Despite having lots of experience at Leicester, his time with Wigan and Como 1907 were short lived and perhaps remaining in one of those roles for a longer period would have given him that extra experience.

His high-press style follows a modernised system, made popular in English football with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, but it certainly hasn't worked to his liking in the National League thus far. Non-League is very different from Italian Football and even the Championship, with hostile stadiums and demanding schedules seeing players play every 3-4 days most weeks.

After their trip to the Attis Arena tomorrow night, Morecambe will face Chester in the fourth round of FA Cup qualifying. They'll then be at home in the league to last season play-off finalists Southend, before a trp to Lincolnshire beckons against a Boston United side who drew with league leaders Forest Green last time out.

This period you feel is make or break for the Shrimps' manager, as the owners will surely need to see the club climbing up the table. It is only a matter of time before the fans begin to turn if results don't start to change.