Steve Morison's appointment as Hornchurch FC manager was made complicated by the fact he was in 'active conversations' with Cardiff City over a potential return to the Bluebirds' dugout, according to the Urchins' chairman.
Morison was let go by Cardiff last September after overhauling the squad, which saw 15 players leave and 17 come in, having been afforded only 10 games with his new crop in the 2022/23 campaign.
Cardiff saw Mark Hudson come in and leave before Sabri Lamouchi eventually got the required points under the belt to keep City in the Championship. However, the Frenchman was also told he would not be kept on for the 2023/24 season and City were on the lookout for a new manager again.
WalesOnline learned that Vincent Tan was seriously considering rehiring Morison as the club looked for Lamouchi's successor. Despite sacking him eight months prior, it was understood that Tan had patched up his relationship with Morison and was open to allowing him to finish the project he had started last summer.
However, Cardiff then broadened their search and spoke to as many as 12 potential managers before landing on Erol Bulut, the Turkish boss who has signed a one-year deal with the option of two more if certain criteria are met. Of course, that meant Morison would not be returning to the Welsh capital.
On Thursday it was announced that the former Wales international would take the reins at Isthmian Premier Division side Hornchurch FC, five tiers below his last job. And their chairman, Alex Sharp, revealed that Morison being in the frame for a return to the Bluebirds added an extra layer of complication prior to his appointment.
"He went to Cardiff, managed their under-23s and went on a 12-game unbeaten run, which ultimately put him in pole position when Mick McCarthy was sacked as Cardiff manager and took over," Sharp said when explaining the appointment.
"When you look at the job he did there, as someone who has never had any professional first-team experience in management; he had to completely rebuild the team - 15 players out, 17 players in - and kept them safe. As soon as we knew he was available potentially to have a conversation, that was a no-brainer, really.
"Then it just got better and better from there. Every time I spoke with Steve I was just impressed by his passion for football and ideas that he would have about how he would take the club forward. The things he wanted to bring in which would bring that winning mentality to the team.
"I was a little bit nervous with him getting 15 players out at Cardiff and 17 in, but that was the directive of the chairman at Cardiff, not Steve's wish. Because we have got a good squad here and a good crop of players who have come close to getting promoted. We don't want all-out chaos at the club. We want some enhancements to the team.
"I had a number of conversations with Steve. He and I were then out of the country at different times and obviously, as a board, we reviewed all the applicants we had.
"To add complication to it, Steve was still involved in the Cardiff manager situation and was in active conversations to go back.
"Then, we had the final conversation when he said, 'Yeah, I'm really up for it, I really like this'.
"If we felt, as a board, he was doing this as a six-month gig to try and get back into the Football League, we wouldn't have made the decision. But you'll see, that's not his intention at all. He is prepared to sign a decent contract with us and I think we will benefit significantly from having him at the club."
Morison, 39, began in non-League with Bishop's Stortford and felt it was the right fit to go back in at that level, having spent eight months out of the game.
A period, he said, which has been difficult, given he had been in the game continuously for more than two decades.
"I think it's a great time, I've had a tough eight months out of the game," Morison said. He added: "Alex has been great. We touched base a little while ago - I had some other things going on at the time.
"I have been away on holiday, come back and everything just feels right. It's where I need to be in my current head space. It's right where I started my journey as a football player. I feel like I want to be part of this football club making its journey up the leagues.
"I went to Cardiff under-23s and then through the good work I did with the under-23s I got an opportunity to help the first team stay in the Championship, which I managed to do in my first season.
"Obviously, I got the gig full time and unfortunately only lasted 10 games after a big summer rebuild, so it was a frustrating one. But it is what it is, can't worry about it now.
"I've learned a lot about myself. I'm really pleased to be here."
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