I'd be surprised if Morgan hadn't wanted Cooke in 2007. There might have been players he'd have preferred, but in a choice between the 2007 model Cooke and nobody, it would have seemed bizarre not to want him. Whether he came to regret it, is another matter.
The new deal for Mills only seems baffling with hindsight. He was ever present in 2008, and I don't think anybody anticipated him dropping so completely out of contention. Every coach will make mistakes - it is when they start to consistently outweigh the positives that it is time for a change.

Cooke vs no Cooke to escape relegation, undoubtedly, but at a price of being locked into a 3 and a half year deal, six figure salary (per the HDM) and a rumoured golden hello? The original point was to question Morgan's use of the salary cap. I'm just suggesting that the Cooke deal, as an example, might not have been all Morgan's own work.

Of course so far Morgan's positives massively outweigh the negatives. But some of his idiosyncratic choices - Murrell at hooker, biggest prop in the squad sat in the stands for 48 of 52 games, making Dobson the Chesney Hawke-esque "one and only" creative player, getting a bit of a track record in shipping players in and out before contracts are up (Ward, Gannon, Crossman, Cooke, Fisher?) - does mean that a bit of challenge is appropriate. We've been doing the same since Agar took the job at FC - unfortunately the more we moan, the more years are added to his contract.

Showing your age again but I agree

Has mills played at all this season? Presume if he doesn't he won't count on the cap

Hasnt even featured for the reserves. Will still count on the cap though, unless anybody knows different.

Dunno, Hull had an issue with Andy Last a few years ago when he played one game and his whole salary counted so we went over. I'd always presumed that anyone in your playing squad would count but just seems to be bizarre. Why not loan him out and at least get something back for him. Is it morgan cutting off his nose to spite his face again?

mills is no worldbeater,but he doesn't deserve the teatment he's getting from morgan at the moment

The problem for Mills is that he isnt going to get a game in the first team but he wont get considered for reserve grade selection because of the limit on over age players allowed. It is a shame for him but he has recently had options to go out on loan but declined them, so if he really wanted to prove himself to Morgan or put himself in the shop window then he has had that chance.

probably not prepared to accept a huge pay 'cut'

Why would it involve a pay cut? Rovers are contractualy obliged to pay him his full salary.