Breaking News Stephen McLaughlin in on loan

[* ORM *]

Last death throes or inspired move? Only time will tell but I won't begrudge PB for that. What I will say Phil is that the time for excuses is over. You've got what I would consider to be one of the strongest squads in the division. You've been denied next to nothing, particularly compared to your predecessors. The one target is promotion, auto or play off. Anything less than that and it's goodbye. That was your clear mandate.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Last death throes or inspired move? Only time will tell but I won't begrudge PB for that. What I will say Phil is that the time for excuses is over. You've got what I would consider to be one of the strongest squads in the division. You've been denied next to nothing, particularly compared to your predecessors. The one target is promotion, auto or play off. Anything less than that and it's goodbye. That was your clear mandate.

Probably a fair and accurate summary.

 

[Hutch]

mclaughlin may be a quality player or a crock of ***** - I don't know. My point is that I've seen us squander leads at Places like Burton and Shrewsbury which is the type of behaviour that will probably cost us automatic promotion. From the game I'm watching, the issue isn't a lack of personnel - it's tactics and substitutions and maybe a bit of bottle. Brown can carry on signing people until he's blue in the face, but if he doesn't sort the other out were not going to improve.

I don't know much, and can't offer any better suggestions than have been made, but I am 100% sure that this is not possible...

 

[londonblue]

We started the season poorly in both promotion seasons IIRC.

In terms of results yes, but we were actually playing good football. I remember arguing on here that we're actually playing well, and we just need to give it time...

 

[Sowfend Not Sarfend]

I notice on another thread that 2011/12 has been voted our best recent season yet the turnover of players without any apparent long term plan was arguably worse that season: N'diaye, Johnson, Daniels, Dailly, Belford, Baldwin, Sampson, Benyon, Flood, Martin, Hills, Eastwood plus a number of barely used players on our books - Coughlan , Sturrock, Sawyer, Crawford, James-Lewis. I think Nesbitt and Asante were still with us too. We had a squad of around 35 at one point in the second half of that season.

 

[Sowfend Not Sarfend]

Last death throes or inspired move? Only time will tell but I won't begrudge PB for that. What I will say Phil is that the time for excuses is over. You've got what I would consider to be one of the strongest squads in the division. You've been denied next to nothing, particularly compared to your predecessors. The one target is promotion, auto or play off. Anything less than that and it's goodbye. That was your clear mandate.

If he goes, and we get the wrong guy in next, then we might end up wishing for the tedium of always being in or around the play-offs. A few clubs have got rid of a manager doing ok but not up to fans expectations and then found things got a lot worse afterwards.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I notice on another thread that 2011/12 has been voted our best recent season yet the turnover of players without any apparent long term plan was arguably worse that season: N'diaye, Johnson, Daniels, Dailly, Belford, Baldwin, Sampson, Benyon, Flood, Martin, Hills, Eastwood plus a number of barely used players on our books - Coughlan , Sturrock, Sawyer, Crawford, James-Lewis. I think Nesbitt and Asante were still with us too. We had a squad of around 35 at one point in the second half of that season.

Wasn't that the point at which we tailed off?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

If he goes, and we get the wrong guy in next, then we might end up wishing for the tedium of always being in or around the play-offs. A few clubs have got rid of a manager doing ok but not up to fans expectations and then found things got a lot worse afterwards.

If you can't even dream what's the point of football?

It's certainly not for the entertainment this season.

 

[AndyT]

Sturrock

Whatever happened to the old knacker! ..

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Whatever happened to the old knacker! ..

S.N.P. candidate and should do well on 7th May. :unsure:

 

[Sowfend Not Sarfend]

Wasn't that the point at which we tailed off?

I remember that season as more of a rollercoaster than a tailing off! Regarding loans, I think since the transfer window was introduced there has been a move to more short term planning by many managers.

If you can't even dream what's the point of football?

It's certainly not for the entertainment this season.

Perhaps I've had my dreams crushed too many times. I just hope that, unlike both Sturrock and Brown, our next manager is someone all Southend fans can unite behind from the start.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Not too sure about your stats - I distinctly remember a certain Freddy Eastwood staying on after his loan in 2004!

I think a certain Irish midfielder is missing there somewhere too :whistling:

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I think a certain Irish midfielder is missing there somewhere too :whistling:

He wasn't missing, he was given permission to go on that stag do or whatever it was.