If I'd have been involved ( truthfully, Ron and I get on very well, but he thinks I'm a maverick, and he's right. But a maverick with the best contacts book in the sport who will clear away the stench of failure from a club I hold dear. Don't be afraid of a maverick, be afraid of the status quo, a losers mentality and people in it for themselves), Southend United woukd get
1. First dibs on U-23 players from around the country. I took the liberty of contacting Liverpool,, Forest, Barry Fry, Leicester amongst 30 other clubs. Every one of those clubs said they wanted to work with me where they could. I hope that gives the tiniest flavour of what I can bring.
2. Employees with integrity. A United club.
3. Working with players ( where a manager feels it's appropriate), especially forwards, to show them the tricks of the trade, tell them how good they are and have me available 24/7 to help them along.
4. Meeting parents of quality young Essex talent and telling them Southend United is the club where their son can see a pathway to the pro game. Stan Collymore turning up at a kid's home has gravitas. Real gravitas.
5. Meeting and communicating with supporters regularly. Showing them the work we are doing and why that should make them content with the direction of the club.
6. Creating a clear club wide strategy that is simple, cost effective, promotes talent from within and spreads our net wide to bring the best talent in ( coaching, development, financial, directors) to a progressive football club.
7. Travelling with the team everywhere to support the manager, travelling staff and players, an identifiable totem of SUCCESS at Southend United.
8. Having an up to date managerial hit list that fits in with our ethos, values and playing style ( which we must have) in order to be proactive in coaching and management employment, not reactive. This alone will get us great coaches and managers way ahead of the opposition.
Amongst about 50 other tangible things that can be done yesterday if given the remit.