Question Dougie Freedman

[salty]

Confession: I support Palace first, Southend second.

I have just got hold of a copy of the new Dougie Freedman book from ebay. It starts and ends with his time at Roots Hall. Very interesting.

Was he of much use as a Shrimper? He seemed to get off to a flying start, then fade.

 

[South Bank Hank]

Sadly his legs had probably gone when he joined us so we didn't see anything like his best. That might have cost him the extra yard required but you could always still see his class. I'm sure most Shrimpers wish him well.

 

[MK Shrimper]

One of our most pointless signings, but I wish him well.

 

[Angell Delight]

Started great and scored I think 4 in his first 4 but sadly he picked up a serious thigh injury when scoring against Orient and never looked the same player after that.

Wish him well at Bolton.

 

[DTS]

If you judge players soley by how much they moan at their team mates I would say he was the best signing we every made.

 

[JB Shrimper]

He joined, he scored a few, got player of the month for the division, got injured, never was the same player again! I think when he signed he was more than an appropriate/good signing but after the injury was never the same again!

 

[Rayleigh boy]

turned up bragging how he had negotiated his own deal with the chairman - (clearly after the managers job)

took a load of wages but was basically a crock -

he thought he was clever - i thought he was a backstabbing ego maniac -

 

[sufc_dave]

Unfortunately you could tell he had lost his touch by the time he had joined us. By the end of his time here he use to jog on the spot for 90 minutes and shout at team-mates about what they should be doing.

 

[adambarrettismyfather]

when he first came he was the best player at the club, i remember him scoring a wonderful goal where he controlled a long ball over his shoulder by chipping it over the keeper who was running out and side footed it in on the 6 yard line. one of the best goals ive ever seen.

 

[Jam_Man]

Unfortunately you could tell he had lost his touch by the time he had joined us. By the end of his time here he use to jog on the spot for 90 minutes and shout at team-mates about what they should be doing.

Kind of what you want an experienced pro to be doing....

He did well the year before at Leeds but the time with us was a season to far for him unfortunately.

More importantly, heard him in an interview confirm his name is pronounced Duggy, not Doogie. Thankfully that can now be put to rest.

 

[South Bank Hank]

More importantly, heard him in an interview confirm his name is pronounced Duggy, not Doogie. Thankfully that can now be put to rest.

Now if we could just get Eastwood to confirm that there ARE in fact two D's in his first name...

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Never recovered from that thigh injury. His cheeky chip against Bristol Rovers is still the best goal I've ever seen in the flesh, pure class. He certainly hadn't lost his touch, though sadly, he'd lost his legs.

I'm sure he'll make a very successful manager.

 

[Napster]

He's best mates with Paul Benson.

 

[chapperzUK]

Started off very well but got injured, which IIRC was a very complex hamstring injury, and never truely recovered. I don't get this "shouting at his team mates", isn't that just basic communication. Anyway he was played up front with James Walker, and I don't think anyone could resist having a go at him!

 

[Beefy]

Never recovered from that thigh injury. His cheeky chip against Bristol Rovers is still the best goal I've ever seen in the flesh, pure class. He certainly hadn't lost his touch, though sadly, he'd lost his legs.

I'm sure he'll make a very successful manager.

I was just about to say - that's definitely one of my favourite ever Southend goals. And sitting in the South Upper gave a perfect view of how much he enjoyed scoring it. Never seen sucha grin on a goalscorer's face.

As others have said, Freedman looked pure class alongside Lee Barnard when he first signed. Then he picked up a bad injury and was never the same. Shame.

 

[The General]

Shame it didnt work out as he could have been our manager if things had gone better (on the pitch) and who knows what would have happened to us/him!

 

[Silencer]

A very decent player who was yet another big personality that Tilly didn't seem to get along with. Worked out well for him now though.

Injuries also hampered him, although like Harris, I hear he was very influential (when allowed) on the training ground

 

[mrsblue]

Douge "i love palace" Freedman was little more than billy big balls,True scored a few smart goals but in the main offered nil,Used the club to his own means whilst picking up a nice salary in return.He gushed when palace offered him the managers job yet soon left them when offered the Boltan job.

 

[Csboy]

Shame it didnt work out as he could have been our manager if things had gone better (on the pitch) and who knows what would have happened to us/him!

What would have happened if he had become manager would have been that we would still have been relegated as Martin stopped paying the wages. Not even Jose Mourinho could have kept us up that season. Then Freedman's mangement career would have been over before it started and he wouldnt have been able to walk out of palace mid season to go to Bolton.

 

[Kris]

We got very unlucky with Freedman, and those who claim he was a poor signing only do so in hindsight - you only have to read the gushing threads during the week prior to his signing to realise that.

When he first signed he was absolutely sensational and he and Barnard tore defences apart; his performance in that game against Orient was outstanding. Sadly, as many have mentioned above, the injury he picked up in that game largely finished him off as a player. Having said that, this wasn't helped by the fact that - mentioned by both himself and Tilly - he returned too soon on two occasions as he wanted to help us out up front due to an injury crisis. He - unwittingly or not - largely sacrificed the rest of his playing career as a result, and for that he will always command my respect.