Great read, this article, its an interview with Shaun by the Bermudan Royal Gazette (thanks to Bermuda Blue for the tip off that Shaun is in touch with them)....
Fantastic insight into his attitude and I am now convinced he's an inspired signing by Tilly if he can transmit the attitude in this article to the other lads in the team
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Shaun Goater makes the 90-minute commute to Roots Hall today to sign for Southend United and end his five days in the footballing wilderness.
The veteran striker will undergo a medical for the League One (the old Division Three) side at 2 p.m. UK time before committing to the club for the final year of his illustrious career.
The 35-year-old, who has scored 249 career goals in more than 520 appearances, spent less than a week out of work after Reading bought him out of his contract and it didn’t take much soul searching for the former Man City talisman to decide this was the move for him.
“I am really looking forward to joining up with this ambitious side,” said Goater, who left Reading last week stating he would retire if the “right challenge” didn’t come up.
“I wasn’t going to just sign for anyone but Southend are a side I am very interested in. They are young, ambitious and hungry and it is exactly the environment I want to be around.
“I said it had to be the right challenge and this club seems to be the right fit for me.”
Goater, who endured a torrid second year at Reading after boss Steve Coppell made it clear the veteran was not in his plans, actually turned down overtures from Steve Tilson’s newly-promoted side early in July but had no problems saying yes this time around.
“To be honest I was so fed up with the way things had gone at Reading and all the problems that I was pretty much ready to pack in football,” said Goater, who took his family away for a ‘no-calls’ weekend break while he contemplated his future.
“I wasn’t really interested in any offers from any clubs which is why I said no to Southend then – although I said that when I had my head straight I would consider their offer.
“They kept in touch and while I was away last weekend they kept calling my agent even though I had said I had wanted a weekend with no calls.
“They have been basically ringing me for about three weeks and my agent kept texting me over the weekend to say they had called and after a weekend of thinking about things, I had no hesitation in saying ‘yes’ to them.
“This is the right sort of club and I am looking forward to the challenge of it all.
“My agent faxed around a few clubs saying that I was available after I completed the deal with Reading but once I got back from my weekend, I didn’t want to hear if there was any other interest. I am a man of my word and after Southend showed so much interest in me, I wanted to say yes to them.”
Shrimpers boss Tilson has been pursuing Goater for weeks and has remained quietly confident he would get his man.
“We’ve spoken to him and are interested in getting him here. He would be a good signing for us,” Tilson told BBC Essex yesterday.
“His record speaks for itself but other clubs will obviously be interested so we’ll have to wait and see.”
After enduring the “worst season of my career”, Goater was left disillusioned with football, but during the few days he spent as a free agent, his passion clearly seems to have returned.
“When I signed for three years with Reading, I did so because I knew that’s how much football I had left in me,” said Goater, the excitement that has been missing for months back in his voice.
“So when things ended there after only two years, there was something in the back of mind that said I should be playing for one more year.
“After talking to people both in Bermuda and England, it made my mind up that I should play on for one more year. I know I have a year left in me and I know I can still do a job and I didn’t want to walk away from the game knowing that, and knowing that I would regret the decision to retire.
“The move to Southend that I am hoping to tie up is the right move for me and I am looking forward to playing regularly again and proving to myself that I can still do it. “
I am looking forward to being around this team. From what I can tell about the club it is ambitious and young and vibrant and that is something I want to be involved with.”
Assuming Goater passes his medical today, he could make his first start for the Shrimpers as early as Saturday, when the League One season kicks off, at home to Port Vale.
The Goat will link up with former City player Spencer Prior, whom he played with for two years at Maine Road, although his other team-mates, who achieved promotion via the play-off route last season, will be new to him.
The move to Roots Hall will see Goater take on former clubs Rotherham and Bristol City, the latter being Southend’s opponents for what could be the Goat’s final game of his career next May.
Southend have three games in the opening week of the season, opening against Port Vale at home before trips to Bradford City on Tuesday and Walsall the following Saturday.
Shrimpers fans were yesterday filling the Internet message boards with rumours of Goater’s arrival, many excited about the possible signing of the 6ft 1in striker.
Fantastic insight into his attitude and I am now convinced he's an inspired signing by Tilly if he can transmit the attitude in this article to the other lads in the team
__
Shaun Goater makes the 90-minute commute to Roots Hall today to sign for Southend United and end his five days in the footballing wilderness.
The veteran striker will undergo a medical for the League One (the old Division Three) side at 2 p.m. UK time before committing to the club for the final year of his illustrious career.
The 35-year-old, who has scored 249 career goals in more than 520 appearances, spent less than a week out of work after Reading bought him out of his contract and it didn’t take much soul searching for the former Man City talisman to decide this was the move for him.
“I am really looking forward to joining up with this ambitious side,” said Goater, who left Reading last week stating he would retire if the “right challenge” didn’t come up.
“I wasn’t going to just sign for anyone but Southend are a side I am very interested in. They are young, ambitious and hungry and it is exactly the environment I want to be around.
“I said it had to be the right challenge and this club seems to be the right fit for me.”
Goater, who endured a torrid second year at Reading after boss Steve Coppell made it clear the veteran was not in his plans, actually turned down overtures from Steve Tilson’s newly-promoted side early in July but had no problems saying yes this time around.
“To be honest I was so fed up with the way things had gone at Reading and all the problems that I was pretty much ready to pack in football,” said Goater, who took his family away for a ‘no-calls’ weekend break while he contemplated his future.
“I wasn’t really interested in any offers from any clubs which is why I said no to Southend then – although I said that when I had my head straight I would consider their offer.
“They kept in touch and while I was away last weekend they kept calling my agent even though I had said I had wanted a weekend with no calls.
“They have been basically ringing me for about three weeks and my agent kept texting me over the weekend to say they had called and after a weekend of thinking about things, I had no hesitation in saying ‘yes’ to them.
“This is the right sort of club and I am looking forward to the challenge of it all.
“My agent faxed around a few clubs saying that I was available after I completed the deal with Reading but once I got back from my weekend, I didn’t want to hear if there was any other interest. I am a man of my word and after Southend showed so much interest in me, I wanted to say yes to them.”
Shrimpers boss Tilson has been pursuing Goater for weeks and has remained quietly confident he would get his man.
“We’ve spoken to him and are interested in getting him here. He would be a good signing for us,” Tilson told BBC Essex yesterday.
“His record speaks for itself but other clubs will obviously be interested so we’ll have to wait and see.”
After enduring the “worst season of my career”, Goater was left disillusioned with football, but during the few days he spent as a free agent, his passion clearly seems to have returned.
“When I signed for three years with Reading, I did so because I knew that’s how much football I had left in me,” said Goater, the excitement that has been missing for months back in his voice.
“So when things ended there after only two years, there was something in the back of mind that said I should be playing for one more year.
“After talking to people both in Bermuda and England, it made my mind up that I should play on for one more year. I know I have a year left in me and I know I can still do a job and I didn’t want to walk away from the game knowing that, and knowing that I would regret the decision to retire.
“The move to Southend that I am hoping to tie up is the right move for me and I am looking forward to playing regularly again and proving to myself that I can still do it. “
I am looking forward to being around this team. From what I can tell about the club it is ambitious and young and vibrant and that is something I want to be involved with.”
Assuming Goater passes his medical today, he could make his first start for the Shrimpers as early as Saturday, when the League One season kicks off, at home to Port Vale.
The Goat will link up with former City player Spencer Prior, whom he played with for two years at Maine Road, although his other team-mates, who achieved promotion via the play-off route last season, will be new to him.
The move to Roots Hall will see Goater take on former clubs Rotherham and Bristol City, the latter being Southend’s opponents for what could be the Goat’s final game of his career next May.
Southend have three games in the opening week of the season, opening against Port Vale at home before trips to Bradford City on Tuesday and Walsall the following Saturday.
Shrimpers fans were yesterday filling the Internet message boards with rumours of Goater’s arrival, many excited about the possible signing of the 6ft 1in striker.
