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Fish · May 27, 2005

I don't think Freddy has the confidence to make the step just yet. I agree with those who have said that he wouldn't get first team football, he's not even been a pro for a full season yet, and his all-round game is not there - how many times has he been giving the ball away recently? He still hasn't fully adjusted from the big fish in a small pool mentality he evidently played with at Grays (even though they didn't particularly rate him).

Having said all that, a player with his potential and knack for turning up the unexpected goal like he has is worth more than £400K.

Lastly, if Tilly thought he might be losing Freddy, I don't think he would have let Corbett go this early.

BoyWonder2 · May 27, 2005

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I don't think Freddy has the confidence to make the step just yet

I don't agree with that. Freddy is a very confident player, why else would he shoot from 35 yards every week? He is struggling at the moment, but he didn't have a proper pre-season, its his first season as a pro, so he hasn't fully adjusted to the daily training and two games a week. He is just tired at the moment, come the end of next season he'll be fine, just like Bentley is now.

Freddy is going through exactly what Bentley went through in his first season. Just look at how a full pre-season has help Bentley, the same will happen with Eastwood.

Fish · May 27, 2005

[b said:
Quote[/b] (BoyWonder2 @ May 27 2005,13:47)]Freddy is a very confident player, why else would he shoot from 35 yards every week?

I agree he's still shooting from 35 yards, but not as much and not with as much success - he hasn't really caught hold of one on target for a bit. Rochdale's keeper just couldn't handle them, but he's not bothered anyone really since Cardiff (though I'm willing to stand corrected on the O's game as I wasn't there).

I had a really interesting chat with Paul Brush at the awards night the other week about Freddy, and he said that on a daily basis he's a moody player - i.e. you can never tell whether he's going to be confident or not. I think he's an instinctive player more than out-and-out confident, and that he can have more confidence in his abilities than he allows himself. I think he'd just get swamped at a bigger club and he needs careful management - Tilly and Brush are ideal for him.

fbm · May 27, 2005

[b said:
Quote[/b] (Fish @ May 27 2005,13:37)]Lastly, if Tilly thought he might be losing Freddy, I don't think he would have let Corbett go this early.

I can't follow that logic.

I'm a Corbett fan but even I can't see the merit of retaining an injury prone player with a weight problem who has a permanent headache.

He wouldn't see Jim as Freddys replacement in a month of Sundays.

When we do sell Freddy (it's inevitable) I would imagine part of the proceeds would help buy a replacement. If there was anyone who we already had that could act as a substitute then we wouldn't have needed to get him in the first place...

BoyWonder2 · May 27, 2005

[b said:
Quote[/b] (Fish @ May 27 2005,13:53)]

[b said:

Quote[/b] (BoyWonder2 @ May 27 2005,13:47)]Freddy is a very confident player, why else would he shoot from 35 yards every week?

Click to expand...

I agree he's still shooting from 35 yards, but not as much and not with as much success - he hasn't really caught hold of one on target for a bit. Rochdale's keeper just couldn't handle them, but he's not bothered anyone really since Cardiff (though I'm willing to stand corrected on the O's game as I wasn't there).

I had a really interesting chat with Paul Brush at the awards night the other week about Freddy, and he said that on a daily basis he's a moody player - i.e. you can never tell whether he's going to be confident or not. I think he's an instinctive player more than out-and-out confident, and that he can have more confidence in his abilities than he allows himself. I think he'd just get swamped at a bigger club and he needs careful management - Tilly and Brush are ideal for him.

You can tell that is some of the games his played this season. He doesn't always look "up for it" especially when it starts getting physical. He does remind me of Rooney, in the sense that sometimes he just allows himself to get wound up over the stupidest things.

Freddy is probably the most exciting player on the ball that we have, and he, like Gower, can make things happen for the team. He needs to not get wound up so much, easier said than done though.

I think he'll be "up for it" tomorrow, because he could, along with others, be elevated to hero status if we go up. Freddy is closer to that status that others, he scored the goals that have taken us to Cardiff twice this season. Barrett is probably right up there as well after picking up nearly every award going apart from the Noble Peace Prize.

I agree that Tilly and Bursh are the right guys to help Eastwood progress and I'm hoping that everyone connected with Southend United gets it right tomorrow.

Now to the other 8 people going tomorrow

Lets get behind the guys from the start, clap them as they enter the field of play for their warm ups, go mad when their names are announced and take the roof off the Millenium Stadium when they enter the pitch. Lets try to recreate the atmosphere from last week Vs Northampton, or Vs Yeovil. Lets get behind the boys from the off and roar us into League One.

C'mon Southend!