Breaking News Mark Molesley appointed as manager

[Yorkshire Blue]

What happens if he try’s to completely change the style of play to one where we are playing out from the back and keeping possession for longer periods......but doesn’t win any of his first 6 games....

A slow start is likely.

What I want to see though between the first and the sixth game is improvement.

This isn't going to be a quick fix but I want to see signs that we are moving in the right direction.

 

[Strykr]

I wonder how many bournemouth loanees we can scrounge. Might work out well if we cant afford to actually sign players.

 

[KiwiRob]

[

What happens if he try’s to completely change the style of play to one where we are playing out from the back and keeping possession for longer periods......but doesn’t win any of his first 6 games....

I do not think we should assess Mark Molesley's approach to playing out from the back on the basis of the depressing experience of the Bond/Campbell era.

In his first managerial interview, MM said he wants free flowing football but the team must have a bit of steel and a massive work ethic. I think he will cope will the rigours of League 2 football. After all, he is familiar with scrapping for points in the very competitive non-league scene.

In many ways, MM's appointment is probably the most interesting managerial decision since Steve Tilson got the nod all those years ago. There are definite parallels between when the Cowleys were appointed to Lincoln a few years to stop the rot there and MM's new assignment at Southend. If MM comes close to replicating the Cowleys' success at Lincoln, I think many of us would be very happy.

It is really important the Chairman now pulls out all the stops to give the support that MM's team needs, and that includes getting the embargo lifted as soon as possible.

 

[Moley]

We couldn't pay the players in March and have had no income since then. Yay Moseley will be our saviour!! Bored of this joke club. **** off.

Go support Colchester then.

 

[Cricko]

and will they change the security question when signing up for the forum?
when i signed up about 3 weeks ago it asked me who was Southend manager and apparently no one was incorrect and it was still Sol Campbell....

I actually changed it about a week ago.

 

[rigsby]

Panic over, chill out everyone and enjoy the heatwave. We are in a far better position than when Sturrock turned up. Yet most other clubs are in a worse position.

The players aren't some Sunday pub side that need weeks of training to get fit and personally I don't like to many friendlies anyway. Who cares about the league cup, certainly not our club so its just a decent workout for us. Result wont matter.

Cut the new boy and his team some slack, rather than turn up like we all did v Blackpool a year ago, then we might just achieve something. Not promotion, just the foundations of a good side ready for the following season.

Yes we all moan about Ron....If he doesn't say something or if he does....Even how he says it and when he says it......The most important thing this summer for us as a club......Ron being one of only two chairman in L2 to not want a wage cap......What does that say to you?

Exactly...Ron has found a pile of cash from somewhere, otherwise MnM wouldn't be bringing half the South coast with him on 3 year contracts. A young team and a young manager, so lets have some fun at the seaside after all the ride is there to scare you a bit. But admit it, thats why you want to get on in the first place.

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

We couldn't pay the players in March and have had no income since then. Yay Moseley will be our saviour!! Bored of this joke club. **** off.

Are you fishing for an bites ?

 

[Colchester and proud!]

Looks like an interesting appointment for you folks, I hope it works out well for you all. Yes I feel sorry for Fagan and indeed McGreal, but Craig is young and his time will come again, he should stay with you if he can and extend his experience. As for John, he will get other offers he is a very good coach and manager, I wish them all well.

 

[fleabag1]

I hope mark does well .He will give everything .We have had a very bad side last few years .Everything depends on our chairman players please some of you football especially last year was hopeless we wouldnt stay up in the conference .So if mark can keep us in div 2 then I think thats successful

 

[OldBlueLady]

Exciting times, new beginnings and all that.

Feel sorry for both Fagan and Tilson, who were kept hanging on unnecessarily.

 

[Ricey]

Exciting times, new beginnings and all that.

Feel sorry for both Fagan and Tilson, who were kept hanging on unnecessarily.

Was it unnecessarily? If the Molesley deal fell through then we needed someone to step in. They surely must’ve known they weren’t first choice.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

We couldn't pay the players in March and have had no income since then. Yay Moseley will be our saviour!! Bored of this joke club. **** off.

Do you feel better after a good nights sleep?

 

[Ricky Otto]

It's not the route I'd want us to go but I see no reason for your suggestion that he couldn't get Bournemouth players on loan here. I'd have thought Bournemouth would be keen for their u23s to take the next step forward and a loan to a League 2 club would be the logical step after a succesful non-league loan spell. Weymouth were playing the same level as Tom Clifford when he was out on loan at Concord just before he stepped into our first team.

He probably could do. Those sort of players are going to make a much bigger impact in the southern league and national league South than league 2 though, which is one of the reasons for MMs big success at weymouth. Look at how well Bridge and Williams did at Chelmsford in the national league South, its a big jump.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

I think we have enough of our own good young players to require any other clubs, we shouldn't be a breeding ground for other clubs loanees. We need 3 or 4 experienced players to guide them. The spine of the team is awful at the moment- how Lennon and Dieng are still at the club I don't know. Full backs and forwards are ok (if they stay) but the central positions in defence and midfield are lacking.

 

[bluesfansince1952]

Dieng and Lennon are likely still with us as it is cheaper to keep them on than to pay off their contracts.
There is a cost to releasing contracted players before the expiry of said contract.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

This time last year, I was more than a bit anxious. After all, I knew Bond from his QPR days.
It's not hindsight to suggest he was never going to to be anything but 'Arry's bagman, no matter where he went - and I said it more than a few times on here.
This time, there looks to be more hope.
However, that 'steel' MM talks about needs a shrewd investment in defence.
An uncompromising 6ft 4ins central defender for a start.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

Was it unnecessarily? If the Molesley deal fell through then we needed someone to step in. They surely must’ve known they weren’t first choice.

No doubt there was a lot of haggling to be done, Moseley was working for two clubs, then there is the assistant managers contract and by the sounds of it other back room staff could come in to. These are very difficult things to sort especially when there is very little money in the pot to allocate. It could have fallen through at any time with no doubt both sides taking it to the brink, a Southend United Brexit if you like! I can see the need to keep others hanging on as a reserve option Fagan or Tilly would have taken it like a shot.

 

[Will Dance For Chocolate]

Congratulations, I think you've got a diamond of a manager. He may not be the finished article yet but if you cut him a little slack I think you'll reap some very valuable rewards. Having said that, there's also a chance he may smash it right from the start.

In his AFCB interviews, possibly more than anyone, he's mentioned how much he has learnt from Howe. I would call him the closest thing we've produced to Howe's apprentice, especially since his meticulous approach to everything and use of stats and analysts are integral to how he prepares. I know that's much more common amongst managers these days but it certainly wasn't the norm in L2 when Howe was doing it 12 years ago and MM has been nurtured in an environment where it is seen as a given.

I said on the other thread that he was cruelly robbed of more a league playing career by injury and had a relentlessness to his play on the pitch that you rarely see in the more skillful players. He was never someone you could accuse of not giving his all and I think that's followed him through into his coaching career. Repeating myself again but his has been the name whispered to fans from insiders down at AFCB as the man out of all the backroom team with the most potential.

I'll be honest in that I was unaware of the trouble you've been having with finances and embargoes, wallowing as I have been in my own misery this past turgid season. However, I hope a few parallels can bring you some more cheer.

Kevin Bond was our manager when we got relegated from L1 (due to a points deduction but still relegated). We appointed a new manager the next season (-17 one in L2) but he didn't last long and out of desperation and lack of funds we promoted the youth team manager Eddie Howe.

As I understand it, Kevin Bond was your manager in the season you got relegated from L1 and you've since had another manager that didn't last long only to now turn to MM. Seems pretty similar to me.

Then for the good bit. In his first full season as our manager Howe had a transfer embargo in place for the entire season. In fact, we had a squad of 20 and asked the FL if we released one of the 3 keepers included in that number if we could sign a replacement. They said yes so we released the youngest keeper and the FL then changed their minds leaving us with 19. The gits. To me, this season was Howe's greatest achievement with AFCB. He took that imbalanced squad and forged them into a team that came 2nd in the league, even though when injuries kicked in we were starting some games with 5 players playing out of position. It was insane but a joy to watch. I simply don't know how he did it.

Onto you, you're under an embargo. I know you hope it will be lifted soon but if it isn't, well MM was part of that aforementioned AFCB squad so he's seen and lived a manager taking what he has and making it work not just to mediocrity but to success.

It's almost spooky for me looking at the aspects of history repeating. I'm going to be watching you pretty closely this season and cheering you on as I would love MM to get on well. I really hope MM does for you what Howe did for us.

Good luck! The only other thing I'll say is please show a bit of patience if it doesn't gel immediately. He's going to have his own ideas and approach and sometimes the results aren't instant.

 

[Benfleet Blue]

I think we have enough of our own good young players to require any other clubs, we shouldn't be a breeding ground for other clubs loanees. We need 3 or 4 experienced players to guide them. The spine of the team is awful at the moment- how Lennon and Dieng are still at the club I don't know. Full backs and forwards are ok (if they stay) but the central positions in defence and midfield are lacking.

I really have to disagree about Timotee Dieng. I thought last season, with numerous changed positions, he simply got better and better. He was the one shining light probably out of all the others that were brought in. From what I understand he is an absolute model professional who paid for his own additional one-on-one training, and with that sort of attitude it can only rub off and help the youngsters. I for one would be really sad to see him go.

 

[Benfleet Blue]

Congratulations, I think you've got a diamond of a manager. He may not be the finished article yet but if you cut him a little slack I think you'll reap some very valuable rewards. Having said that, there's also a chance he may smash it right from the start.

In his AFCB interviews, possibly more than anyone, he's mentioned how much he has learnt from Howe. I would call him the closest thing we've produced to Howe's apprentice, especially since his meticulous approach to everything and use of stats and analysts are integral to how he prepares. I know that's much more common amongst managers these days but it certainly wasn't the norm in L2 when Howe was doing it 12 years ago and MM has been nurtured in an environment where it is seen as a given.

I said on the other thread that he was cruelly robbed of more a league playing career by injury and had a relentlessness to his play on the pitch that you rarely see in the more skillful players. He was never someone you could accuse of not giving his all and I think that's followed him through into his coaching career. Repeating myself again but his has been the name whispered to fans from insiders down at AFCB as the man out of all the backroom team with the most potential.

I'll be honest in that I was unaware of the trouble you've been having with finances and embargoes, wallowing as I have been in my own misery this past turgid season. However, I hope a few parallels can bring you some more cheer.

Kevin Bond was our manager when we got relegated from L1 (due to a points deduction but still relegated). We appointed a new manager the next season (-17 one in L2) but he didn't last long and out of desperation and lack of funds we promoted the youth team manager Eddie Howe.

As I understand it, Kevin Bond was your manager in the season you got relegated from L1 and you've since had another manager that didn't last long only to now turn to MM. Seems pretty similar to me.

Then for the good bit. In his first full season as our manager Howe had a transfer embargo in place for the entire season. In fact, we had a squad of 20 and asked the FL if we released one of the 3 keepers included in that number if we could sign a replacement. They said yes so we released the youngest keeper and the FL then changed their minds leaving us with 19. The gits. To me, this season was Howe's greatest achievement with AFCB. He took that imbalanced squad and forged them into a team that came 2nd in the league, even though when injuries kicked in we were starting some games with 5 players playing out of position. It was insane but a joy to watch. I simply don't know how he did it.

Onto you, you're under an embargo. I know you hope it will be lifted soon but if it isn't, well MM was part of that aforementioned AFCB squad so he's seen and lived a manager taking what he has and making it work not just to mediocrity but to success.

It's almost spooky for me looking at the aspects of history repeating. I'm going to be watching you pretty closely this season and cheering you on as I would love MM to get on well. I really hope MM does for you what Howe did for us.

Good luck! The only other thing I'll say is please show a bit of patience if it doesn't gel immediately. He's going to have his own ideas and approach and sometimes the results aren't instant.

A fantastic background. To be honest, the minute his name was mentioned and you reviewed what he had achieved I personally would have been disappointed with any other appointment although would fully have understood had he chosen not to come to Southend. He needs time but just listening to him inspires you with confidence and as long as the fans are patient I believe we have appointed a gem of a manager.
So pleased that posters such as yourself take the time to post such fantastic insights.
Used to love our trips to Bournemouth, how far in the past that seems as you left us in the shadows but wish Howe had remained as he really appears to be a one club man and surely would have brought you more success