Sturrock in denial?

[Yorkshire Blue]

You've said this a few times but it works for everyone else! Have you tried a different browser?

There are a few others who have this issue as well.

This is on my work computer so I'm not allowed to install other browsers but it really shouldn't be beyond the Football League to use a system that works on IE8.

It doesn't work on any of my mobile devices either, but they are a bit crap so I'm not surprised at that.

My phone line at home is down (**** off Talktalk)

 

[S.D Shrimper]

Woe betide a man to speak his mind - whether it's tongue in cheek or how he feels - people can't have it both ways ! People dig on here and then don't expect a man Of Sturrocks management record to be able to speak his mind ! Suppose people like yes men when it suits their purpose that said person agrees with them !

PS can say what he likes as far s I'm concerned if its after a Southend victory !

Personally I like PS no nonsense attitude that also criticises his own teams performance whilst not looking for officials etc to blame !

I to like PS, once again showed the type of tactition he is by putting Cresswell up front knowing he could probably get us that winning goal.

 

[BrettieAngell]

I just think that it's another example of how precious football fans are. Happy to give out stick in the ground and on message boards but not happy to get even a gentle prod back.

I'm not trying to contrast him with Tilly but plenty of people on here used to moan about him not saying anything in his post-match comments.

Spot on sir! :clap::clap:

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Leave the man alone for god sake. The amount of crap he has had to endure from fans who think they know what they are talking about, he is entitled to his opinion back.

 

[Jam_Man]

Why am I the last to find these things out? How come you know that the players and chairman want a different style of play and I don't. Where did you hear that?

Ive certainly heard that PS is under pressure from above to play more attractive football.

The thing is he has done and its doing ok plus we can go more direct if need be.

No one expects us to play like Barcelona, but being able to at least play some passing football at times is a good thing.

PS obviously has a bee in the bonnet after the amount of criticism he has received regarding the style which is understandable bearing in mind how many points and goals we got. However at times last year when we were playing at home with one up front and creating one chance on goal it wasnt working and at those times he is going to get flack.

Direct football is fine if its creating chances, if its not and we are nicking wins against the run of the play then its hard to defend.

Ive not been to any away games this year but have no issues with how we are playing at home.

 

[londonblue]

Sturrock heavily implied that the players want to play a style that they are not technically good enough to play after the Spurs debacle and that they need to understand that they're League Two players and play a League Two style. If you've got Blues Player you can hear the interview yourself.

As for the Chairman... well that's what I've been told. Could be nonsense.

I don't have BW because I refuse to pay for something that I can't be sure will work when I need it. However, I do remember Sturrock saying last season that the players sometimes play more football than he wants. However, that doesn't mean the players are putting him under pressure to change the system, it means that sometimes the players forget their instructions. There is a big difference. However, I accept I haven't heard the interview on BW.

As for RM, at least you admit this is hearsay. Your original post made out that this was a fact.

At least I now know I haven't missed out on anything!

 

[londonblue]

I just think that it's another example of how precious football fans are. Happy to give out stick in the ground and on message boards but not happy to get even a gentle prod back.

I'm not trying to contrast him with Tilly but plenty of people on here used to moan about him not saying anything in his post-match comments.

Totally agree. On a positive note, if this is all the people can complain about, it must mean we're winning!

 

[Beefy]

I don't have BW because I refuse to pay for something that I can't be sure will work when I need it. However, I do remember Sturrock saying last season that the players sometimes play more football than he wants. However, that doesn't mean the players are putting him under pressure to change the system, it means that sometimes the players forget their instructions. There is a big difference. However, I accept I haven't heard the interview on BW.

It's not a forgetting thing, at least not in this case. We passed the ball for 90 mintues against Spurs and got utterly humiliated. This is one of the things which Sturrock said after that game:

"We've been caught between being a passing team and a solid, hard-working League Two team. But the reality has to come to that we are a League Two team. That's what we are. And I'm saying that until we get that out of our minds, that basically 'we should be this, we should be that' and I feel maybe, hopefully this will be a few kick up the arses and enable us maybe to start the season properly."

That, other things he said in that interview which I don't have transcribed to hand, and the fact that it came after a 90 minutes in which we didn't hit a single long pass certainly implied to me that the players want to pass the ball more than he does.

 

[Col.U. Mad]

Just goes to show PS reads the Shrimperzone site. Alright Mr. Sturrock? :COL U:

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Ive certainly heard that PS is under pressure from above to play more attractive football.

The thing is he has done and its doing ok plus we can go more direct if need be.

No one expects us to play like Barcelona, but being able to at least play some passing football at times is a good thing.

PS obviously has a bee in the bonnet after the amount of criticism he has received regarding the style which is understandable bearing in mind how many points and goals we got. However at times last year when we were playing at home with one up front and creating one chance on goal it wasnt working and at those times he is going to get flack.

Direct football is fine if its creating chances, if its not and we are nicking wins against the run of the play then its hard to defend.

Ive not been to any away games this year but have no issues with how we are playing at home.

PS is under pressure from above because Ron is reacting to the criticism from the fans.

I thought we tried to play football last night. The main difference from Saturday was that we didn't have a lead to defend. It also makes a big difference when the front pair can hold the ball up and give us a platform to play from.

Despite people harping on about hoofball, I think people's beef with Sturrock is actually that he's too defensive. Nobody complained about the football under Barry Fry.

 

[fbm]

plenty of people have slated/had a go/moaned about things during sturrocks reign, surely they are big enough to take a bit of stick back???

My thoughts exactly... I think people are being a bit sensitive. After all, he is right, isn't he? He's the one who nearly took us up with the second highest points total in our history and yet had to endure endless abuse and criticism from fans who didn't like his style of play. He's trying to play a more pleasing style but it's been the direct football (hoofball to some of you) that has rescued a point at Northampton and got us into round 2 of the JPT.

 

[Jam_Man]

PS is under pressure from above because Ron is reacting to the criticism from the fans.

I thought we tried to play football last night. The main difference from Saturday was that we didn't have a lead to defend. It also makes a big difference when the front pair can hold the ball up and give us a platform to play from.

Despite people harping on about hoofball, I think people's beef with Sturrock is actually that he's too defensive. Nobody complained about the football under Barry Fry.

Without a doubt.

The thing about people harping on about hoofball, is we actually havent played like that at home for some time. It seems to be a nice handy reason to have a pop.

We will now and again play long balls, these are league two players and sometimes, yes Prosser you, they do play it long into the channels where we inevitably lose poessession rather than play a shorter pass. However certainly at home Ive not seen us set out with one up front to just 'hoof it' tosince the Cheltenham game of last year.

Getting that early goal on Saturday certainly made a huge difference, its easier to play with confidence when in front.

 

[Jai]

Our goals scored tally last season does somewhat fly in the face of the 'negative tactics' claim.

Sturrock would do well never to listen to our fans. His track record speaks for itself.

 

[TTS]

Our goals scored tally last season does somewhat fly in the face of the 'negative tactics' claim.

Sturrock would do well never to listen to our fans. His track record speaks for itself.

Bit harsh on some of the fans on here that have won promtion with Southend on Championship Manager playing ball to feet tactics :winking:

 

[Jam_Man]

Our goals scored tally last season does somewhat fly in the face of the 'negative tactics' claim.

Sturrock would do well never to listen to our fans. His track record speaks for itself.

We did have a good record, but there were also quite a few games around December/January where we barely had a shot all game.

When that system worked it was great, when it was used at home when the other team are set out to be defensive and soak up pressure then it wasnt as effective, which is born out by our great away form and poor home form. We then started playing 442 at home after Dickinson was injured and Eastwood joined and our away form then improved.

What is promising is unlike the low point of last season we have different ways of playing now.

 

[londonblue]

It's not a forgetting thing, at least not in this case. We passed the ball for 90 mintues against Spurs and got utterly humiliated. This is one of the things which Sturrock said after that game:

"We've been caught between being a passing team and a solid, hard-working League Two team. But the reality has to come to that we are a League Two team. That's what we are. And I'm saying that until we get that out of our minds, that basically 'we should be this, we should be that' and I feel maybe, hopefully this will be a few kick up the arses and enable us maybe to start the season properly."

That, other things he said in that interview which I don't have transcribed to hand, and the fact that it came after a 90 minutes in which we didn't hit a single long pass certainly implied to me that the players want to pass the ball more than he does.

Or maybe he tried a new system and thinks it failed?

 

[londonblue]

We will now and again play long balls, these are league two players and sometimes, yes Prosser you, they do play it long into the channels where we inevitably lose poessession rather than play a shorter pass. However certainly at home Ive not seen us set out with one up front to just 'hoof it' tosince the Cheltenham game of last year.

The thing is everyone plays the long ball sometimes. Even in higher divisions.

To me hoofball is the John Beck style. Basically the only job of any player on the pitch was to punt the ball into the opposition penalty area and allow Dion Dublin and Steve Claridge do the rest. (How lucky was he to have those 2 up front?)

We don't do that, and never had. Yes we sometimes play a long pass, although I would also agree that we don't do that as much now as we did. Either way, playing the ball long to a player, or into channels for people to run on to simply isn't hoofball IMO.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

If fans are willing to have a pop at Sturrock then don't cry about it when he has a little swipe back.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

if fans are willing to have a pop at sturrock then don't cry about it when he has a little swipe back.

BANG ON MATE!

Completely agree.

Thought it was a great comment.

 

[Jam_Man]

The thing is everyone plays the long ball sometimes. Even in higher divisions.

To me hoofball is the John Beck style. Basically the only job of any player on the pitch was to punt the ball into the opposition penalty area and allow Dion Dublin and Steve Claridge do the rest. (How lucky was he to have those 2 up front?)

We don't do that, and never had. Yes we sometimes play a long pass, although I would also agree that we don't do that as much now as we did. Either way, playing the ball long to a player, or into channels for people to run on to simply isn't hoofball IMO.

No we certainly dont play like Becks Cambridge, but what we did last season with 1 up front is revert to the direct balls without another plan. So when the opposition came to Roots Hall and set up to soak up pressure they found it easier to do so when our passes were being played long. If you move the ball 'quickly' to the final third but never get possession there then you wont create anything and soon have the opposition coming straight back at you. We did start playing with more possession at home towards the end of the season and it bore fruit.

Theres no point us trying to play fantastic passing football, we dont have the players, but we do look capable now of playing in a couple of different systems so wont be as predictable as last year.