Suggest A New Manager

[GBJ]

I'd imagine M&D would only be temporary. Then over the break Ron would hire a new permanent manager. As Naps said, I'd rather we "thought outside the box" rather than jump on the revolving mangerial merry-go-round and employ someone like Evans.

I’d assume that they’d only take that job, on the basis that they could return to their previous roles, if they chose to. Would they want to risk it otherwise?

Agreed though, I wouldn’t want us to become one of these clubs who change managers every 11 months.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Chris Powell was great end of last season. He did a fantastic job, I think we can all agree on that.

We've huffed and puffed this season, under very difficult circumstances, but now we really seem to be on our last legs. Belief is evaporating. Staying up is absolutely crucial so it could well be time for a change.

However, management isn't ALL about results. (1) Powell has managed our youngsters well. They will have learned a lot this season. And Powell hasn't run them down in public when they have struggled. Not all these kids will make it at L1 level but some will. (2) Powell has signed two very promising strikers in Hopper and Humphrys (unfortunately both injured). Our previous manager didn't have a good eye for strikers (but then I think he understood midfielders better). Powell also signed Lennon who could prove to be very useful in the future. That's two, potentially three players who can form the spine of our team in the future.

People thought Murphy and Wignall were crap managers and yes, to a large degree they were. But they did respectively sign Stan Collymore and Mark Gower, two absolute giants of SUFC history.

My point: If Powell were to depart this week, he would, by and large, have done a decent job for Southend.

Has he though?

Dru is a shadow of the player he use to be; dropping youngsters from the squad completely, after making an appearance the game before.

Personally I think he hasn't managed them at all. The only youngsters getting a regular run out, are the ones when he's no other option.

 

[MK Shrimper]

I’d assume that they’d only take that job, on the basis that they could return to their previous roles, if they chose to. Would they want to risk it otherwise?

I couldn't see it playing out any other way.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Ian Holloway is a good shout

Not if you are trying to summon help whilst being swept out to sea on a novelty inflatable.

 

[NZamba Legend]

Has he though?

Dru is a shadow of the player he use to be; dropping youngsters from the squad completely, after making an appearance the game before.

Personally I think he hasn't managed them at all. The only youngsters getting a regular run out, are the ones when he's no other option.

I think he has. Being in and out of the squad/team and filling in for injured players is part-and-parcel of the early career in football. Powell has not put too much responsibility on the young players, pulling them out of the firing line when necessary (Bishop apart obviously) plus LOTS of youngsters have had a chance this season and all have faired well: Bishop, Elvis, Kyp, Bat, Klass, Hutch, Kelman, Wabo. I know people would say Wabo or Hutch should have played more and that's fair enough. I'm also pleased that Powell hasn't slagged any of these players in public, even though his own job is on the line.

 

[Napster]

Maybe he'll decide to bin off Keen/Matthews and get in a DoF in charge of recruitment

 

[Fairport]

Maybe he'll decide to bin off Keen/Matthews and get in a DoF in charge of recruitment

Matthews and Keen are rarely mentioned on here and other forms of media. They seem to have such a low profile unlike Brush and Coughlan who always seemed to be far more involved in things. Maybe the two assistants are a big part of the problem?

 

[Jay_SUFC]

I think he has. Being in and out of the squad/team and filling in for injured players is part-and-parcel of the early career in football. Powell has not put too much responsibility on the young players, pulling them out of the firing line when necessary (Bishop apart obviously) plus LOTS of youngsters have had a chance this season and all have faired well: Bishop, Elvis, Kyp, Bat, Klass, Hutch, Kelman, Wabo. I know people would say Wabo or Hutch should have played more and that's fair enough. I'm also pleased that Powell hasn't slagged any of these players in public, even though his own job is on the line.

But it's only youngsters he has binned after a defeat - when has he dropped Mantom or Dieng?

Hutchinson got binned, Klass has been binned - and they aren't the only ones.

It's not like they have played that often, so why do they keep getting left out?

 

[NZamba Legend]

But it's only youngsters he has binned after a defeat - when has he dropped Mantom or Dieng?

Hutchinson got binned, Klass has been binned - and they aren't the only ones.

It's not like they have played that often, so why do they keep getting left out?

I agree that can be frustrating, especially when senior players like Mantom and Dieng are not doing the business. I guess it's partly about protecting the youngsters and partly about needing experience on the pitch. It's a balancing act that I think Powell has mostly got right (well, apart from the results!).

 

[Chrisb]

Matthews and Keen are rarely mentioned on here and other forms of media. They seem to have such a low profile unlike Brush and Coughlan who always seemed to be far more involved in things. Maybe the two assistants are a big part of the problem?

Yes, I agree that may well be the case - we don't really know what they actually do ? If Ron got Ricky and Kev involved in the first team, alongside CP, initially for the rest of this season, he could free up some wages - I guess it would cost to pay up their contracts but what price relegation ?

 

[Sherif H]

All things considered I think I’d rather stick with CP, providing he does the following;

Makes Cox captain
Drops Dieng
Drops Mantom
Drops Turner
Plays 442
Gives Wabo a chance

Gives the entire squad a very hard kick up the backside and gets tough

We need a do or die attitude starting Saturday, as I’m sure Wimbledon will be fighting for their lives. (And we are too now)

One more thing, and this is down to us!

Let’s get behind the team on Saturday - make it a cup tie atmosphere, and absolutely NO negativity towards any players or staff

What have you seen in the last God knows how many diabolical performances to suggest that Powell will do anything to inspire a change in our performances?
Nothing - he has run out of ideas and time.

 

[Jai]

Steve Evans has only ever been interested in clubs with money. I don't think, given his criminal conviction, I need to draw a picture as to why. We don't have any so you can probably forget that one.

The biggest issue is that I fear we can't afford another rebuilding job when we've nowhere near finished the last one. This is still 60% Brown's squad. Powell has not been able to bring in the players he would like, and I'm not sure that is going to change. Long, lucrative contracts offered out over the last few years are costing us dearly.

I am pretty sure Ron is not going to stand for the club being in the relegation zone. I can't see us staying up, so by that logic, Powell will go.

But I'm not happy about that, not because I think Powell is a great manager, but if we do bring someone in and it doesn't keep us up, we could be seriously screwed. Any appointment would be rushed, and it could actually cost us a lot more than just relegation to League Two. If the new guy can't build the squad he wants and things don't go well at the start of next season, the crowd will again be restless and at that point we're looking at suddenly being a club who have had four managers in 18 months. Ask Orient what that kind of thing does to you.

There is so much at stake in these last nine games. Our long-term future is hanging by a thread. If Powell can steer us away and continue reshaping the squad that he wants, there's every chance we can recover from what has been a season totally blighted by injuries and bad luck.

 

[Brian Meyers]

Why was evans sitting with Ron martin

Why was evans sitting with Ron martin

Two clowns together

Adam Barrett and Kevin Mayer. Leaders on and off the pitch, with built in passion for Southend United. It’s what’s needed now.

someone who can run our club not dream of building the impossible

 

[Rob1920]

Hard to believe we weren't in a vastly different situation this time last season & CP came in and we nearly made the play-offs! New manager bounce I guess. I'd love CP to keep us up, get a full fit squad back for next season & then see how it goes. I know we're not allowed to blame injuries and of course confidence is shattered. But we've played most of this season with probably half a normal first team. We havent just lost squad players, we've lost our captain and one of our best players, we've lost both our top scorer AND the guy brought in to replace him, for large chunks of the season we've lost vital players in all areas, including having to play pretty much a youth team goalkeeper! I like Bishop but do we honestly think Oxley wouldn't have kept out a fair few of the goals conceded recently? Dru had his head turned & has never been the same since. Plus we've had the sort of luck on the pitch with flukey own goals & wind assisted crosses/goals that makes you wonder what God's got against us. I agree CP appears to be struggling to motivate the players we have got, but at this level you just can't lose so many first team players in vital areas and it not have an effect. Blimey even Man City would notice losing as many first team regulars as we have this season.

 

[Brian Meyers]

Jesus Christ are you alright mate?

Definitely not there for a loan

 

[Thundersley Blue]

At long last a real common sense post.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

I was referring to the post from ROB 1920

 

[Jai]

You are allowed to blame injuries. Injuries are the overarching reasons for our poor season and anyone who says otherwise I'm afraid is living in cloud cuckoo land. You can however also concede that Powell has made mistakes. Last night for instance, you could blame both. The injuries have let us to having a squad ridiculously short of match fitness and quality in a division where on paper there isn't really much between about 15 sides. But then again why on earth wait 75 minutes to make a sub when half the team is blowing after two games in three days? Why make a sub before a set piece?

Radical thinking I know that things aren't as black and white and simple as most fans like to pretend, but there you are. Everyone wants to blame the manager of course because that's what fans do when things go wrong, but I'm not sure that changing the manager will actually achieve anything aside from forcing us into another costly squad rebuilding job that we can't afford.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Colin Murphy - at least his programme notes would put a smile on our faces!

https://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A41604978

It is also a dangerous feeling to consider that where we are in the League is of acceptable standard, because standard is relevant to the standards we have set, which thereby may well indicate that we have not aspired to the standard which we set ourselves.

 

[barryp1]

Has he though?

Dru is a shadow of the player he use to be; dropping youngsters from the squad completely, after making an appearance the game before.

Personally I think he hasn't managed them at all. The only youngsters getting a regular run out, are the ones when he's no other option.

Dru's confidence was kicked out of him at Sunderland. Nothing to do with CP.