Barrett is BACK!!!

[TrueBlue]

Interestingly he should now join the club of players who have played over 300 times for Southend now

 

[TrueBlue]

He is currently 19th of all time according to apperances on SUFCDB http://www.sufcdb.co.uk/playersappear.php?s=ta

He needs to have played 304 times to break into the top 15

 

[Ailsa Road Shrimper]

Great to have him back. Even at 35 he is much better than any of the centre backs we currently have. I'll be disappointed if Prosser playing in the starting line up means he is benched, AB offers so much more at both ends of the pitch.

 

[Beefy]

His come in to give Weston and Coulthurst some lessons on shooting
[video=youtube;vFVvb7QfQQs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFVvb7QfQQs[/video]

ahahaha there's not often you see something billed as being "the worst miss ever" and it actually is!

Like all true Southend men Adam Barrett hated to see Gillingham ever score a goal.

 

[Barry.C]

Lets not forget he is also 8 years plus wiser. That will count for a heck of a lot at this level. I thought he was brilliant against us for Wimbledon, typical! Yes a little slower, compensated for by positioning ( and a fair degree of grabbing, shoving ,arms and legs etc) but really stood out and of course damaged us upfront!. Also not bad for a 35 year old with an excellent display against Liverpool and Wimbledon desperate to keep him. Occassional co.k up maybe, but so much more to be gained from a last hurrah here on the pitch!

 

[ChalkwellShrimper]

ahahaha there's not often you see something billed as being "the worst miss ever" and it actually is!

Like all true Southend men Adam Barrett hated to see Gillingham ever score a goal.

I was critical of AB following this, along with many others (not just on Shrimperzone) I'm sure! However I think it's great signing and I'm delighted he's back with us.

We have a fairly young squad and his influence, experience and leadership skills will prove a great asset, as much off as on the pitch. Good work by the management team:thumbsup:. Welcome back Adam.

 

[Zeuss]

Obviously I've not yet seen him play one whole match there yet but I would seriously suggest Binnon-Williams could prove to be a much better central defender than Barrett and Prosser ever will be/have been.

 

[Beefy]

Lets not forget he is also 8 years plus wiser. That will count for a heck of a lot at this level. I thought he was brilliant against us for Wimbledon, typical! Yes a little slower, compensated for by positioning ( and a fair degree of grabbing, shoving ,arms and legs etc) but really stood out and of course damaged us upfront!. Also not bad for a 35 year old with an excellent display against Liverpool and Wimbledon desperate to keep him. Occassional co.k up maybe, but so much more to be gained from a last hurrah here on the pitch!

Plus he's in the perfect place to learn how to be a very capable lower league defender into his late 30s from our assistant manager.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Welcome home Adam Barrett! Off to change my first scorer for the prediction league Saturday....

 

[ms brush]

Best news I have heard for a couple of seasons!!! Adam has definately still 'got it'. Right signing, offers more right across the pitch than anyone else in my humble opinion, and will guarantee us a couple of goals as well.

 

[Shrimper 62]

Great to have him back. However, beware the curse of the injured centre half!!!!!!!!!

 

[spoons]

Posted on another thread: Great signing in Cassidy. Did well in his first stint at Tranmere, not so well after . From what I've seen of him though, he wont suit our current system, so more than likely we will have to change it to accommodate him. As for Barrett, when everyone is fit, I can only see him as being a squad player. As he is one of our own, and because of his goalscoring exploits, especially in his first season, he is remembered with fondness from almost everybody, including myself. He is a bit more comfortable on the ball than all of our current crop of defenders, but what worries me is his all round defensive capabilities. At the moment, with the system we play, it almost doesn't matter who we play as the two central defenders, as proven by the Plymouth game with Binnon-Williams and Thompson. With Cassidy signing, surely this will change though, which will mean more exposure for the defence. Barrett was helped when he first arrived with experienced partners in Prior and Edwards, and later Sodje. When we signed Clarke though, this is when Barrett's weaknesses were exposed, and we conceded goals by the barrellful. I know this was at a higher level, but he is now 8 or 9 years older, and personally I don't think he is better than anyone else we have. Probably an unpopular view, and I hope I am proved wrong, but I think we will get our wish for goals, but sadly at the other end.

I agree 100%, but hope we are wrong

 

[USAShrimper]

Can make the difference this season as we push on for promotion. Can't wait to see him back, next game for me Vs Wycombe
March 7th. Will bring back a lot of good memories seeing him out there again.

 

[KiwiRob]

I think Barry C. is right. Physically, Adam Barrett may have slowed down since he left the Blues, but his additional experience and ability to 'read' games could prove crucial in the run-up to the end of the season.

 

[Shrimper]

Get in!!

AGS

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

We have an young team, so having someone like AB back, he will give the whole place an lift!! I am sure Prosser, Thompson & Bolger will learnt alots from AB, to improve their own games.

 

[palexander]

From a nostalgic point of view is great obviously, but so many over the top reactions in here - people are seeing themselves up for disappointment... Lets see how he plays first rather than judge it on a bug match in the cup were everyone is going to be upping their game considerably.

He's not gonna be captain, he's not gonna finish top scorer and its doubtful he's better than anything we already have.

That said, it's a nice story to have Adam back and I'm sure he won't let us down.

 

[dodgeblue]

We have the 4th best defence in the league whereas Wimbledon have the 8th worst. Assume AB will be playing up front!!

 

[Jam_Man]

Posted on another thread: Great signing in Cassidy. Did well in his first stint at Tranmere, not so well after . From what I've seen of him though, he wont suit our current system, so more than likely we will have to change it to accommodate him. As for Barrett, when everyone is fit, I can only see him as being a squad player. As he is one of our own, and because of his goalscoring exploits, especially in his first season, he is remembered with fondness from almost everybody, including myself. He is a bit more comfortable on the ball than all of our current crop of defenders, but what worries me is his all round defensive capabilities. At the moment, with the system we play, it almost doesn't matter who we play as the two central defenders, as proven by the Plymouth game with Binnon-Williams and Thompson. With Cassidy signing, surely this will change though, which will mean more exposure for the defence. Barrett was helped when he first arrived with experienced partners in Prior and Edwards, and later Sodje. When we signed Clarke though, this is when Barrett's weaknesses were exposed, and we conceded goals by the barrellful. I know this was at a higher level, but he is now 8 or 9 years older, and personally I don't think he is better than anyone else we have. Probably an unpopular view, and I hope I am proved wrong, but I think we will get our wish for goals, but sadly at the other end.

The reason we shipped so many goals was as you point out after we were in the Championship. That wasnt due to Barrett being found out, it was the entire team being well out of their depth.

He was in the team the next year that got in the play offs again in League One.

He was never a championship level player,and being that bit older he wont be as good as he was, but we are in League Two, I dont see any of our centre halves as being anything special and their average ages are far too low, he brings experience to the side and I think will start every game.

 

[Kristof]

Absolutely made up that Sir Adam is back "home". :happy:

He'll bring organisation, be a danger at attacking set pieces and bring passion back to the shirt.