Best Squad Ever?

[Leoblue]

I've been thinking about this one and I'm struggling to think when we've had a better squad. I looked at the bench yesterday and for once thought that at least 3 - 4 of them wouldn't look out of place in the Championship. That's not including the first 11 and 2 or 3 out injured at the moment.

I honestly can't think of when our squad has been this strong, but I am a young 44 :smile:

What a turn around from the start of the season when we had so many injuries. Fare play to PB and RM, I bet our wage bill is a lot higher this season.

 

[Ricky Otto]

We are on a great run and we do have great squad depth and real quality for league 1. The Championship is a big jump though! I look at some of our top performers and IMO they would not have the same impact in the championship. Anton couldn't get in the Reading side last season and dropped down to league one. Same with Cox he was sent on loan to Bristol City and couldn't get games last season. Ipswich took a chance on Wordsworth in the championship and he didn't cut it. There isn't anyone in the side I think would set the championship alight, we would need to strengthen a fair bit. I think back to some of our squads in the 90's and how they truly competed in the championship or division 1 as it was, I don't think this squad in it's current state would survive the championship, so for me it isn't the best squad we've had.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

I personally think Lenny, Coker, McLaughlin and maybe Thompson would be the only ones to step up to the standard

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

The squad we had under Fry in the Championship was much stronger than the current squad. The first eleven under Webby in 91/92 was the best we've had but the squad depth was lacking.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

I think Wordsworth could cut it in the Championship. You can't judge him on his Ipswich days, he got a horrendous injury there. Always hard to come back from such things. If Leonard's passing and the ability to look up more were evident, he would already be in the Championship . That's the fine margins in football I guess.

 

[Leoblue]

I personally think Lenny, Coker, McLaughlin and maybe Thompson would be the only ones to step up to the standard

Not Cox, Ranger and Wordy, MAF (for another season)? I even think Theo is stronger at a higher level.

 

[Leoblue]

Its a hard one to call with our squad who could move up to another level and I agree, it really is another level. I even think Anton could easily play again for a couple of seasons back in the championship along side Thomo.

 

[Leoblue]

And also Timlin would be a good impact player at championship level.

 

[Leoblue]

I personally think Lenny, Coker, McLaughlin and maybe Thompson would be the only ones to step up to the standard

That's a good call, all are young and have a bright future.

 

[shrimpled]

I think it's wrong to think about individual players 'making a mark in Championship'. What you have to think is, is the team or squad stronger than the sum of it's parts and I would argue that it is. I think spirit can take you a long way and I think being well organised can take you a long way.

Looking back on the last team we had in the Championship, we had better players than we do now, Freddy and Gower the obvious ones, but did we have a better spirit? I'm not sure. Did we have a more experienced manager who had managed at that level before (even been promoted from it previously), no.

is this squad our best ever? No. Is this squad ready for the Championship? No. Would this squad perform better than the last squad we had in the Championship? Yes. Is all this talk extremely premature? Absolutely.

 

[ExiledShrimpa]

This is always a diffucult call as the L1 and L2 are full of people on their way up, some that have come down in order to go up again and others that are permenantly on the way down.

Take Vardy for example, released by Sheff Wed he drifted to Stocksbridge and then started to make his way back up the leagues and then of course last year happened.

Your ability to make it in the higher league does depend on talent etc but also if you gel with your team mates / manager. Afterall I can recall lots of good players we have signed who have tanked!

Bristols Rovers were in the Conference 2 years ago and have had two successive promotions, Garry Monk was a player who I personally didn't rate when he turned out for about a season for possibly the worse ever Sheff Wed side - yet he dropped down to Swansea and made his way up to the premiership and by all accounts was reckoned to be a good solid defender at Championship and Prem level - yet at Wednesday he was playing for a team with bad morale, budget issues - all the usual woes that we at SUFC have experienced.

The side that beat Man Utd in 2006 was a good squad, on their day they could play good really stuff yet they only lasted one season in the Championship.

I often felt the team in the mid 90's was very good side Ronnie Whelan, Mike Marsh etc.

So I do feel that sometimes players can step up if the other factors around them support that. On pure ability I agree Lenny has real potential in the middle of the park. I think two of our very best players of recent times departed last season - I've watched Bentley play for Brentford on sky and he seems comfortable in the Championship.

However I do feel this current squad is reaching max potential mode mainly because they have their tails up so to speak, moral is high and they are all playing for eachother - thats a vv important factor in my opinion.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I've been thinking about this one and I'm struggling to think when we've had a better squad. I looked at the bench yesterday and for once thought that at least 3 - 4 of them wouldn't look out of place in the Championship. That's not including the first 11 and 2 or 3 out injured at the moment.

I honestly can't think of when our squad has been this strong, but I am a young 44 :smile:

What a turn around from the start of the season when we had so many injuries. Fare play to PB and RM, I bet our wage bill is a lot higher this season.

They must be close to the best. However the side that was top of what is now the Championship on New Years Day after thumping Newcastle would likely give today's side a good game, if not beat them. As much as it pains me to say it, the side under Fat Baz just before he left would also give us a run for our money (who can forget that awesome 6-1 whipping of Oxford?)

 

[Leoblue]

They must be close to the best. However the side that was top of what is now the Championship on New Years Day after thumping Newcastle would likely give today's side a good game, if not beat them. As much as it pains me to say it, the side under Fat Baz just before he left would also give us a run for our money (who can forget that awesome 6-1 whipping of Oxford?)

I remember that day so well....... Buzzing to be on top of the Championship and I was convinced we'd go up :nope:

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Best squad? Is very strong ..but best ever?? That is questionable.
Best team spirit? Most desire? Right up there!!!! Those qualities are priceless.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Don't forget the squad from the 1931/2 season they were pretty decent as well.

 

[Rob1920]

Probably not the strongest ever first 11 but possibly the strongest full squad. Don't think I can remember a time before when we could lose maybe 3 or 4 first team players to injury & it not significantly affect our form. There's excellent cover for every position, and credit to PB and RM for that.

 

[Beefy]

I think it's wrong to think about individual players 'making a mark in Championship'. What you have to think is, is the team or squad stronger than the sum of it's parts and I would argue that it is. I think spirit can take you a long way and I think being well organised can take you a long way.

Looking back on the last team we had in the Championship, we had better players than we do now, Freddy and Gower the obvious ones, but did we have a better spirit? I'm not sure. Did we have a more experienced manager who had managed at that level before (even been promoted from it previously), no.

is this squad our best ever? No. Is this squad ready for the Championship? No. Would this squad perform better than the last squad we had in the Championship? Yes. Is all this talk extremely premature? Absolutely.

We also had a lot worse players in that Championship squad. For me, this is a better team, man for man than that one, or any other I've ever seen play for Southend and I've been banging that drum since November. Just the level of quality across the field - not just the spine but out wide including the fullbacks. I'm a little, tiny, wee bit worried about the goalkeeper but in front of him there's top players in almost every position - and depth in the rest of the squad to cover for injuries.

 

[ExiledShrimpa]

Best squad? Is very strong ..but best ever?? That is questionable.
Best team spirit? Most desire? Right up there!!!! Those qualities are priceless.

Totally agree here, I see lots of pictures of goal celebrations with all ten outfield players in them! team spirit and togtherness gets you a long way, it arguably took leicester to the premiership title last year! Then contrast that with Chelsea that season when they had the cobb on with Jose!

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

We also had a lot worse players in that Championship squad. For me, this is a better team, man for man than that one, or any other I've ever seen play for Southend and I've been banging that drum since November. Just the level of quality across the field - not just the spine but out wide including the fullbacks. I'm a little, tiny, wee bit worried about the goalkeeper but in front of him there's top players in almost every position - and depth in the rest of the squad to cover for injuries.

Hear, hear. Obviously the great players of that time will be the first to spring to mind, but would Phil Gridelet make the team at present? Mick Bodley? Andy Rammell? (*Shudder*) Gordon Connelly? The game moves on and players get better. I've not seen a better side than this one.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Hear, hear. Obviously the great players of that time will be the first to spring to mind, but would Phil Gridelet make the team at present? Mick Bodley? Andy Rammell? (*Shudder*) Gordon Connelly? The game moves on and players get better. I've not seen a better side than this one.

Wew lad, let's not get ahead of ourselves - Grids would walk into the current Real Madrid team, let alone the Mighty Shrimpers.

But seriously, Bodley was a decent centre half - lacked pace but read the game well.