Breaking News Demetriou now employed as Chief Scout.

[Holy Joe]

I would suggest that if he wants to learn the ropes as a scout, then he will learn them from nobody better than he will from John Still.

I’d also suggest that the vision here might include succession planning for when John retires from the game altogether. Then scouting could be in the trusted hands of a loyal Shrimper, who learned from the best, in the long term.

Exactly what I thought.

 

[Benfleet A1]

The right thing to do.

 

[in the know]

The succession planning is more in association with the 3 amigo's than johns role and is a way of keeping him linked to the club along with some regular involvement with coaching and match prep. He certainly knows what we're looking for and how to present analysis of both teams and players having done his main badges and played for some very well known managers at club and international level such as Dean Smith and Jordi cruyff.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Just seems a bit like jobs for the boys to me.

Why do we need another person helping with coaching, we have 3

As far as im aware hes not a qualified scout, or ever expressed interest in being so, john still was the head of the scouting network i thought.

I know im in the minority but i dont get the demi love in. To me he's one of the players that i can only associate with our biggest decline.

Just a bit weird imo.

John Still is still head of the scouting network.

Scouting though isn’t just recruitment it’s also opposition scouting. I do see value in having someone who knows inside out how we set up and approach different scenarios advance scout. I think that ties in really well with coaching (I believe Demi has his coaching badges; not even sure if scouting badges are a thing?).

I wasn’t necessarily the greatest fan of him as a player as his legs were gone but you could see the tactical awareness he had, not least with his versatility. To be able to play wing-back, centre-mid and centre-back the last few seasons was a testament to that.

I think the academy relationship stuff is possibly going to lead to the u23s/reserves manager’s job once we get the academy back again. This was Maher’s old job.

Not sure if he’s continuing the coaching at Chelmsford but that’s something also Maher combined with the u23s role.

I see this as attempting to set up our own Boot Room, like the one Liverpool had which saw them go from Jimmy Shankly’s less successful brother to Joe Fagan, Bob Paisley and then an international whose surname begins with D from a footballing minnow country. Pass on the knowledge of Still, Maher and Currie down to Demi. Install in them the Southend way and pass that on from one generation to the next.

 

[kentblues]

JD is very knowledgeable about the game and in terms of scouting opposition as part of match prep would imagine he would be very good. Similarly scouting - knows are system and what is required intimately I imagine. Add to that his development working on the analyst side and assisting with some coaching it seems to me this is a great learning opportunity for JD, as well as great for the club. TBH I can only see good for both parties with this.

Meanwhile I assume he will continue with his coaching qualifications. And when/if he moves in to coaching full time these other strings to his bow will make that more valuable.

Excellent news. Really is.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Just seems a bit like jobs for the boys to me.

Why do we need another person helping with coaching, we have 3

As far as im aware hes not a qualified scout, or ever expressed interest in being so, john still was the head of the scouting network i thought.

I know im in the minority but i dont get the demi love in. To me he's one of the players that i can only associate with our biggest decline.

Just a bit weird imo.

Just catching up and see that @Shrimp and two veg @Spaceman Spiff and @Yorkshire Blue have pretty much covered points I am aligned to as to why this is an interesting and, hopefully, positive development.

 

[BEERMONSTER]

For me this is one of those 'building block' moves. We are tapping into not only JD's in house experience and knowledge of Southend United and not least a proven loyalty to the Club but also his potential development as a coach.
It further underpins the structure and strength of the Football Dept and should be seen as a progressive move. No doubt there will be detractors who would want the funding of his wages to be put towards the transfer budget but for me this is a very positive addition.

 

[gatecrasher]

Any chance JD could slip the boots on for old times sake on the weekend ....maybe every weekend ...for the rest of the season....please

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I told you it wasn't over, and he might be coming back.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

really good news. there probably aren't many better to learn from than John Still, and JD has probably got excellent tactical knowledge from playing almost every position, 51 caps etc. sounds a very good appointment, hope he can bring a lot

 

[LeedsSUFC]

Getting an untrained scout into learn from John Still… Gubbins, Bonne, Wood, Wind, Waldron… Great scouting record so far… The results and full 90 minute performances are outstanding so far.

 

[Morty01]

Why would he do this? I thought he still wanted to play? I'm guessing Chelmsford move broke down

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Like Kev alluded to, it's not just the role of chief scout. That's just his official title.

 

[Linda Loan Shark]

Great appointment. Congrats Demi. I am glad we managed to squeeze some of our budget to get you in

 

[stewart]

Top news as good as signing another player ,even though hes not a player , i believe it wont take long before this signing bears fruit .

 

[Jack_23]

Absolute fantastic to see him given a roll, an amazing servant and stuck by us through the toughest of times. I genuinely think people forget how good of a right back he was when we signed him. Was one of if not the best RB in the league

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Why would he do this? I thought he still wanted to play? I'm guessing Chelmsford move broke down

Kevin offered JD the chance to remain as a player, but he declined because of knee problems. Pleased a role has been found for him.

 

[wiggy]

Great, how about some investment on the pitch?

 

[Hadleigh-shrimper]

Delighted at this , must keep good people around the club. Who better to learn from than John still as well his signings saved us last year

 

[BoyWonder2]

Getting an untrained scout into learn from John Still… Gubbins, Bonne, Wood, Wind, Waldron… Great scouting record so far… The results and full 90 minute performances are outstanding so far.

Conveniently forgetting the likes of Taylor, GSM, Cardwell, Noor, Miley…

Gubbins wasn’t a recommendation from Still, Kev knew him from his last spell. Kev was aware of Bonne too. Harsh to write off Wind so early on.

Wood hasn’t developed how they’d have liked but is a player in there and Waldron hasn’t hit the heights yet, but he has been missed.