FAO Mr Peter Clarke

[BoyWonder2]

I know some people on here have good connections at the Club, and that some Club officials read this forum so I was hoping this will get passed onto Peter Clarke if at all possible.

Clarke,

First of all, I was the bloke in the white adidas jumper in East Reds that had a pop at you, and others, last night. I just wanted to put across my side of things to you and hope that you realise it wasn't just mindless abuse.

Know last night was the first time I have ever turned on anyone in a Southend United shirt. From my 4,000/5,000 posts on here you will see I'm a very positive person when it comes to my football and I always defend people on here including Harrold/Drewenaldo/Tilson/Martin etc and I'm quite disappointed with my reactions so first off I apologise.

You pointed at me and the end and pointed down the tunnel, if I had gone it wouldn't have done anybody anygood as we was both annoyed about the Crewe game so I thought I'd sleep on it and point across my points to you.

I work my nuts off 9am - 5:15pm Monday to Friday to afford to come and watch my Southend United at home, and a few away games. I'm not blessed with money etc so its always a struggle for me but I do it because I love this Club. I make sacrifices to come along and watch and support my team and when I see what I believe to be less than 100% then it ****es me off. I'd give my nuts to be able to play 5 minutes for my Club, I may not be as good as the players we have but I would work 100% for the time I'm on the pitch. For me its the bear minimum. We have had a lot of players without the quality but put in the 100% effort so I can defend them.

Last night, there was a lot of people, including yourself not putting in 100% effort in my eyes. We seemed to turn up and expect to win comfortably. We can't afford to do that at any level of football against any side. Man United did it to us and we beat them 1-0, Chelsea did it to us at their place and we drew 1-1, so you can come unstuck against "lesser" team, we aren't excluded from that. We have had our fair share of upsets against lesser team and I bet you have with your other Clubs.

Our position in the League isn't secure. More performances like last night and we could easily be in the bottom four, but more performances like Saturday and we could be in the top 6. Its a tight league and anyone can beat anybody.

A lot of things disappointed me with your performance last night, not just the effort. A lot of times Moussa was dropping deep to collect the ball from you but instead you kept pumping it out to our wingers and I don't think you found any of them once. In fact, I don't think that pass has ever worked for you in a Southend United shirt. Please, your a centre half, keep it simple. Give it to Moussa, give it to Freedman, give it to somebody who can pass a ball rather than hitting million dollar balls that never come off. Another example was in the second half. Crewe was sitting very deep, and you ran from inside your half to the left wing, 30-35 yards out and rather than give it to somebody else, you took a shoot on with your wrong foot going away from goal. At what point did it enter your mind that this shot may end up in the back of the net? A couple of times you tried to thread it betweem 2 Crewe players when the pass was never on. Its basics Clarke.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all bad. You had a shot inside the box blocked by one of their defenders to win us a corner, and also you won a tackle in their box that dropped to someone to have an effort with so it wasn't all bad.

If you wish to get in contact with us to discuss this and put across your opinions to me feel free to. I'm happy to PM someone with my phone number, or email address for you to do that.

For me, I have drawn a line under it. I'm looking forward to the Col Ewe game on Saturday and I will be behind the boys, yourself included, 100% from the start and I will be for the rest of the season. Lets put this behind us.

All the best,

Mike.

 

[Buckinghamshire Blue]

Don't know about yourself Mike but when I receive a letter from someone I prefer it if they address me by using either the prefix of Mr or maybe my christian name. It would get my back up if someone addressed me using just my surname

 

[steveo]

Don't know about yourself Mike but when I receive a letter from someone I prefer it if they address me by using either the prefix of Mr or maybe my christian name. It would get my back up if someone addressed me using just my surname

Dear Blue,

Its a good letter, leave him alone

Rgds
O

 

[fredheim_holm]

I thought he put in 100% yesterday, I guess it depends on your viewpoint. Nothing against the effort the lads put in yesterday, just the quality lacking.

 

[palexander]

Fair play.

 

[Buckinghamshire Blue]

Dear Blue,

Its a good letter, leave him alone

Rgds
O

Dear Steveo,

Please use my correct name when addressing me:

a: Dear Buckinghamshire or
b: Dear Mr Blue

Yours Faithfully

Buckinghamshire Blue

 

[steveo]

I thought he put in 100% yesterday, I guess it depends on your viewpoint. Nothing against the effort the lads put in yesterday, just the quality lacking.

But he must have realised he can't pass a long ball to save his life. Why not give it to someone who can? And if he hasn’t realised, Tilly or Brush should tell him. We can all see it, why can't they?

 

[steveo]

Dear Steveo,

Please use my correct name when addressing me:

a: Dear Buckinghamshire or
b: Dear Mr Blue

Yours Faithfully

Buckinghamshire Blue

No problem, Blueboy.

 

[Southchurch Steve]

Dear Blue,

Its a good letter, leave him alone

Rgds
O

Now that's funny!

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

I nthe 2nd half Clarkey was practially bypassing the midfield and going straight through to the strikers, probably because he realises neither Jeff or Macca can pick a pass to save their life. Saying that, his distribution is terrible but his effort cant be questioned.

 

[fredheim_holm]

But he must have realised he can't pass a long ball to save his life. Why not give it to someone who can? And if he hasn’t realised, Tilly or Brush should tell him. We can all see it, why can't they?

Well, to be fair, T&B clearly told the players to play a short-passing game yesterday. The amount of effort they put in to find the short ball was noticeable in my opinion. Dervite running short for the quick ball from Mildy, Cristophe dropping in wherever possible.

They tried the short ball as much as possible, and although Clarke can't hoof it and I was frustrated as the next man, he had minimal options. Cristophe, Macca & Franno can't find that ball to split the defence and Moussa isn't a left mid.

The idea of playing it short whenever possible seems good to me, but we haven't got the players to execute it, hence long ball frustration at times.

 

[Welly7]

I know some people on here have good connections at the Club, and that some Club officials read this forum so I was hoping this will get passed onto Peter Clarke if at all possible.

Clarke,

First of all, I was the bloke in the white adidas jumper in East Reds that had a pop at you, and others, last night. I just wanted to put across my side of things to you and hope that you realise it wasn't just mindless abuse.

Know last night was the first time I have ever turned on anyone in a Southend United shirt. From my 4,000/5,000 posts on here you will see I'm a very positive person when it comes to my football and I always defend people on here including Harrold/Drewenaldo/Tilson/Martin etc and I'm quite disappointed with my reactions so first off I apologise.

You pointed at me and the end and pointed down the tunnel, if I had gone it wouldn't have done anybody anygood as we was both annoyed about the Crewe game so I thought I'd sleep on it and point across my points to you.

I work my nuts off 9am - 5:15pm Monday to Friday to afford to come and watch my Southend United at home, and a few away games. I'm not blessed with money etc so its always a struggle for me but I do it because I love this Club. I make sacrifices to come along and watch and support my team and when I see what I believe to be less than 100% then it ****es me off. I'd give my nuts to be able to play 5 minutes for my Club, I may not be as good as the players we have but I would work 100% for the time I'm on the pitch. For me its the bear minimum. We have had a lot of players without the quality but put in the 100% effort so I can defend them.

Last night, there was a lot of people, including yourself not putting in 100% effort in my eyes. We seemed to turn up and expect to win comfortably. We can't afford to do that at any level of football against any side. Man United did it to us and we beat them 1-0, Chelsea did it to us at their place and we drew 1-1, so you can come unstuck against "lesser" team, we aren't excluded from that. We have had our fair share of upsets against lesser team and I bet you have with your other Clubs.

Our position in the League isn't secure. More performances like last night and we could easily be in the bottom four, but more performances like Saturday and we could be in the top 6. Its a tight league and anyone can beat anybody.

A lot of things disappointed me with your performance last night, not just the effort. A lot of times Moussa was dropping deep to collect the ball from you but instead you kept pumping it out to our wingers and I don't think you found any of them once. In fact, I don't think that pass has ever worked for you in a Southend United shirt. Please, your a centre half, keep it simple. Give it to Moussa, give it to Freedman, give it to somebody who can pass a ball rather than hitting million dollar balls that never come off. Another example was in the second half. Crewe was sitting very deep, and you ran from inside your half to the left wing, 30-35 yards out and rather than give it to somebody else, you took a shoot on with your wrong foot going away from goal. At what point did it enter your mind that this shot may end up in the back of the net? A couple of times you tried to thread it betweem 2 Crewe players when the pass was never on. Its basics Clarke.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all bad. You had a shot inside the box blocked by one of their defenders to win us a corner, and also you won a tackle in their box that dropped to someone to have an effort with so it wasn't all bad.

If you wish to get in contact with us to discuss this and put across your opinions to me feel free to. I'm happy to PM someone with my phone number, or email address for you to do that.

For me, I have drawn a line under it. I'm looking forward to the Col Ewe game on Saturday and I will be behind the boys, yourself included, 100% from the start and I will be for the rest of the season. Lets put this behind us.

All the best,

Mike.

I found that somewhat patronising. If questioning his effort last night wasn't bad enough, you've offered Clarkey your wisdom on how to play football, before topping it off with informing him that you don't think that a cross field pass has ever worked for him in a Southend shirt?! Are you for real?!

 

[Southend_Lady]

I thought this was a joke. Yet the longer I read on the sooner I realised it wasn't. I was actually going red for you while reading it.

Extremely patronising if you ask me. Couldn't fault Clarke's effort IMO. Most of the players' performances last night left a lot to be desired. However, I somehow doubt a letter to Peter Clarke will solve our problems.

 

[Norfolkshrimp]

You pointed at me and the end and pointed down the tunnel, if I had gone it wouldn't have done anybody any good as we was both annoyed about the Crewe game so I thought I'd sleep on it and point across my points to you.

I suspect this is the part that this post is really all about. Now that Clarkey has clocked a good look at your face you're worried he will be waiting in the car park for you before the next home game...........lol

 

[OldBlueLady]

Fair play for writing that considering some have asked about altercations going on (I thought it was supposed to be in the South?), however, I don't get it. You criticise him for having a distance shot when we all know he's more than capable of getting those - and think of how we'd all be eulogising today if it had gone in.

I had Clarkey down as my MotM yesterday, he was committed and purposeful, when he realised the midfield weren't getting any joy, out he strode with the ball and proceeded to carve his way through. He got stuck in at the corners that actually reached our players and generally mde a nuisance of himself whenever he could.

Just shows how differently we all see some things.

Very wise, incidentally on backing out, not sure I know many who'd front up to Clarkey in a bit of fisticuffs!

 

[Irish_Shrimper]

Very wise, incidentally on backing out, not sure I know many who'd front up to Clarkey in a bit of fisticuffs!

Chuck Norris would.

 

[Andy_S]

I think it's obvious BW that I agree with a lot of what you say normally and that normally we're pretty much on the same wavelength, but I'm not going to be this time I'm afraid. You can never ever question Clarke's commitment and effort and you couldn't last night. He looked as frustrated as we did with what was happening in front of him. There were others out there that deserved a question asked of their performances, but not Clarke in my opinion.

 

[David Icke]

The thread opens up a wider issue about a minority of fans at our club, who are too quick to verbally abuse our players. As someone mentioned before, support all the players through the ninety minutes and reserve the slagging off for down the pub.
There is a group of ***** who sit behind me, with gobs largest enought to fit black holes into. Their football knowledge and understanding is at best woeful, and there they sit, week in, week out, always singling out one of our players for abuse. Revs used to get it, now its Freedmans turn. Someone has to cop it, its the way these numbskulls are. Their negativity transfers through to the pitch very quickly, due to their tenor-like booms and affects the confidence of the team. Because they affect the confidence of the team, they are a contributing factor in our under achievement. Oh, and they never sing. Funniest moment this week was when they verbally trashed a pass from Dervite as it was in mid-air, only to see it land perfectly at one of our players feet. Honestly they are like the oppositions twelfth player. What do we do with these morons who at times rouse those around them into a negative frenzy?

 

[palexander]

The thread opens up a wider issue about a minority of fans at our club, who are too quick to verbally abuse our players. As someone mentioned before, support all the players through the ninety minutes and reserve the slagging off for down the pub.
There is a group of ***** who sit behind me, with gobs largest enought to fit black holes into. Their football knowledge and understanding is at best woeful, and there they sit, week in, week out, always singling out one of our players for abuse. Revs used to get it, now its Freedmans turn. Someone has to cop it, its the way these numbskulls are. Their negativity transfers through to the pitch very quickly, due to their tenor-like booms and affects the confidence of the team. Because they affect the confidence of the team, they are a contributing factor in our under achievement. Oh, and they never sing. Funniest moment this week was when they verbally trashed a pass from Dervite as it was in mid-air, only to see it land perfectly at one of our players feet. Honestly they are like the oppositions twelfth player. What do we do with these morons who at times rouse those around them into a negative frenzy?

Dont understand it either and never have. Fair play to BW for facing up and apologising to Clarke (though I agree with others, to then go on and preach a footballing lesson to Clarke was a bit much!), but I hope its a lesson for him to not do it again.

I've mentioned it before today, but what on earth is the point in doing it - like JFC last night... a few missplaced passes and "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"... that'll help the lad I'm sure.

I know I have a good old whinge on here, but you wonder if the people at who abuse players at games like last night, deserve those sort of perfomances.

 

[Norfolkshrimp]

The thread opens up a wider issue about a minority of fans at our club, who are too quick to verbally abuse our players. As someone mentioned before, support all the players through the ninety minutes and reserve the slagging off for down the pub.
There is a group of ***** who sit behind me, with gobs largest enought to fit black holes into. Their football knowledge and understanding is at best woeful, and there they sit, week in, week out, always singling out one of our players for abuse. Revs used to get it, now its Freedmans turn. Someone has to cop it, its the way these numbskulls are. Their negativity transfers through to the pitch very quickly, due to their tenor-like booms and affects the confidence of the team. Because they affect the confidence of the team, they are a contributing factor in our under achievement. Oh, and they never sing. Funniest moment this week was when they verbally trashed a pass from Dervite as it was in mid-air, only to see it land perfectly at one of our players feet. Honestly they are like the oppositions twelfth player. What do we do with these morons who at times rouse those around them into a negative frenzy?

Problem is you can't do anything unless you want to get thrown out yourself. Don't think it will be long before something kicks off as there's a lot of people getting seriously fed up with it now.

I admit to telling a spotty 18 yr old at the chelski match to shut up or go forth but then spent an anxious few minutes waiting for a tap on the shoulder from a steward, luckily the steward smiled and looked at the floor.