Question Feeling ambivalent, but how are you feeling as a shrimper?

[Blues4LifeDan]

I know it's a big word on the Zone as we're used to words like onions and karzee improvement at the hall, but I'm feeling ambivalent about Southend at the moment.

One the one hand, I'm feeling a little dejected about our side seemingly struggling (for a number of reasons) and feeling a little down about the negative vibe around the place in regards to the playing side. I'm also frustrated like a lot of fans as I feel we can do better (and will do when all the players are available). I'm finding it hard to channel that frustration as it was always easy to vent it towards Ron previously. Now, it's really difficult. Aiming it towards Kev is honestly crazy but I get why it's happening. There is a void that Ron left behind and people need to vent their frustration somewhere. Things will get better on the playing side but it doesn't mean we can't feel a little negative about our current position.

Then, on the other hand, in feeling elated and hopeful for the future. The changes behind the scenes are most exciting. The sponsorships, partnerships and plans are all seriously positive. I find listening to Justin Rees so compelling and refreshing. Our future is looking bright under this ownership and a feeling of hopeful positivity is felt by many.

So overall, I went for feeling ambivalent as a shrimper. How are you honestly feeling about Southend at the moment?

 

[dusterman]

We’ve basically been through a bereavement and are now learning to come out the other side with a club off life support but not functioning properly as yet. I bought a season ticket as I thought we could ride the wave and do well, but more to say thank you to COSU for saving us and a show of commitment to our club.

My wife works with someone who knows one of the consortium and he said it’s just more of a mess than you can imagine, so I’m just enjoying taking my boy and enjoying having a club. He hasn’t seen us win yet as they were Tuesday games. But he’s singing Southend songs and loving it so that’s filling the void of good football and winning for me.

Will try to exercise some patience and embrace whatever comes.

 

[KAB]

The biggest gripe I have with the negative moaning is the lack of context but I'm far from ambivalent and I believe our future is bright and that we are on the right track both on and off the pitch, recent performances have had some real lows but as I've already stated, context is everything, if something isn't right, ask why? and look beyond the usual rubbish players or clueless manager. My first match was in 1964 and I feel as optimistic now as I did then, a few tweaks, a bit of luck and a return of confidence will see us pushing on in the second half of the season, I've been disappointed so far but there are reasons for that, but ambivalent, no no and no.

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

I'm feeling great, managed to fill the car for the trip to Eastleigh for the magic of the FA cup, going to enjoy that.
Like i've wrote elsewhere, it's the games we are "expected" to win and dont that grate my nerves, a 9hr round drive with 4hrs sleep to Hartlepool and we've barely had a shot in the first half, same as Wealdstone, these things get in my ruddy wick, when you know our lads can do better than the ****e they are dishing up.
Gateshead, losing 1-3, thats not botbering me at all. To be expected at the moment.

I love the people that shout Maher out, cos i remember the 15 game unbeaten runs under a transfer embargo that reminds me to have confidence with 2023 NL Manager of the year. And i'm sorry to all the moaners and doubters, but we were under a transfer embargo till a WEEK before the season started, i've been saying the same **** for 4yrs there is no manager that can work wonders under a transfer embargo!

COSU have saved us. Kev will lead us back to our origins and i'm delighted to be able to watch it unfold with family and mates.
Thinking of driving to Rochdale, after getting up at 3.30am to work till 9.30am every Sat, i feel like i don't wamt to miss a game if i can help it, home or away. I love seeing these lads improve.. and improve they will, and our backing will definetly help. Anyway, thats my feelings and opinions.
I saw Hornchurch play Leiston the other night in the FA Cup replay, that was a maaaad game, i thought to myself i cannot miss the Eastleigh tie, after all those **** FA Cup games ive seen with Southend !

 

[JWShrimper]

I'm feeling great, managed to fill the car for the trip to Eastleigh for the magic of the FA cup, going to enjoy that.
Like i've wrote elsewhere, it's the games we are "expected" to win and dont that grate my nerves, a 9hr round drive with 4hrs sleep to Hartlepool and we've barely had a shot in the first half, same as Wealdstone, these things get in my ruddy wick, when you know our lads can do better than the ****e they are dishing up.
Gateshead, losing 1-3, thats not botbering me at all. To be expected at the moment.

I love the people that shout Maher out, cos i remember the 15 game unbeaten runs under a transfer embargo that reminds me to have confidence with 2023 NL Manager of the year. And i'm sorry to all the moaners and doubters, but we were under a transfer embargo till a WEEK before the season started, i've been saying the same **** for 4yrs there is no manager that can work wonders under a transfer embargo!

COSU have saved us. Kev will lead us back to our origins and i'm delighted to be able to watch it unfold with family and mates.
Thinking of driving to Rochdale, after getting up at 3.30am to work till 9.30am every Sat, i feel like i don't wamt to miss a game if i can help it, home or away. I love seeing these lads improve.. and improve they will, and our backing will definetly help. Anyway, thats my feelings and opinions.
I saw Hornchurch play Leiston the other night in the FA Cup replay, that was a maaaad game, i thought to myself i cannot miss the Eastleigh tie, after all those **** FA Cup games ive seen with Southend !

Great post.

 

[Bromley Blue]

I feel a bit down because of recent results so I can see what you’re saying.

But as others have said then I start to think of reasons why we’re not performing. The fact we’ve had the spine ripped out of our side being the main one. Colin is part of that spine but is going through a tough spell currently mainly IMO because the others are no longer there for a variety of reasons.

Anyone who’s played football at any level - from 5-a-side to professional levels will know the difference that playing with players with influential ability can have on the performances of the players around them.

You get confidence as an attacker if you know you have an absolute rock at the back who is gonna ensure you keep a clean sheet. And similarly if you’ve got someone who can’t stop scoring at the other end then you get confidence knowing if you do concede a goal then you might still get something from the game.

Watching that Gateshead game, you could see that the whole side are shot of confidence at the moment. The positional play of the team was all over the place but I do fully expect that to improve with time.

It’s not just about getting some players back fit. We’ve also got new signings who the lads here already haven’t developed an understanding with yet. For all the slating that Macauley Bonne is getting at the mo, I think the whole team is lacking an identity and pattern of play for how we attack and how we best break teams down and use the strikers we have.

For years we’ve been a side that works it down the wings and last year we pressed really high as Harry Cardwell used to lead from the front on that. I’ve only been to two games this season but can those that go every week say with confidence they know what our game plan is now with Cardwell, Kensdale, etc gone.

Yes we’re still playing the same formation but are we still trying to attack and defend in the same way as last season? If we are then it’s not going to work until we get suitable replacements in. Either way we need a new plan for the players we currently have available.

 

[Rob1920]

I am as frustrated as anyone as we're probably all a bit guilty of thinking once all the background stuff was sorted it would be lift-off on the pitch. But I do believe that if the club now continues to be run in the right way for a change, from top to bottom, staff being treated correctly, everyone paid on time, with fair and reasonable investment in the playing side, we will eventually see sustained improvement on the pitch & eventually get out of this league. I think it may take a bit longer than we all hoped but I do believe we'll get there.

 

[Andy_S]

I haven’t actually used my season ticket this season yet. Some personal difficulties are involved in that, but also I think the last few years have really hit my connect with the club which has made not being there slightly easier. From going to every single game year on year, league, cup, JPT or whatever, I think I went 6 times last season. Years of sheer mental torture from what went on have had a lasting effect on many of us I think.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

I haven’t actually used my season ticket this season yet. Some personal difficulties are involved in that, but also I think the last few years have really hit my connect with the club which has made not being there slightly easier. From going to every single game year on year, league, cup, JPT or whatever, I think I went 6 times last season. Years of sheer mental torture from what went on have had a lasting effect on many of us I think.

That's sad to hear Andy. I hope one day you can rekindle that connection.

I feel like even though going to roots hall was unbelievably toxic last season, we were all in it together. We all had a common understanding, fighting against adversity. We were somehow united on the whole. Now, there are divisions galore. From the ashes, expectations arise. Some understandable and some absolutely ridiculous.

As others have said, one hopes that with all the positive things going on off the pitch, positive strides will be seen on the pitch. That hope has to breed a feeling of positivity. Calling for Maher's head or calling the players not good enough is far beyond the bigger picture.

 

[leeblue]

Take over delayed....frustrating
Hence missing out on loads of transfer targets....frustrating
Then once takeover complete we have our 2 best players whipped out from under us along with 4 players injured all in one week....frustrating
Players we do sign are inconsistent at the moment due to fitness/system etc....frustrating.
So yeah patiently frustrated is where I sit. Still chilled about the season as I think it'll come good and we will climb the table and sniff a play off spot.

I will review my patience in six weeks time though

 

[CrippsCorner]

Short term yes you can be unhappy with some performances, but long term just think where we are now, compared to last year (and obviously further back) even just mentally. My interest in the club returned at the height of **** with Ron, so I haven't known 'normal' lol. In all honesty it's my son that got me back into football and he doesn't care about any drama, he just wants to go to games and watch us score... which is all anyone wants I'm sure! I like his attitude

I guess the main frustration is no matter how it happens, I just want us back in the EFL - Perfectly happy to sit in League 2 forever, but non-league is just a ****take really. I really hope we can do it within the next few years.

 

[Gremlin]

I haven’t actually used my season ticket this season yet. Some personal difficulties are involved in that, but also I think the last few years have really hit my connect with the club which has made not being there slightly easier. From going to every single game year on year, league, cup, JPT or whatever, I think I went 6 times last season. Years of sheer mental torture from what went on have had a lasting effect on many of us I think.

Understood. I hope you've listened to the recent Shrimpercast podcasts which include interviews with COSU reps though? It may help to contextualise what you're feeling.

Stick with it, Andy. It'll be worth it in the end.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I’m the most confident I’ve been in the medium and long term future of the club as I’ve been in years.

Short term I’m impatient as we’re rebuilding and we’re probably still a month away from things really clicking on the pitch.

I think we’re on the right path but we’ve had setbacks and we’re still trying to catch up to where we were.

This leaves us in a tricky position as in the meantime the crowd is getting restless. Patience isn’t what people want to hear and they want immediate answers.

I think the games will get more enjoyable - no doubt just as the glory hunters fall away - but now is probably a time where we need to be looking for signs of recovery rather than expecting a fully formed promotion side. That’s never a popular message. But we’ve seen proof of concept with the way Maher and Co sorted out the rabble inherited from Phil Brown. The coaching staff coached up that squad, they installed a structure to our play that had been missing and they eventually also added talent and athleticism to the squad. To think that they can do so again isn’t just blind faith.

I think Rochdale away is the game we turn it around. We’ll go up there and grind out a draw. It won’t be pretty and it won’t have people celebrating us being back but it’ll be the start of an unbeaten run that will propel us back towards the playoffs.

 

[tommy tucker]

Rome wasnt built in a day .And a far as i see it .What Ron has destroyed in years .It will take a lot of time for the new owners to right the wrongs that Matrin the rat and son did to our club Please stop blaiming Kevin and his team for the bad results we have had .Iam sure things will come right in the end .As long as we stay out of trouble .Then next season i see thigs improving on and off the pitch .

 

[leathers20]

I was actually juggling with these kind of thoughts this morning....I feel a bit dejected and not as engaged with the team this season vs the previous couple of seasons and was feeling like Saturday was going to be a bit of a chore to get to the game.
But decided what happened last year on the pitch was so special, and those players did so much for our team that replicating that feeling and togetherness on a match day just isn't going to happen, and after riding those emotions for so long I need to adjust to supporting an actual football team again and get back to rolling with the highs and lows.
This season feels like it will be a bit of a transition season and looking forward to next year already when everyone has had the time they deserve to set us up properly!

 

[Barling Magna]

I'm feeling pretty good. The future will be bright but it will take a while yet. It's great to be owned by a consortium largely of fairly wealthy local folk who are also fans.

The only gripes I have are footballing ones, like any normal fan of a normal football team:

I think Kev Maher is great but I wish he would make substitutions earlier than he usually does. I wish he would play two upfront at home matches.

I'm also still feeling low about the transfer of Cardwell. No problem with him leaving but to the EFL not to a team in our league who have bought him so that we no longer have him.

After 60 years of supporting the Shrimpers I'm just pleased that they and me, both still exist.