Is this is the worst team we've ever had?

[Thundersley Blue]

I still standby my earlier comments about Maher but I do also want to raise another perspective I didn’t consider until the dust settled.

People say Maher has no more “excuses” now, I still agree he needs to be more versatile and reset the system/formation but he has plenty of “excuses” left in my opinion. The suggestion ‘we have signings now, so we should be playing better’ doesn’t add up when we think Maher and John Still were feeding off scraps in the closing transfer market with only a handful of free agents left and the majority of our first targets going to other clubs.. we have also had the spine of our team completely ripped out with Miley injured, Kensdale and Cardwell gone..

Maybe I’m just stuck in a dream world of wanting nothing but success for Maher, I know he needs to change something but I don’t like the shouts of this being the worst team we’ve had and that his employment needs to be considered, I think it’s reactionary following a very disappointing couple of games, but I think a few need to understand he’s still had it incredibly tough and I don’t believe he’s still been given a fair crack at building a team how he wants it.. by all means If things do not improve by January then we can have that conversation, but I firmly believe he’s still doing work with one arm tied behind his back.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. Listening to Kevin after the match, he knows what he needs to do. I would go as far as to say that Moncur and Bonne would never have been signed had we not had a Transfer Embargo in place. Take last week for example the complete spine from last year was missing. No Taylor, Kensdale, Ralph, Miley or Cardwell. Sometimes we only appreciate someones worth, when they are not there. Kevin will sort it, given a free hand come January or even before if funds allow.

 

[Strykr]

The football we are playing certainly reminds me of the late 90s and kevs first few seasons.

Fanying about at the back and midfield for 10 minutes with nothing being produced then the oppo have 3 touches and score....

Just from many hideous memories of various terrible southend teams over the years id say this wasnt the worst ever,

But on the flip side we are playing at our lowest level ever, and we all seem to think that on paper our squad is really good and underperforming for various reasons,

Maybe they arent that good.. how many of our squad yesterday would walk into maidenheads first 11

 

[BlueBore]

I still standby my earlier comments about Maher but I do also want to raise another perspective I didn’t consider until the dust settled.

People say Maher has no more “excuses” now, I still agree he needs to be more versatile and reset the system/formation but he has plenty of “excuses” left in my opinion. The suggestion ‘we have signings now, so we should be playing better’ doesn’t add up when we think Maher and John Still were feeding off scraps in the closing transfer market with only a handful of free agents left and the majority of our first targets going to other clubs.. we have also had the spine of our team completely ripped out with Miley injured, Kensdale and Cardwell gone..

Maybe I’m just stuck in a dream world of wanting nothing but success for Maher, I know he needs to change something but I don’t like the shouts of this being the worst team we’ve had and that his employment needs to be considered, I think it’s reactionary following a very disappointing couple of games, but I think a few need to understand he’s still had it incredibly tough and I don’t believe he’s still been given a fair crack at building a team how he wants it.. by all means If things do not improve by January then we can have that conversation, but I firmly believe he’s still doing work with one arm tied behind his back.

100% agree.
Are things going well? No, clearly not.
Can they be turned around by the current coaching/management team in a reasonable timescale? Yes, I think so, because we've seen this team pull it out the bag before in equally bad/worse scenarios. Of course that's my opinion and of course you're entitled to have a different one, but IMHO its way too soon to be talking about a change of manager. The poster is absolutely correct, from the day Kevin Maher took the job he has been working under massive constraints...and he still is! I always say you should never judge a manager until he has had at least 1 summer to build and coach a team his way and the crazy events of this summer (which some on here seem to have conveniently forgotten already) mean that he still hasn't.
Does he have credit in the bank? Yes....lots IMHO. Does that mean he's irreplaceable? Of course not, no-one is bigger than the club.
Another consideration...its apparent that Tom Lawrence & the consortium are running round like maniacs in the background still putting out fires that they inherited from Ron, planning like mad and trying to get a grip on things. Most of the positive changes they have made so far will take time to bear fruit, this is a (very) transitionary period for the club. I imagine the last thing they want right now on their To Do list is to recruit a new manager a coaching team!

P.S. Its not like SZ to be reactionary is it?

 

[WestyReturns]

Everybody is entitled to their opinion even if you don't agree with it, that is what these forums are for.

Well said! It's pointless to dig out a post without giving any context of why.

 

[Barling Magna]

Maybe they arent that good.. how many of our squad yesterday would walk into maidenheads first 11

They'd certainly walk, not run....

 

[They Call It Madness!!!]

Surely that says as much about Braintree’s rise as our fall. Teams who we consider inferior to us are allowed to improve. Football is constantly changing, apart from the top of the Scottish Premiership that is.

The pub team manager was really insightful last night on the radio.

He said they have had to swap personnel several times and are now on their fourth playing system of the season. Has said he hasn't been able to find one that suits the club and the players he has bought in.

Now we have an 'identity' so it's not so much a system. What we are playing worked two weeks ago, was Bim really the difference between the system working or not? That's Kev Mahers job to sort out and he needs to quickly. But this is the point, back them to do it. We know how united we were as a club last season and the point I made was that the players fought the clubs battles on the pitch.

They need us. Let's not be hasty and rash just yet.

 

[sufc4life21]

It feels like Southend have had the worst team for last 5/6 years...... from that point of view this team doesn't feel much different to previous ones, constantly struggling against sides who are more tactically aware and up for the fight with better recruitment interms of players. John still latest bunch of signings over last 2 years have been dreadful tbh admittedly embargo hasn't helped. Iv got to the point where I can't be arsed with Southend really, non league doesn't exactly help that situation...... getting your arse handed to you by the likes of fylde and Maidenhead just embarrassing tbh which is turn off. Don't get me wrong Southend will always be my club but I don't have the motivation as much now to make 2 hour journey to watch Southend games anymore, work commitments don't aid that course to. Its sorry state of affairs in which as fan sometimes you just have to switch off so it doesn't get to you.