Breaking News Retained/Released list - Wood and Waldron released

[Linda Loan Shark]

Announce Bonne. We need him in our team! Tgen we can bring in one more striker and that solves that position

 

[Hadleigh-shrimper]

Bonne is my favourite player hope he stays

 

[CrippsCorner]

He's made some unbelievable blunders, but he still has potential. I do feel we need better than potential though. For me it's the fact we have to hold on to Hopper & Walker as well... if we could move those on I'd be happy with Bonne (and Kendall) up front, having presumably bought in two more strikers.

 

[Supershrimper]

Depends on the shape we are going to play.

Hopper, Walker Kendall and Bonne. If we are looking to play 3 up it only takes 1 injury to leave us light.

I'd say 2 signings one of which would be a loan should suffice. 3 if Bonne and the club can't agree.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

I don't think it has been mentioned since the list came out, but it confirms that Ralph must have signed a contract extension which is good news IMHO.

 

[Blue Yonder]

One of the mysteries of last season was Bonne playing week in week out when he was crap and barely starting when he turned the corner. He does stuff that’s way beyond NL standard then shows the shocking lack of composure like in those couple of moments at Wembley. If we sign him maybe we should get a sports psychologist too to get in his head.

 

[SUFC_Blue]

I think Bonne's been better off the bench than he has starting. When he starts matches he looks a bit complacent for me, but when he comes he looks like he's got a point to prove and is a much better player. I think his improved form 2nd half of the season is down to Kev's man management.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Depends on the shape we are going to play.

Hopper, Walker Kendall and Bonne. If we are looking to play 3 up it only takes 1 injury to leave us light.

I'd say 2 signings one of which would be a loan should suffice. 3 if Bonne and the club can't agree.

I haven't read all of this thread but the above post takes my eye.

All this focus on strikers, eh? What about the midfield & the formation?

I would argue that getting the midfield mix right is the key - that then provides support & service to the strikers ........... and away we go.

Stick in a good goalie and a stable back four & it's all sorted, no?

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

Disappointed we are trying new terms with Bonne. He's given his everything for us, i just dont think he is good enough for where we want to be.
Mid table security consolidation in L2? Hell yes, just the man.
Top of the table in the NL? God no.

There was an instance when he received a pass into the Wembley box and i remember it, thinking just lamp it Bonne, but he took a touch, it was heavy, chance gone lost possesion. Moments like this made people suggest Oldham were the better team and deserved it. I dont agree, i think once AGAIN we made enough chances but didnt capitalise.
Forget stats for a moment and trust your eyes. The eyes dont lie !
To think Bonne is a favourite over Hopper, tells you all you need to know about Hopper whilst we are at it. Now there is a player who simply finds it impossible to create half a yard to shoot. So doesnt.

Was never expecting fireworks from the retained list.
Please some of you guys take out the emotion and expect a better standard of player in your club. We were so very lucky to be in the playoffs. Losing those 2 points against Sutton was a massive disappointment at the time, but that should have been 3nil to us. Bit like home to Oldham too, that was too easy but we made it look much harder.
Cant hit a barn door comes to mind, so you'll excuse me if i'm not drooling over Bonne still here. Dont worry, come the new season i'll be back to my positive self.

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

I think Bonne's been better off the bench than he has starting. When he starts matches he looks a bit complacent for me, but when he comes he looks like he's got a point to prove and is a much better player. I think his improved form 2nd half of the season is down to Kev's man management.

Ha, yeah i'd quite happily be a pro footballer that only has to perform under pressure for 35mins a week ! What a life eh.
If he looks complacent, then needs a rocket up his arse.
Its no wonder we came 7th in non league !!

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Disappointed we are trying new terms with Bonne. He's given his everything for us, i just dont think he is good enough for where we want to be.
Mid table security consolidation in L2? Hell yes, just the man.
Top of the table in the NL? God no.

There was an instance when he received a pass into the Wembley box and i remember it, thinking just lamp it Bonne, but he took a touch, it was heavy, chance gone lost possesion. Moments like this made people suggest Oldham were the better team and deserved it. I dont agree, i think once AGAIN we made enough chances but didnt capitalise.
Forget stats for a moment and trust your eyes. The eyes dont lie !
To think Bonne is a favourite over Hopper, tells you all you need to know about Hopper whilst we are at it. Now there is a player who simply finds it impossible to create half a yard to shoot. So doesnt.

Was never expecting fireworks from the retained list.
Please some of you guys take out the emotion and expect a better standard of player in your club. We were so very lucky to be in the playoffs. Losing those 2 points against Sutton was a massive disappointment at the time, but that should have been 3nil to us. Bit like home to Oldham too, that was too easy but we made it look much harder.
Cant hit a barn door comes to mind, so you'll excuse me if i'm not drooling over Bonne still here. Dont worry, come the new season i'll be back to my positive self.

No doubt your post will be seen as negative, but you make some good points .. that Sutton away game, we should've been home & dry way before they equalised. How many games did we miss gilt-edged chances while on top (ironically enough, it even led people to call for Waldron and/or Wood to be given a go at various points!!). Last season will be remembered - rightly - for the play offs and the way we played on the front foot in those games and took chances. OK we can't play that way for 46 games but ... we need to be far more ruthless when we are the better team and have the opposition on the ropes.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Sad to see Jack Wood go, but it was inevitable.

He's been brilliant at Junior Blues events.

I'm sure that's right; but not so brilliant on that green stuff, sadly.
If you don't get regular games for Torquay, there's a lot of ground to make up.

 

[Exiled Shrimper]

...Please some of you guys take out the emotion and expect a better standard of player in your club. We were so very lucky to be in the playoffs...

If we remove the emotion, we shouldn't expect a better standard of player at Southend United. We are a non-league football club, and our budget - from the information available to us - is not that of a top three team in the National League.

Last season Barnet, York City and Forest Green Rovers (and probably Oldham Athletic and possibly a few others, too) had a bigger budget than us. Tom Lawrence said at the CEO Forum in March that we were pretty much on point with our key performance indicators at the time, which was just outside the play-offs. York, FGR and Carlisle United will have a bigger transfer and wage budget than us next season. So if we take the emotion out of it, anything above fourth place in 2025/26 will be an over-achievement.

I don't expect a better standard of player at the club because I accept where we are now (and I appreciate that is hard, because it's only five years since we last played in the third tier and 20 since our last, brief, foray into the second tier). We are reliant upon our recruitment (which has been fairly good over the past four years) and our coaching (which I believe is excellent, both in terms of the culture at the club and the way we play the game) to lift our squad above those expectations.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

One of the mysteries of last season was Bonne playing week in week out when he was crap and barely starting when he turned the corner. He does stuff that’s way beyond NL standard then shows the shocking lack of composure like in those couple of moments at Wembley. If we sign him maybe we should get a sports psychologist too to get in his head.

The chance at Wembley when he slipped with the goal gaping at him is desperation rather than composure.
If I say he's trying too hard, you understand, I'm sure. He needs a bit more mental calm.

 

[SUFC_Blue]

Ha, yeah i'd quite happily be a pro footballer that only has to perform under pressure for 35mins a week ! What a life eh.
If he looks complacent, then needs a rocket up his arse.
Its no wonder we came 7th in non league !!

I totally agree but he had to get the best out of what was available to him. As it stands, with the exception of Bonne, the whole of the current squad are still in contract until next summer. If no-one comes in for any of our players, the vast majority of the squad will be the same come the start of the season and any additional players are just going to increase the wage burden. Unless we're financially brave/speculative, I expect we'll only recruit a few select players this year and save the major overhaul for 26/27.

So to make a significant difference in 25/26 Kev is going to have to recruit with surgical precision AND squeeze more out of the current squad (plus rely on some loans again). It's not going to be a walk in the park and there needs to be some tactical tweaks. On the positive side, he'll have a solid pre-season with players recruited last year and will - hopefully - be bolstered a few extra quality recruits so there every chance we'll take significant strides forward next year.

 

[rigsby]

I'm sure that's right; but not so brilliant on that green stuff, sadly.
If you don't get regular games for Torquay, there's a lot of ground to make up.

I think you'll find most of us would be the same.

 

[EastGreenNutter]

For me Kendall is the man, yes he hasn't shown it yet in goals but I like his attitude, I think he has what it takes to be a 20+ a season goal scorer.
24 years young, he's the main man im telling ya.

 

[smudgster]

I think Bonne should be given another season. We persevered with Cardwell after an indifferent start.

First season 14 games 3 goals. Second season 23 games 5 goals. Third season 39 games 18 goals.

I feel he got better as the season went on. Now he is fitter and understands the way the management team wants him to play, I think it would be a mistake to let him go.

 

[EastGreenNutter]

Bonne has heart but two left feet, I do say give him another season though, changed my mind on him the last few days, but I would put him on the wing not upfront.

 

[Target man]

I think Bonne should be given another season. We persevered with Cardwell after an indifferent start.

First season 14 games 3 goals. Second season 23 games 5 goals. Third season 39 games 18 goals.

I feel he got better as the season went on. Now he is fitter and understands the way the management team wants him to play, I think it would be a mistake to let him go.

Cardwell was injured and treated incorrectly. Bonne has had a run of games and not delivered. Yes, he's got other attributes, but we need a goalscorer if we're going to get out of this league. He's often only been used as an impact sub so time for an upgrade..