Tangled up in Blue
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'Blues boss Maher must be tearing his hair out'
<Southend United boss Kevin Maher must be tearing his hair out'
2 hrs agoSOUTHEND UNITED FC
FOOTBALL
SPORT
By Chris Phillips@cjphillips1982Chief sports reporter
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Moving on - Rhys Murphy (left) has left Southend United (Image: Focus Images)
RHYS Murphy thinks Southend United head coach Kevin Maher must be ‘tearing his hair out’ at Roots Hall.
The Shrimpers boss is still unable to offer new contracts to any players.
And that issue ultimately led to Murphy sealing a switch back to Yeovil Town at the end of last week.
“It's all hypothetical conversations you can have with Southend at this stage, if that,” said Murphy.
“The manager said ideally he wanted me to stay but that he wasn’t in the position to be able to offer me anything because of the embargo.
“The takeover complicates things even further because he doesn’t know his budget yet.
“It’s a tricky situation and with offers coming in and your agent telling you he’s got a job for you, you can’t keep turning things down when you don’t have any work.
“It’s tricky for your family too and I’m sure the manager is tearing his hair out.”
Blues have been in a transfer embargo since September due to money owed to HMRC.
But Murphy feels the future can be bright for the Shrimpers – if a takeover is quickly completed.
“It’s a sleeping giant and once the takeover is completed they will definitely go on to bigger and better things,” said Murphy.
“Once the takeover is done the manager will be in the market for players as well but until then he’s sitting there waiting.
“Southend is a huge club though and I feel privileged to have played a small part for them.
“The highlight for me was getting to play at Roots Hall with the support behind us.
“It’s a great stadium with lots of character and great noisy fans so I hope everything can get sorted.”
Murphy spent two seasons with the Shrimpers, scoring 11 goals in 37 appearances during an injury hit spell.
And he is sad to be moving on.
“I’m disappointed to be leaving Southend,” said Murphy.
“My time started off OK there before the injuries and there are a lot of good people at the football club who I am gutted to be leaving.
“But the opportunity to come back to Yeovil came up and it’s a club I’ve got good memories with.
“I am pleased to be going back but it’s mixed emotions.”
Yeovil were relegated from the National League last season.
But Murphy is keen to help the Glovers work their way back up as quickly as possible.
“Yeovil have just been taken over themselves and the new owners are extremely ambitious,” said Murphy.
“It’s a good project to sink your teeth in to and it’s exciting.
“They’re looking to bounce back and going further beyond that too.
“They want to be back in the league, just like Southend.”
And Murphy has been spending his summer break trying to regain full fitness.
“It’s been good to have some time off in the summer and to be in the gym getting fit without having that pressure of trying to be fit for Saturday,” said the 32-year-old.
“With the year I’ve had I’ve spent far more time watching the games than being involved in them which has been frustrating and hopefully it can be different next season.”
But, despite moving on, Murphy will continue to keep tabs on the Shrimpers next season.
And he has been incredibly impressed by the work Maher has done since taking charge in.
“Watching the club evolve since the manager and his staff came in has been fascinating to be honest,” said Murphy.
“The attention to detail and getting the culture right got everyone together.
“It’s been great to be a part of but unfortunately it was more from the sidelines for me.
“Watching them has been fascinating but I’ll look back on my time there with some frustration.”<
