Sokolik set to leave.

[Hawkwell Blue]

Yeah, absolutely gutted the team I've spent 20 years and thousands of £'s supporting are doing well. Heartbroken to be honest.

But you do wish we were doing well under someone else don't you, which was my point.

 

[Evening Echo]

Sokolik set to leave Blues

JAKUB Sokolik is set to leave Southend United when his contract expires next week.

More...

 

[Ailsa Road Shrimper]

It has been a feature of Brown's management with us that he has improved the team each season and none of the players released have done anything elsewhere, which vindicates his decision. As much as Tilly was a legend when he was in charge it was frustrating when players would leave and show form for other clubs that is far better than anything they produced for us. None of the players allowed to leave last season (eg. Hurst, Weston, Prosser, Deegan, Worrall etc) have been missed at all and they have been replaced with top quality players. Even Bentley and Payne are long forgotten now. Although Bentley is a better goalkeeper than Oxley there were several mistakes that Dan made last year which cost us goals, since a shaky start Oxley has been very solid. Payne would not get a place in our starting line up at the moment, I would prefer Wordsworth as the attacking midfielder. The monies from Payne and Bentley have hopefully enabled us to pay the salaries for the superb signings of Cox, Ranger, Ferdinand, Fortune and Demetriou.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I'd rather keep Sokolik and send King back to Swansea...

Everyone would, but I think we're all assuming that it's the club's decision and not Sokolik's. I can't imagine he's too happy with his role nor his deal and will be wanting to test the open market.

All goes back to his decision to join Yeovil rather than us. His career has been in a tailspin ever since. He needed another season of regular first team football to build up his CV. If he wanted to play at a higher level he'd have achieved it anyway by sticking with it and would have been better prepared.

 

[Tommy2holes]

I would imagine that brown has already drawn up a list of players. Ron I assume has told him that he must trim the wage bill before any can come in.

Sokolik is not the best for the team and is not even in the top 3 central defenders in the team.

If we are to continue our upward momentum then another 2 or 3 players of real quality need to be brought into the club.

Our first 11 is a good as anyone else in the league. Get 2 or 3 injuries and suspensions of key players and the wheels come off.

 

[southendkid]

Why is everyone assuming Brown doesn't want him here? If the Plymouth rumours are true then Sokolik will probably be jumping at the chance to be a first choice CB instead of backup, it's possible that he's told Brown he has no interest in an extension.

 

[kentblues]

The best I can see us offering would have been to end of the season with maybe us with an option- and on not a lot. The problem we have bizarrely at the moment is what division might we be in next year? Likely L1 but how many contracts running into next year should we offering to players who cannot hack the Championship? I don't think we could offer Sokolik anything beyond this year an Plymouth might well be offering better money and a 2 or 3 year contract?

Be interesting to see what we do with other contracts up this year where we don't have an option clause.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

I would imagine that brown has already drawn up a list of players. Ron I assume has told him that he must trim the wage bill before any can come in.

Sokolik is not the best for the team and is not even in the top 3 central defenders in the team.

If we are to continue our upward momentum then another 2 or 3 players of real quality need to be brought into the club.

Our first 11 is a good as anyone else in the league. Get 2 or 3 injuries and suspensions of key players and the wheels come off.

A good posting overall............. although not too sure what you mean by "the wheels come off". I suspect most clubs would miss 2 or 3 key players.

Would that mean we would plunge down the league like a gannet seeking a quietly swimming sardine? I'm not too sure about that.

 

[Chalky]

Understandable to be honest. No complaints from me. Was a desperation signing in the first place in my opinion.

But why on earth were keeping hold of Adam King is beyond me. Just such a waste. Would much rather have Jack Bridge ahead of him in the match day squad.

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

Don't feel the love for Adam King much on here - did he run over someones cat?

 

[Jam_Man]

Why is everyone assuming Brown doesn't want him here? If the Plymouth rumours are true then Sokolik will probably be jumping at the chance to be a first choice CB instead of backup, it's possible that he's told Brown he has no interest in an extension.

Because he doenst play him nor has offered him a contract ?

If Sokolik was dying to get out to go there and that was the reason for him leaving then there is still the fact he hasnt played him.

 

[southendkid]

Because he doenst play him nor has offered him a contract ?

If Sokolik was dying to get out to go there and that was the reason for him leaving then there is still the fact he hasnt played him.

Who would you drop for him? Thompson and Ferdinand have both been consistently great, there's no point dropping them just to make Sokolik happy. Brown clearly views him as a backup player, that doesn't mean he isn't wanted in the squad.

 

[rigsby]

Surely the fact that he was only signed for 6 months in the first place tells a story. Even though some claimed Barrett would not be playing for the club again, he was still picked ahead of Sokolik for the Stevenage game. So yes hasn't worked out but good luck to young Jakub where ever he goes.

 

[KiwiRob]

I do not buy the line it has not worked out for Sokolik. At the beginning of the season when the team was playing badly, he was probably Southend's best defender. However, he was suddenly dropped after a dust-up with another player. Since then, Sokolik's involvement has largely been on the fringes. He should be way ahead of Barrett in the pecking order, and at 22 can get a lot better. Unlike many defenders, Sokolik is both competitive and reasonably comfortable on the ball. In fact, I always believed that Thompson and Sokolik would play well together should the excellent Anton Ferdinand pick up an injury or a suspension. I think it would be far better to send Barrett out on loan and send King back to Swansea if finances are the problem. And by the way, Plymouth's manager (who is reportedly interested in Sokolik) is no mug and has already demonstrated he is a shrewd judge on the player recruitment front.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Surely the fact that he was only signed for 6 months in the first place tells a story. Even though some claimed Barrett would not be playing for the club again, he was still picked ahead of Sokolik for the Stevenage game. So yes hasn't worked out but good luck to young Jakub where ever he goes.

That was because of the bizarre technicalities to do with personnel who were required to play to conform with the rules.

 

[rigsby]

I do not buy the line it has not worked out for Sokolik. At the beginning of the season when the team was playing badly, he was probably Southend's best defender. However, he was suddenly dropped after a dust-up with another player. Since then, Sokolik's involvement has largely been on the fringes. He should be way ahead of Barrett in the pecking order, and at 22 can get a lot better. Unlike many defenders, Sokolik is both competitive and reasonably comfortable on the ball. In fact, I always believed that Thompson and Sokolik would play well together should the excellent Anton Ferdinand pick up an injury or a suspension. I think it would be far better to send Barrett out on loan and send King back to Swansea if finances are the problem. And by the way, Plymouth's manager (who is reportedly interested in Sokolik) is no mug and has already demonstrated he is a shrewd judge on the player recruitment front.

Sorry mate don't agree with the first point. Sokolik didn't even start the season as he didn't play in the 2 games v Gills. I did watch him in the friendlies and he did nothing to excite me, in fact I was disappointed but just thought he may be a bit rusty.

Good for Plymouth but in fairness to PB, his best decisions have been when he has had time to work with the players himself. The ones he works with and see's in training daily and decides to keep have all been ok. Ranger gets a 3.5 year contract and he wants to keep Fortune. So I'll back his judgment and his staff, because its always a group decision, on who stays. I can't think of many who have spent a week or more with us and we have regretted not signing them.

 

[rigsby]

That was because of the bizarre technicalities to do with personnel who were required to play to conform with the rules.

Yes I know about the rules. My point was if PB was itching to get Sokolik involved then he would have played instead of AB

 

[OldBlueLady]

Yes I know about the rules. My point was if PB was itching to get Sokolik involved then he would have played instead of AB

But he couldn't, that's the whole point. Barrett was needed to meet the requirements, Sokolik didn't/wouldn't have meant we did.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

But he couldn't, that's the whole point. Barrett was needed to meet the requirements, Sokolik didn't/wouldn't have meant we did.

So PB used Barrett to cover his arse in the Stevenage game to fall in line with FA rules on the competition, not because he wanted AB to play

 

[rigsby]

But he couldn't, that's the whole point. Barrett was needed to meet the requirements, Sokolik didn't/wouldn't have meant we did.

The point is if PB had wanted Sokolik involved then he could have played Coker instead of Kip or Lenny instead of King and kept to the rules.

He wanted Timlin involved and I think you'll agree he was the best of a bad bunch. No surprises when he made the team for Bury. Tims has gone on to do really well at LB and showed us how useful he can be.

PB has his reason's for not finding room for Sokolik even at Stevenage. So no shock when his contract hasn't been extended. Maybe we already have another CB lined up....Perhaps someone on loan.