Southend United Club Structure.

[Jedi Shrimper]

Hey Guys

Think it's important to set out briefly what we are trying to achieve in the football department as it would be easy to solely focus on a Manager/Head Coach and be dragged into "Messiah" syndrome.

The club favours the Head Coach model. Works with the players, motivates, leads and organises them. Their primary role.

There were several excellent candidates in this regard but the panel, 4 very different men as discussed, were unanimous on one candidates quite stunning in depth analysis of the club, playing staff and what he'd do to change outcomes from day one.

We haven't solely been interviewing Head Coaches however.

Assistant Head Coach

Head of Recruitment

Head of Football Operations

First Team Coach

Scouting

Are also positions that would create a football department which addresses quickly the lack of recruitment success in recent years, a non existent scouting network, giving the Head Coach the required quality team at Boots and Laces on the grass ( we are no longer automatically taking a Head Coaches 35 staff as a gimme. They must fit what Southend United need), a pathway for talented coaches at the club to succeed with us and a Head of Football Operations who knits everything together alongside and into other areas of the club that need support.


It is a complete restructuring of a football club. And as such comes with risk, turbulence and great challenges.

But having spoken to several Chief Executives, Owners, Directors of Football at progressive clubs across the pyramid, every single one has pointed to a significant change of fortunes which is attributed to a change of mentality and structure.

The messiah employed as the benign dictator to oversee every part of the club is dead. To create a sustainable future for Southend United is going to take an incredible amount of hard work but also patience and a change of mindset from you guys, particularly those who are used to the "he goes, he comes in and changes our fortunes". This way of doing things is playing Russian roulette and we simply can't afford to anymore. We need clarity. We need structure. We need to maximise every single part of the club in order to compete, consolidate and then succeed.

So a Head Coach is incredibly important, but his importance will be measured on improving players, improving the working mood at Roots Hall and Boots and Laces, identifying areas of improvement and then receiving a basket laden with first pick players from around the nation from the Head of Recruitment to do that.

I spoke to the players before, at half time and after the game. I told them that I felt the way some of them had been treated was appalling. I told them of my own experiences in wonderful dressing rooms that were vibrant and supportive and of dressing rooms that were broken and left every man for himself. I promised them this would change and that their working environment would improve immediately, they would be listened to, helped and improved as footballers and human beings. A promise.

I believe through a thorough and diligent process that we have found not one, but several parts of a jigsaw that will serve your club incredibly well.

But you have to fulfill your part of the deal. Support the changes we are making. Trust the hard work that's been done in good faith, in your name. Do your own DD on the names that come into the club and ask them questions, you'll have the opportunity to very quickly, I promise.

Every single person that is the front runner for the roles above I have looked into their eyes and said "Will you give Southend United 24/7 to turn this around "

All not only said yes but said yes with a pride and enthusiasm that will serve us well if supported from top to bottom.

You guys, I'll be meeting you, talking to you, explaining to you in person until you see every why, wherefore and how as clear as day. That's my promise to all of you. You'll get it, you'll see it, you'll know it.

But please, please throw the last Southend United messiah in the bin and close it. We are now a modern, progressive, adult football club that will work transparently in a system to make sure we take steps forward together, not 2 forward and 5 back.

Be patient, ask questions, support every single Southend United employee. And we have a real chance.

Stan

This post is erotic.

 

[Callum]

Maybe he turned Ron down

 

[kentblues]

It’s one step at a time we need a decent manager Head Coach first

We need to practice...old habits and all that :-)

 

[Callum]

We need to practice...old habits and all that :-)

We need to practice to win first

 

[blueblueblue]

This is less about fixing things for Saturday but putting ourselves in a better chance to succeed next year and the year after.

This isn’t a quick fix scenario. There may be a small boost in performance being shot of Brown but this is about building something. We’re going to need to dig proper foundations and do things the right way. That takes time. Time not afforded to any of our managers since Brown dissembled the foundations in his first spell.

This is less about fixing things for Saturday but putting ourselves in a better chance to succeed next year and the year after.

This isn’t a quick fix scenario. There may be a small boost in performance being shot of Brown but this is about building something. We’re going to need to dig proper foundations and do things the right way. That takes time. Time not afforded to any of our managers since Brown dissembled the foundations in his first spell.

But do we need this kind of set up right now, we're a NL club, not a Championship (or even pushing for the Championship) or Premier one. It's the wrong time for this.

Listen, I'm a Southend fan and want the best for the club, that doesn't mean I have to believe in everything that's going on right now.

In 3 - 4 years time and we're in Lg 1 and pushing for promotion with our current set up, I'd be more than happy to eat humble pie and say I got it wrong.

 

[Pak66]

Does this all mean that the deluded Messiah Ron Martin will soon be out of Southend United and the club back in the hands of grown up responsible people who show others respect, pay their bills on time and are open and transparent

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

But do we need this kind of set up right now

Nah let’s carry on as we are.

 

[BoyWonder2]

But do we need this kind of set up right now, we're a NL club, not a Championship (or even pushing for the Championship) or Premier one. It's the wrong time for this.

Listen, I'm a Southend fan and want the best for the club, that doesn't mean I have to believe in everything that's going on right now.

In 3 - 4 years time and we're in Lg 1 and pushing for promotion with our current set up, I'd be more than happy to eat humble pie and say I got it wrong.

Look what we’ve tried recently and the mess we are in, have we got anything else to lose than to go against the status quo and become a more professional outfit, with professional people in the right roles?

Since PB went first time, we’ve tried a former legend, an experienced guy with PL experience on the recommendation of a former PL manager, a manager who had done well in a previous job, a young up and coming manager, and then back to former manager who had success with us previously.

As I said, our new “head coach” may not be the guy, or part of the team, that brings us back to the football league, but I’m certain this model will be successful long term for us.

Its a long term vision, an identity, a chance to have OUR Club back, and a return to better days.

We will still have bad results, we might still be part of cup upsets, we might still be in the NL in 3/4 years time, but SC is putting the round pegs in round holes and giving the Club his upmost to be successful again.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

But do we need this kind of set up right now, we're a NL club, not a Championship (or even pushing for the Championship) or Premier one. It's the wrong time for this.

Listen, I'm a Southend fan and want the best for the club, that doesn't mean I have to believe in everything that's going on right now.

In 3 - 4 years time and we're in Lg 1 and pushing for promotion with our current set up, I'd be more than happy to eat humble pie and say I got it wrong.

LOL we aren’t going to be pushing for promotion to the Championship in 3 years. This takes time to put right. It isn’t an overnight process and you need to be honest with your criteria for success.

But why is it the wrong time to stop putting ourselves in a position where we are paying Akinola to sit in the reserves because he suits a 4-2-3-1 and the last manager wanted to play 3-5-2? Why is it a bad time to stop paying off staff like Fagan, Prodomo, Hreiddarsson, Todorov, Waddock etc who we have been paid off in the last 2 years when the management has changed?

 

[blueblueblue]

LOL we aren’t going to be pushing for promotion to the Championship in 3 years. This takes time to put right. It isn’t an overnight process and you need to be honest with your criteria for success.

But why is it the wrong time to stop putting ourselves in a position where we are paying Akinola to sit in the reserves because he suits a 4-2-3-1 and the last manager wanted to play 3-5-2? Why is it a bad time to stop paying off staff like Fagan, Prodomo, Hreiddarsson, Todorov, Waddock etc who we have been paid off in the last 2 years when the management has changed?

You're welcome to laugh at what I said, I certainly won't lose any sleep.

You seem very sure this will go well and I'm pleased for you and the club and hope it does BUT, always a but.... Just because you believe in something, doesn't mean it will go to your liking.

 

[StanleyVictorCollymore]

I'm not jumping all over the hype, I've seen it all before and to be honest, I think it will all go South.

People are expecting some sort of miracle, which isn't going to happen.

I'll be interested to see the Daggers pre match thread (pole) and see how many people thi

But do we need this kind of set up right now, we're a NL club, not a Championship (or even pushing for the Championship) or Premier one. It's the wrong time for this.

Listen, I'm a Southend fan and want the best for the club, that doesn't mean I have to believe in everything that's going on right now.

In 3 - 4 years time and we're in Lg 1 and pushing for promotion with our current set up, I'd be more than happy to eat humble pie and say I got it wrong.

1. You don't need "this kind of setup right now"? What kind of set up is that? Coaches to coach players? A recruitment specialist to put a basket of the best players we can get in front of the coach in an incredibly competitive football market? A scouting network to watch players and opposition to give the coach a week to know what's coming? Am I missing something here? We're not creating NASA, we're implementing standard industry practice in 2021.

2. 3-4 years when we're in League 1? Wrexham haven't been in the league for 13 years! York have had 5 seasons in the league in 2 decades. Torquay 7 seasons out of the league. This is an incredibly competitive League, not Sunday park football and we'd all do very well to be humble enough to acknowledge where we are, acknowledge what we've done wrong and implement simple, effective change to fall in line with many other clubs who nearly fell off the cliff edge, with some doing exactly that.

We're not creating a thousand roles or having delusions of grandeur, we're putting people in positions that should have been in place a decade ago!

We want a club based on good judgement not luck!

 

[Medway Blue]

1. You don't need "this kind of setup right now"? What kind of set up is that? Coaches to coach players? A recruitment specialist to put a basket of the best players we can get in front of the coach in an incredibly competitive football market? A scouting network to watch players and opposition to give the coach a week to know what's coming? Am I missing something here? We're not creating NASA, we're implementing standard industry practice in 2021.

2. 3-4 years when we're in League 1? Wrexham haven't been in the league for 13 years! York have had 5 seasons in the league in 2 decades. Torquay 7 seasons out of the league. This is an incredibly compete League, not Sunday park football and we'd all do very well to be humble enough to acknowledge where we are, acknowledge what we've done wrong and implement simple, effective change to fall in line with many other clubs who nearly fell off the cliff edge, with some doing exactly that.

We're not creating a thousand roles or having delusions of grandeur, we're putting people in positions that should have been in place a decade ago!

We want a club based on good judgement not luck!

What he said.

I'm not sure what is so hard to grasp here.

 

[RHB]

But do we need this kind of set up right now, we're a NL club, not a Championship (or even pushing for the Championship) or Premier one. It's the wrong time for this.

Listen, I'm a Southend fan and want the best for the club, that doesn't mean I have to believe in everything that's going on right now.

In 3 - 4 years time and we're in Lg 1 and pushing for promotion with our current set up, I'd be more than happy to eat humble pie and say I got it wrong.

Maybe it's time for you to suspend your disbelief of all things Stan. Give the process some time to get going, and then judge without any preconceptions. That's what we all try to do in normal everyday life and this really isn't any different.

 

[blueblueblue]

1. You don't need "this kind of setup right now"? What kind of set up is that? Coaches to coach players? A recruitment specialist to put a basket of the best players we can get in front of the coach in an incredibly competitive football market? A scouting network to watch players and opposition to give the coach a week to know what's coming? Am I missing something here? We're not creating NASA, we're implementing standard industry practice in 2021.

2. 3-4 years when we're in League 1? Wrexham haven't been in the league for 13 years! York have had 5 seasons in the league in 2 decades. Torquay 7 seasons out of the league. This is an incredibly competitive League, not Sunday park football and we'd all do very well to be humble enough to acknowledge where we are, acknowledge what we've done wrong and implement simple, effective change to fall in line with many other clubs who nearly fell off the cliff edge, with some doing exactly that.

We're not creating a thousand roles or having delusions of grandeur, we're putting people in positions that should have been in place a decade ago!

We want a club based on good judgement not luck!

This is all fair enough what you say, One thing that strikes me though, not at any point has anyone given a projection of where they see / wish / hope or even believe the club to be in X many years time.

It's ok having this ideological football club set up, but if we're still in the same position in 3 - 5 years time, what's the point? We might have well stayed with the old set up.

Where are the GOALS and aspirations? Where does the club see it's self in the future? I'd like to see a long term plan and projections of the club, not just a structure set up based on nothing.

I will base my views on what's put in front of me and the long term plan of the club, but as yet I'm not seeing that.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

You're welcome to laugh at what I said, I certainly won't lose any sleep.

You seem very sure this will go well and I'm pleased for you and the club and hope it does BUT, always a but.... Just because you believe in something, doesn't mean it will go to your liking.

I was laughing at your suggestion that we should be pushing for the championship in 3 years.

I’m not expecting success. I just see us as giving ourselves a better chance of being successful.

 

[blueblueblue]

Maybe it's time for you to suspend your disbelief of all things Stan. Give the process some time to get going, and then judge without any preconceptions. That's what we all try to do in normal everyday life and this really isn't any different.

No disbelief at all, I just would like answers. You're all caught up in the Collymore world without asking the simple things.

 

[MPato]

1. You don't need "this kind of setup right now"? What kind of set up is that? Coaches to coach players? A recruitment specialist to put a basket of the best players we can get in front of the coach in an incredibly competitive football market? A scouting network to watch players and opposition to give the coach a week to know what's coming? Am I missing something here? We're not creating NASA, we're implementing standard industry practice in 2021.

2. 3-4 years when we're in League 1? Wrexham haven't been in the league for 13 years! York have had 5 seasons in the league in 2 decades. Torquay 7 seasons out of the league. This is an incredibly competitive League, not Sunday park football and we'd all do very well to be humble enough to acknowledge where we are, acknowledge what we've done wrong and implement simple, effective change to fall in line with many other clubs who nearly fell off the cliff edge, with some doing exactly that.

We're not creating a thousand roles or having delusions of grandeur, we're putting people in positions that should have been in place a decade ago!

We want a club based on good judgement not luck!

The fundamental basics of a large majority of football clubs. Something we have been lacking.

One person in charge (ron) one person the manager of all things team (previous unsuccessful stints). It hasn’t worked. Why not divide and conquer, people doing what they are good at. All working together for the greater good. Yes it might take time and might not shot us through the leagues (because it is bloody hard!!!) but it is a good path I truly believe that.
I will be there at dagenham supporting the TEAM whoever is head coach and their team.

I will certainly be giving them an opportunity to prove themselves and not slag them off/doubt them/write them off, before they have enjoy stepped foot in the door like some have done so far.

 

[Austin the Shrimper]

You're welcome to laugh at what I said, I certainly won't lose any sleep.

You seem very sure this will go well and I'm pleased for you and the club and hope it does BUT, always a but.... Just because you believe in something, doesn't mean it will go to your liking.

You actually haven’t said anything other than you don’t think it will work… no reasoning. I understand it’s easy to be negative being a Southend fan, but do yourself a favour and jump on board the positivity train that most of us are riding.. what’s the worst that can happen.. just more of the same or something different.

 

[Jasrod]

There is a full and clear plan for Southend United. It's been alluded to in a number of posts, zoom calls and documents that I have constructed from the ground up based on Southend United, not copied and pasted from other clubs.

I've been involved informally for 5 months, and in that time I took a CEO to your door, implemented a fill interview process for a new Head Coach in London over 3 days , engaged with supporters groups, told Roots Hall staff that they are valued and will be heard moving forward, has numerous conversations with Ron, supported JD and the team in an FA Cup banana-skin, contacted 15 of the candidates on the managerial list, spoke to owners and administrators across the industry to put Southend United at the front of the queue in recruitment and scouting, and have several key potential employees ready to go.

All while moving a 91 year old Mother from one care home in the Midlands to another.

All while discharging long standing commitments in media.

All without costing Southend United to date not one penny. Not one penny. In fact doing all the above has cost me money.

So a full, clear and thought out "Southend United, The Future" football strategy and planning document will be coming your way very soon but other people in the club are also busy balancing budgets, being involved in recruiting staff, discharging responsibilities for a new stadium.

It's been how long since Chesterfield? In that time an 18 man shortlist of excellent candidates was whittled down, several other roles identified and almost filled, an FA Cup win and a new team incoming. When was the last time Southend United not only acted that quickly but had a fully documented process to show you?

I'm working 24/7, literally, to help you, your club to be stable, then consolidate, then grow, then succeed. What part of this is invisible to you or anyone else? What part of "I'm doing this for free" don't you understand, or what disturbs you about doing things right, with honesty, transparency and integrity is so abhorrent to you and a tiny minority who are never happy?

I'm here to help you pal, we're on the same side, there's no alterior motive, no financial gain, no statues or lounges wanted or needed, just a club I'm very fond on doing well in the future.

That's it! Join us! Be excited!

First and foremost Stan I hope your mother is well and the move went as smoothly as possible.
I, like most, passionately support you and what you are doing.

I cannot therefore understand where these thoughts from individuals that just cannot see the benefits of all you have done thus far. Of course we would love them to join us in unity. They ultimately will make up their own minds and for some that may take some time.

sometimes you just have to let these people be in the knowledge that 99% have your back just like you have ours.

We stand United together!

 

[Fred]

Stan, you have many more supporters than doubters. Keep up the good work.