Sturrock or The Players?

[rlb999]

If he walked away today, his time at Southend would look good on his CV given what he started with.

 

[Angell Delight]

If he walked away today, his time at Southend would look good on his CV given what he started with.

I agree with this, to outsiders Sturrock has done a good job here (and in the interests of fairness let me qualify that in saying that I also recognsie Sturrock has done a decent job up to a point in difficult circumstances).

I'm thankful to PS for the great job he has done in terms of player recruitment, what I am not happy about is the fact that we never have a settled side and the tactics in no way play to our best players strengths which is just basic management. Personally in 24 years I've never been so bored watching Southend as I am under PS and his long-ball style. If we had managed to see it through to promotion I could cope with watching dire football, the fact is it seems more than likely that despite a great squad of players we are all set to not only fail to entertain in any shape or form but also (and more importantly) fail to get out of League Two. Do I blame the players? Maybe partly but without a settled side, playing players out of position whilst also adopting a very negative and unbalanced line-up playing hoofball you'd have to say the buck stops with the manager.

Sam Allardyce has seen plenty of criticism of West Ham's style of play recently after their poor run, some (including Allardyce) have said it's crazy that fans have been critical of the style but I have a lot of sympathy with (spit) West Ham fans. Having experienced that very same style of play for the last 2 seasons I can see their point.....

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Thank god they have a bit of faith in the shambles of a team that have been top of the table most of the season, you lot dont deserve to go up,

And who is responsible for the 'shambles'?.

 

[blue79]

I see where blueblood is coming from. Its the manner in which we find ourselves in the play off places. If this was the aim and were there or thereabouts all season then people will be delighted. But at the season's start we had senior people telling us we had a title winning team and that automativc promotion was the order of the day. Now I think our average position has been third and for 75% of the season we remained in the top 3 so seemingly we were on target. But now we've gone backwards and thats why some are now panicking. My thought was we were set up to achieve something over a marathon ( the entire course of the season) and go up automatically. and in addition didn't think we were made to win a prize via a sprint, i,e going up through a mini knock out tournament which is the play offs. Wombles will be interesting as although they leak goals heavily they do score a shedload so our patched up defence may be put under pressure. Agree with OBL Grant has to stay in midfield or otherwise we'll lose more impetus going forward. Agree with Ansah that despite what the critics say Tara is sadly missed by a lot of people. I also said to much was being burdened onto Frddy upon his return. Luggy for a role upstairs? No. I agree with Blueblood now hes had far more experience under his belt lets give Spud Taylor another try. I seem to recall Peter was agitated with Ron when he was overlooked for the job when Rob Newman was appointed. Spud had helped support coach Whilst the Board looked for a replacement.

 

[blue79]

To be honest Lee I wasn't fooled by the Cheltenham result. They had been out of form for a while, Lost five in a row in a 7 match winless streak, hadn't scored for five successive games, slithered out of control from top to 7th and played 75% of the game with 10 men. And so we should have won handsomely.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Well the team against Chelts and against Bradford were the same. Lack of passion maybe against bradford, thinking just turning up will give them the win?

Sturrock picked the same team for both games so can't be held responsible, unless he said to them 'Look boys, a good 4-0 against chelts but I didn't like the way you passed the ball about. Hoof it about against Bradford, if we lose we lose'

Actually,he did say after the Bradford game,it was a team he'd picked with his heart and not with his head.Turns out what he meant by that was, he played one player who was ill but said he was OK,(Hills)and another who said he was fit to play but clearly wasn't, even as a sub(Phillips).

Perhaps he'll pick a team with his head screwed on for Monday.:unsure: Martin to start anyone?

 

[blue79]

I think this job may well be Luggy's last. I beloieve his illness is getting him down more than at any other point. He is finding harder to walk and visibly he has aged in recent months, Certainly since he arrived here. I feel for him in this respect.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Actually,he did say after the Bradford game,it was a team he'd picked with his heart and not with his head.Turns out what he meant by that was, he played one player who was ill but said he was OK,(Hills)and another who said he was fit to play but clearly wasn't, even as a sub(Phillips).

Perhaps he'll pick a team with his head screwed on for Monday.:unsure: Martin to start anyone?

Then the Bradford debacle is Sturrocks fault then. If players are lying to him about feeling ill, then the players need to man up. If the player told him he was ill but wanted to play, Sturrock should man up and make the call not to play the player.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Actually,he did say after the Bradford game,it was a team he'd picked with his heart and not with his head.Turns out what he meant by that was, he played one player who was ill but said he was OK,(Hills)and another who said he was fit to play but clearly wasn't, even as a sub(Phillips).

Perhaps he'll pick a team with his head screwed on for Monday.:unsure: Martin to start anyone?

I think Freddy was the player who said he was fit to play but clearly wasn't, Phillips came on as a sub for Hills and judging by what I heard, did ok.

 

[richig]

Sturrock. He's categorically failed to get the best out of our players, some of which have played at much higher levels than L2. I will admit that the league seems harder this year, but there is no way we should be losing to teams like Bradford, Aldershot, Bristol R and the like.

He's already told us he doesn't do so well in knockout situations I think earlier in the season so we don't have a prayer in the play-offs with him at the helm!

Its not about a player missing this shot or being sent off for whatever, it's about the overall appearance of the team and at the moment it's been abject aside from cheltenham, who were dreadful and had a player sent off inside 20 mins.

here here!

 

[Reg Martin]

I think all you proven footy experts should submit your CVs for the managers/coaching staff jobs:hilarious:. Just a pity PS and GC didnt return to the plymouth job when the opportunity arose, instead they wanted to finish the job they started, tinpot club to promotion!!! Thank god they have a bit of faith in the shambles of a team that have been top of the table most of the season, you lot dont deserve to go up, bunch of moaning fans who at the beginning of the season would have been grateful for mid table. Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it :hilarious:

You're obviously not a Southend fan and occasionally allude to connections with Paul Sturrock and if he shares your patronising attitude towards Southend then we would be well rid of him.
Since you appear to regard youself as so much better than the rest of us on here you could at least have the courage to say who you are, who you support, your connection (if any) to Paul Sturrock and why you feel the need to post on here since you appear to have little to offer other than sneers