Thanks Kev - but is a new manager needed?

[Leigh_Seasider]

There’s clearly two camps here, those that will back Kev til the end and those that want him gone. There are a few of us in the middle.
No guarantee that Kev will get us challenging with better players. But does he deserve a shot? Maybe. I want him to turn it round.

I’d be a bit worried by his picking out of form players and not finding a real solution to losing Cardwell and Kensdale. We aren’t a terrible team. We pushed Charlton all the way. We gave FGR a game. We beat Solihull comfortably. There have been flashes. It’s just not been consistent and we seem to just default to what worked last season. Plus things like set pieces haven’t improved noticeably, we still struggle to score/see off teams. Can’t blame it all on embargoes/players not signed.

 

[cerbera45]

I am aware, yes.. but paring a couple of players, this is still very much the same team that defied all the odds last season with some players who won't be on the minimum wage added to boaster the squad. Stop the excuses.

imho it really isn't

 

[rayleigh dan]

Just had a look at the table and we’re below Tamworth FFS. To be behind a team whose only tactic is to rely on a geezer with a long throw tossing it into the box, I feel we’re as close to rock bottom on the field as when Brown was binned.

We might not have the same budget as a handful of teams at the top, but falling this low is inexcusable.

Edit: and Tamworth have even managed to score one more goal than us with their predictable tactic, but it’s okay, we’re building a ‘brand’ of football…..

 

[danbowen]

I voted for a change , but.. if Kev and the team were after Pearce Fitz and male ( the keeper) then to me it seems that (embargo aside) they were at least looking in the right direction!

I think give him and the team a window from January , and maybe summer ( assuming we are not relegated) and see where they go with their new first choice signings

Agree with the first part however players at this level follow the money and realistically we were never even close to getting half the players mentioned either because the wanted to move closer to home (Male), wanting to play for a certain manager (Pearce) or were following the money (Cardwell). We could be linked with the likes of Messi and Mbappe but the chance of signing them is also non existent. We have been out of an embargo for around half a year now. If we want a player go out and get him but you need to pay the price and that’s something the club need to do if they want to be successful. We have lost out on other targets to Dagenham!

You can also add to the reason of players not wanting to come here because they know Mahers favourites will start over them week in week out no matter how **** they are and the new signings will be bench warmers if that (new lad from Oxford an example of this).

 

[danbowen]

Yea - hes GOT to have a chance to build a team with his first choices. Who knows, this style MIGHT be the right way, but just hasnt got the players to pull it off (tbf, for sake of balance, then Kev should be abandoning this style to get some system that works for the side).

I'm far from a Kev fan (certainly in terms of the direction he wants to play), but fans have got to be fair (and realistic) - he's probably NEVER signed a first choice pick. Think about that. Multiple windows and he's been having to do with picking up absolutely last ditch picks. You cant honestly realise that and still put all the mess at his door, thats incredibly unfair.

Look at the players that we've supposedly lost out on, some big names who are doing very good things at this level. As I said in another post, sign those and who knows where we are right now. Are we winning at York to go top?...

Could argue that his weakness is now massively exposed in terms of before he had to work with what he had and now he can buy players he don’t know what to do and can’t adapt.

We as a club are far too nice - pay rises for players who aren’t good enough, sticking with the same players and management when underperforming for lengthy periods and accepting us playing the most boring and negative football in the world that fans are now seriously considering spending Boxing Day with their mother in laws because that is more enjoyable!

 

[BoyWonder2]

Agree with the first part however players at this level follow the money and realistically we were never even close to getting half the players mentioned either because the wanted to move closer to home (Male), wanting to play for a certain manager (Pearce) or were following the money (Cardwell). We could be linked with the likes of Messi and Mbappe but the chance of signing them is also non existent. We have been out of an embargo for around half a year now. If we want a player go out and get him but you need to pay the price and that’s something the club need to do if they want to be successful. We have lost out on other targets to Dagenham!

You can also add to the reason of players not wanting to come here because they know Mahers favourites will start over them week in week out no matter how sh*t they are and the new signings will be bench warmers if that (new lad from Oxford an example of this).

Yes we were….

I’m told Pearce agreed terms with us, and that’s from someone in the Pearce camp not a Southend United one…

 

[Holy Joe]

Could argue that his weakness is now massively exposed in terms of before he had to work with what he had and now he can buy players he don’t know what to do and can’t adapt.

We as a club are far too nice - pay rises for players who aren’t good enough, sticking with the same players and management when underperforming for lengthy periods and accepting us playing the most boring and negative football in the world that fans are now seriously considering spending Boxing Day with their mother in laws because that is more enjoyable!

Jeez, it ain't that bad. Some people know how to exaggerate.

 

[Medway Blue]

Agree with the first part however players at this level follow the money and realistically we were never even close to getting half the players mentioned either because the wanted to move closer to home (Male), wanting to play for a certain manager (Pearce) or were following the money (Cardwell). We could be linked with the likes of Messi and Mbappe but the chance of signing them is also non existent. We have been out of an embargo for around half a year now. If we want a player go out and get him but you need to pay the price and that’s something the club need to do if they want to be successful. We have lost out on other targets to Dagenham!

You can also add to the reason of players not wanting to come here because they know Mahers favourites will start over them week in week out no matter how sh*t they are and the new signings will be bench warmers if that (new lad from Oxford an example of this).

Oh, how wrong you are on this occasion.

 

[Strykr]

Yea - hes GOT to have a chance to build a team with his first choices. Who knows, this style MIGHT be the right way, but just hasnt got the players to pull it off (tbf, for sake of balance, then Kev should be abandoning this style to get some system that works for the side).

I'm far from a Kev fan (certainly in terms of the direction he wants to play), but fans have got to be fair (and realistic) - he's probably NEVER signed a first choice pick. Think about that. Multiple windows and he's been having to do with picking up absolutely last ditch picks. You cant honestly realise that and still put all the mess at his door, thats incredibly unfair.

Look at the players that we've supposedly lost out on, some big names who are doing very good things at this level. As I said in another post, sign those and who knows where we are right now. Are we winning at York to go top?...

good points.

Problem for kev is we are all sick to death of misery and mediocrity its been going on too long.

Hes got a raw deal and has since he started.

He has to give us something to cheer about though.

Im pretty sure most of us can deal with a mid table season this year because of all the well known circumstances, if we just played some attacking entertaining football sometimes

Just to be able to leave roots hall a few times having really enjoyed the game and seeing a few goals and a win.

Dour draws every week do not pick up enough points.

The moment the home crowd starts getting on his back its all over for him tbh, next few games i feel are very important for kev.

 

[palexander]

Could argue that his weakness is now massively exposed in terms of before he had to work with what he had and now he can buy players he don’t know what to do and can’t adapt.

We as a club are far too nice - pay rises for players who aren’t good enough, sticking with the same players and management when underperforming for lengthy periods and accepting us playing the most boring and negative football in the world that fans are now seriously considering spending Boxing Day with their mother in laws because that is more enjoyable!

Its easy to say this in hindsight. Can you imagine how much **** the club would have got for not doing that after what this group had been through?

There were plenty on here saying we had to reward these players, give them deals, give them raises - which duly happened. For whatever reasons it hasnt worked out and its easy to point the finger now.

 

[duncan bulgaria]

good points.

Problem for kev is we are all sick to death of misery and mediocrity its been going on too long.

Hes got a raw deal and has since he started.

He has to give us something to cheer about though.

Im pretty sure most of us can deal with a mid table season this year because of all the well known circumstances, if we just played some attacking entertaining football sometimes

Just to be able to leave roots hall a few times having really enjoyed the game and seeing a few goals and a win.

Dour draws every week do not pick up enough points.

The moment the home crowd starts getting on his back its all over for him tbh, next few games i feel are very important for kev.

I think the Xmas fixture are kind to us and Kev and 6 points is a must , fail to beat either ebbsfleet or Braintree and it’s got to be a thanks for your efforts but we need someone else .

FWIW I think we will beat both comfortably and maybe just maybe this could be the start of something to cheer about and get us up the table

 

[Cricko]

Its easy to say this in hindsight. Can you imagine how much **** the club would have got for not doing that after what this group had been through?

There were plenty on here saying we had to reward these players, give them deals, give them raises - which duly happened. For whatever reasons it hasnt worked out and its easy to point the finger now.

Absolutely this but if we are going down the "Hindsight" route, i very much doubt many would have guessed at the total decline in the players capabilities and the set up we now adopt. It is all very well blaming the loss of two of our better first team players but surely we could of adapted to cover that.

Unfortunately we are going backwards as it stands.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Can’t use the last few years as credit in the bank forever. What is most disappointing to me is we have lost all identity, I don’t see what we’re trying to do right now and we were better last season with our backs right against the wall and we were firmly in the trenches. I’d love to know what’s changed behind the scenes as that brotherhood is long, long gone.

 

[JD]

I’d give Kev until end of feb to turn it around. As a target I’d want us close (3/4 points off max) to a play off place by then.
If not then he goes, along with the coaching team, and probably John Still.

New boss given two months to assess the squad and identify targets for early (aka Barnet style) summer business to ensure we are raring to attack next season and get out of the ****ing awful league.

 

[Shrimper4lifeCBS]

If we don’t get six points in the next two games serious questions have to be ask!!

 

[shrimperjon]

Something has gone very wrong this season. You can point to the set up, tactics, formations recruitment etc but this isn’t far short of the squad that would have had us in the play offs last season without the -10pts. That included playing some of the season with less than 16 players and at times with 1 sub with Vhilete and Brooklyn upfront. Despite another disrupted preseason and embargo there shouldn’t be any excuses now. For the first month or so Kev can point to lack of fitness and pre season. We had the same situ the year before as well yet we performed very differently. The likes Wes and Powell have left but neither were good enough and not many were disappointed they left. The loss of Cardwell and Kensdale for different reasons defo hit us hard. However that doesn’t excuse some of the performances. So many players are off the pace and not performing to the standards we expect. The likes of Gus, Husin, Miley, Bridge, Walker, Bonne, Muncur, Crowther, to name a few are so under performing. This isn’t to say they aren’t good players but at the moment they are way off. Yet they get picked
Week after week. Yesterday Miley and Bridge were dreadful yet stayed on and arguably our most consistent midfielders in Coker and Morton who TBf has been a good signing get taken off. Kevs reliance on the 5-3-2 which isn’t working is baffling. We don’t have bad players but the system and tactics is killing them. KAF doesn’t get a chance, Kendall brought in yet not starting despite our current forward line barely having goals to their name. Yesterday he came on in the 81st minute at 3-0 down. Wind has performed well and if we were going defensive he should have started ahead of Gus who isn’t a good defender. Play gubbins or Golding and push Ralph to LWB. Kevs decisions will end up
Costing him his job. I love the guy and for what he has done this past few years will and should never be forgotten but time is running out I’m afraid and unless he can become less loyal and stubborn to certain players and tactics then he has to go. 6pts are a must in the next two or there could be a very large fan revolt against the three amigos. Have the players themselves grown tired of the boring tactics? Some looked disinterested yesterday and that’s never a good sign

 

[Benfleet Blue]

I think the Xmas fixture are kind to us and Kev and 6 points is a must , fail to beat either ebbsfleet or Braintree and it’s got to be a thanks for your efforts but we need someone else .

FWIW I think we will beat both comfortably and maybe just maybe this could be the start of something to cheer about and get us up the table

Until he is big enough to vary his set up and continues to play 3 5 2 nothing will change

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Something has gone very wrong this season. You can point to the set up, tactics, formations recruitment etc but this isn’t far short of the squad that would have had us in the play offs last season without the -10pts. That included playing some of the season with less than 16 players and at times with 1 sub with Vhilete and Brooklyn upfront. Despite another disrupted preseason and embargo there shouldn’t be any excuses now. For the first month or so Kev can point to lack of fitness and pre season. We had the same situ the year before as well yet we performed very differently. The likes Wes and Powell have left but neither were good enough and not many were disappointed they left. The loss of Cardwell and Kensdale for different reasons defo hit us hard. However that doesn’t excuse some of the performances. So many players are off the pace and not performing rotten standards we expect. The likes of Gus, Husin, Miley, Bridge, Walker, Bonne, Muncur, Crowther, to name a few are so user performing. This isn’t to say they aren’t good players but at the moment they are way off. Yet they get picked
Week after week. Yesterday Miley and Bridge were dreadful yet stayed on and arguably our most consistent midfielders in Coker and Morton who TBf has been a good signing get taken off. Kevs reliance on the 5-3-2 which isn’t working is baffling. We don’t have bad players but the system and tactics is killing them. KAF doesn’t get a chance, Kendall brought in yet not starting despite our current forward line barely having goals to their name. Yesterday he came on in the 81st minute at 3-0 down. Wind has performed well and if we were going defensive he should have started ahead of Gus who isn’t a good defender. Play gubbins or Golding and push Ralph to LWB. Kevs decisions will end up
Costing him his job. I love the guy and for what he has done this past few years will and should never be forgotten but time is running out I’m afraid and unless he can become less loyal and stubborn to certain players and tactics then he has to go. 6pts are a must in the next two or there could be a very large fan revolt against the three amigos

Very good summary and exactly my thoughts and well. I would like to see us go 4-3-3 on Boxing Day.

Colin
Wind - Taylor - Gubbins - Ralph
Morton - Coker - KAF
Boone - Pepple - Walker

 

[Ricey]

Very good summary and exactly my thoughts and well. I would like to see us go 4-3-3 on Boxing Day.

Colin
Wind - Taylor - Gubbins - Ralph
Morton - Coker - KAF
Boone - Pepple - Walker

Switch Kendall for Walker and Gubbins for Golding and I’m on board.

 

[shrimperjon]

Very good summary and exactly my thoughts and well. I would like to see us go 4-3-3 on Boxing Day.

Colin
Wind - Taylor - Gubbins - Ralph
Morton - Coker - KAF
Boone - Pepple - Walker

Like that but would have Kendall in ahead of Walker. Yesterday Kendall did more in 15 minutes than either Bim or Walker combined