Thanks Kev - but is a new manager needed?

[wiggy]

Aside from what barry fry showed in loyalty... He was brilliant at building a team, finding great players from lower leagues and playing amazingly exciting front foot football. Regardless of formation too, he really could get a team to play. We played the ball on the floor, we moved quickly with players forward.

Perhaps younger fans may not have seen and therefore have a benchmark but for me that was some of the best football I've ever seen from a Southend team. That televised game at millwall where we nailed them 4-1.

Some of the players he picked from nowhere who were the right players , with the right formation and a great mentality.

It's my benchmark of great Southend football. Oh to see that again.

Fry and Maher , chalk and cheese, the former will fill stadiums, the latter, empty them. Cannot face his borefest any longer!

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

Fry and Maher , chalk and cheese, the former will fill stadiums, the latter, empty them. Cannot face his borefest any longer!

The former will **** you at the first hint of big bright lights, the latter will uphold your club's honour with respect and not wash dirty linen in public.
There's a circus in town...

 

[Stuart W]

The former will **** you at the first hint of big bright lights, the latter will uphold your club's honour with respect and not wash dirty linen in public.
There's a circus in town...

You’re talking about their character, which for the purpose of this thread is totally irrelevant.
All I know is that the period from when Fry arrived in the spring of 1993 to save us from almost certain relegation, up to November of the same year when for three months we played the best football I have been privileged to watch in over 57 years at Roots Hall, means he will go down in folklore as being potentially our greatest manager, yes even above David Webb and Steve Tilson.

 

[southchurch]

Karren Brady tells the story of the time she was accidentally in the wrong place and had to hide while Barry delivered his pre match address to the Birmingham players. She said after listening to him she felt like she could of gone out and beat the opposition. It was such a rousing, let's go have em kind of Churchillian call to arms. It doesn't always work but by God I'd rather have that than. Hold it 0-0 to half time lads kind of whimper.

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

You’re talking about their character, which for the purpose of this thread is totally irrelevant.
All I know is that the period from when Fry arrived in the spring of 1993 to save us from almost certain relegation, up to November of the same year when for three months we played the best football I have been privileged to watch in over 57 years at Roots Hall, means he will go down in folklore as being potentially our greatest manager, yes even above David Webb and Steve Tilson.

Of course Fry was bloody brilliant, every Southend fan loved him and was a fantastic motivator, that dance up the touchline, he was very "us", full of character.
Which made it even harder to bear the next god knows how many years of downhill struggles. I absolutely cannot herald the man. I despise him. But i respect your opinion.

 

[bluethroughandthrough]

The former will **** you at the first hint of big bright lights, the latter will uphold your club's honour with respect and not wash dirty linen in public.
There's a circus in town...

Good rhetorical debate right there.

Great football from a manager who might leave...

Or borefest football from a manager who won't leave...


Hmmmm

 

[blues exile]

Maher's first game in charge back in 2021 was a 3-0 away defeat at Dagenham.

 

[Zeuss]

You’re talking about their character, which for the purpose of this thread is totally irrelevant.
All I know is that the period from when Fry arrived in the spring of 1993 to save us from almost certain relegation, up to November of the same year when for three months we played the best football I have been privileged to watch in over 57 years at Roots Hall, means he will go down in folklore as being potentially our greatest manager, yes even above David Webb and Steve Tilson.

Don’t forget Dave Smith .

 

[Cricko]

Don’t forget Dave Smith .

Nothing to do with Kev , the title of the thread, on topic please.

 

[Stuart W]

Sorry Cricko, I sent my reply simultaneously with your admonishment. Will accept your punishment. Is it the slipper?

 

[Zeuss]

Nothing to do with Kev , the title of the thread, on topic please.

I was merely supplementing Stuart’s short list of our outstanding managers. All four(possibly more Brush than Tilson) were masterful tacticians—something ,despite his remarkable team-spirit building under Ron,nobody could ever accuse Maher of being .
When the question was first put up,I had to think long and hard,considering all that he had achieved in keeping us going through those distressing times,but I’m afraid I’ve never felt we could get back up with him in charge.
Most of our players,if used effectively,are good enough to at least be challenging at the top end of this low-standard league.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I absolutely believe KM has the experience, the knowledge and the ability to transform our current squad into a front foot, entertaining team. For reasons best known to him he won't. I fully accept that he sees it differently to me and he is sticking to his principles in good faith. He, like many of the fans, can point to the previous two seasons and say he worked wonders under extreme circumstances. For me, though moderately successful, we were still boring and predictable then and we showed no ability to change things up. This season is a continuation but the results are not papering over the cracks.

Football history is littered with managers that come into a club amid turmoil and galvanise the squad. The fans laud them like the new Messiah but the honeymoon lasts for just a couple of seasons or so.

Kev has it hard. He has often said, among many excuses, we need new blood in the camp. Probably his honest appraisal but that, reframed, tells the players he doesn't think they are good enough. Signings are few and far between, so the same players reeling from a negative endorsement forlornly wait for the cavalry to arrive.

I had always thought that KM was a work in progress and that he would learn on the job. Sorry, but I think the lessons, supported by the onfield tripe, are falling on deaf ears.

Go on Kev, surprise me.

 

[Napster]

Kev has proved his doubters wrong before, on the field. He'll do so again, off the field.

 

[rlb999]

Kev has proved his doubters wrong before, on the field. He'll do so again, off the field.

Really hope he does. But I'm past the point where I think he will.

 

[Cricko]

Kev has proved his doubters wrong before, on the field. He'll do so again, off the field.

I am pretty sure Kev is frustrated, I do not think he gets the best out of the players we have and his system is far to rigid. We are not the team we should be with the players available. Maybe they are past their sell by date, maybe they are frustrated by his set up.

Hopefully once more, a couple of good signings will rejuvenate them all.

We all await in anticipation

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Clearly the knives are out,
68 pages of evidence,
I think the next 3 games are crucial for KM.

 

[Piledriver]

My question(s) re Kevs team and home performance this season in the13 games.
When the team (starting 11)(a) has played well ie a win , is it because the entire 11 has played exactly to kevs instructions or(b) the majority have played to instructions.
And conversely i(c) a minority have managed to play to kevs plan hence losing.
Or i(d) s the problem the players are not good enough to play kevs chosen style.
Or (e) the players no longer believe in each other and or kev or his style of play.
As it seems an increasing amount of supporters no longer believe in maher ball.

 

[SouthendSpence]

Trigger warning: I back Kev.

As per the rules reminder, I’ll put this here.

Kevin Maher is our manager.

Is he perfect? No.

Has he stood up when things got really bad? Yes.

Was he the national league manager of the year? Yes. (And probably had loads of interest).

Would I stand for this in 12 months (Christmas) time? No.

Does he deserve one go unhindered? Yes.

 

[PIERS]

I can only find the stats for the football league and prem but Maher would now be pushing into the top ten for length of service for current managers. more than half have done less than one year . sometimes chopping and changing managers can be as effective as changing players. we hold onto to ours too long in my opinion and always have done after performances drop off.

 

[SouthendSpence]

I can only find the stats for the football league and prem but Maher would now be pushing into the top ten for length of service for current managers. more than half have done less than one year . sometimes chopping and changing managers can be as effective as changing players. we hold onto to ours too long in my opinion and always have done after performances drop off.

I’m glad he’s in the top 10. I don’t take that as an insult to our club that we back someone? As you said, it’s your opinion , but if you want to morph into a Watford or Wolves model then crack on