The Mohsni Saga

[Pak Power]

Good luck to him, I hope we get a good fee!. Well done to Mr. Sturrock for finding a (gem?). And well done to all for holding the candle a bit, when others may have sacked him. This will be rewarded with any fee for the club.


I just hope Mr. Sturrock got a clause in his contract for any sell on fee, with a percentage for himself ( a la fat Fry). You never know he might earn more out of that than his salary. Cough!

 

[Rayleigh Weir]

Never understood why people get so hung up on the 'legend' label. Collins has one definition of legend as: 'a person whose fame or notoriety makes him a source of exaggerated or romanticized tales or exploits.' - sounds almost nothing like a description of Mohsni does it?

Gareth Risbridger made less than one appearance for us before disappearing into obscurity - but those two minutes have made him a legend in my circles...

 

[Angell Delight]

Yeah I wasn't really doubting the fact he wants to leave. I was saying that people are saying stuff like "Do one" and "good riddance" and similar because they are angry at the way Bilel has gone about it. Like saying he doesn't want to come back to Southend. The way it was stated on the OS was in a negative way but if it had been phrased differently such as "Bilel has enjoyed his two years here but feels he can play at a higher level and thinks now is the time to move on" it would have been different. Bilel didn't write the article on the OS so I'm saying don't hang the guy for not leaving the club in a respectful way when he hasn't had the chance to say his piece yet.

At the end of the day though there is a way to do things and a way not to do things. If Bilel had been professional about it and come back for training despite wanting to leave I'd have said fair enough (someone on Twitter made a reference to Peter Clarke's professionalism despite wanting to return north and this is a point I strongly agree with). In my view Mohsni should have been sacked last season so I'd say he's been disrespectful to the club in the way he has handled himself despite SUFC's loyalty. Frankly I'm quite happy if he goes, this squad is certainly good enough to go up without him (and in terms of morale it will probably help us not hinder us). I was always much more bothered about Eastwood signing than Mohsni going, if we can get a nice little fee with a sell-on then it's great business. If Big Sam can sort him out we could earn a pretty penny from a future sell-on a la Hooper - much better than letting his tantrums disrupt the squad this season before he leaves on a free. I hope he joins the Shammers and does well there for our own sake, with Allardyce's style of play it's probably a good club for Bilel.

 

[southend4ever]

Well, that experience was short lived.

It's all very well him trialling for a Prem club but they will have to look beyond his technical inefficiencies and see the RAW talent that he has. When they ask him what position he plays what will he say? I think a club needs to get hold of him and train him up in a certain position. Centre Back or Centre Forward I think with his physical attributes. They may also need to work on his mental attributes.

It has been a pleasure experiencing Bilel. I think you always felt something good or bad could happen and I agree with others that he had the ability to produce the goods that others don't. He does have elements of class but now he just needs a training programme for a specific position which should help introduce consistency.

I am pleased that we have acted as a stepping stone and wish him good luck for his career. I don't think this is the last we will hear of Bilel.

 

[Angell Delight]

I think you also have to put yourself in the position of the other squad members. If you were part of Blues squad would you want a player with Bilel's temperament as a team-mate? Personally I'd want colleagues I could rely on and trust on the pitch, not a loose cannon who could explode at any time. My guess is the majority of the squad won't be too disappointed when Bilel leaves. If that's the case then his departure will only be good for the club.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Nothing very much to add.........a loose cannon that, as has been explained on here, was capable of firing in our direction as well as at the enemy. I can't criticise his ambition but would question the way he has gone about trying to improve himself. Seems to have burnt his boats with us, for his own sake, I hope he doesn't end up in the ocean. There is still the underlying problem of his aptitude for the professional game, which came to light last year and I will look on with interest to see how this pans out
There must surely be some discipline as well as contractual problems here. Not turning up for the pre-season, given that he had permission to stay for the wedding, must surely lead to some sanction or fine from the club???

 

[Supershrimper]

Sell him, get the cash and invest in the team. His temper will get in the way of any possible success he could have higher up the leagues.

 

[Norwichshrimper]

I like Mohsni as a player, think he's worth watching, however whether you are in the like or dislike camp if we get the opportunity to sell it's a no brainer. Getting any sort of fee for a Fourth Division player without a recognised place in the team would be a remarkable achievement.
Even if you think he is the best CB at the club, or he's the best striker, or even that he can be the new Ricky Otto on the wing, the fact is that the management do not share that view, therefore if we can get a fee then arms should be metaphorically bitten off.
Clearly he is only on trial at this "mystery Premiership Club" so there is no guarantee they will follow up their interest (somehow I just can't picture him in the Premiership) - but if anyone wants him, in my mind even a free transfer with some performance based add ons and a sell on clause represents a great deal for the club.

 

[C V Shrimper]

I heard today from someone in the know that the premiership club is Norwich!

 

[hockleyeast1964]

one of the centre of excellence coaches dale brookes left this year to go to norwich ,so there could be a small link there.

 

[Nigel Blue]

I think you also have to put yourself in the position of the other squad members. If you were part of Blues squad would you want a player with Bilel's temperament as a team-mate? Personally I'd want colleagues I could rely on and trust on the pitch, not a loose cannon who could explode at any time. My guess is the majority of the squad won't be too disappointed when Bilel leaves. If that's the case then his departure will only be good for the club.

This is an extremely valid point and one that fits very nicely with what limited knowledge I have from within the camp. A number of Senior players have been at odds with Bilel's antics for quite some time, and whilst it could have been deemed to be victimisation, the key message we must all appreciate is that this is a team environment, with a group of players looking to achieve their own personal goals, but within what I feel "should" be for the good of the group uppermost in their minds. I'm not convinced that Bilel was a part of that, not that I am saying he was selfish, but I do believe he would jeopardise the good of the group for the good of himself (be that conscious or subconsciously).

What I would question, are two things (one raised before), and these are, one the realistic demand from the Premier team and two, Bilel's actual physical condition (not fitness), but what might be highlighted in any medical. I don't think this saga will end in a pleasant way.

With hindsight, I think that the Chairman should have accepted the offer from Blackpool three or four transfer windows ago, rather than holding out for the £1M he "thought" Bilel was worth.

 

[Norwichshrimper]

I heard today from someone in the know that the premiership club is Norwich!

I''ll have a sniff around.
I'll check the station waiting room first, he's likely to be stuck in there.

 

[wickfordblue70]

sky sports are saying West ****ing Ham

 

[BrettieAngell]

He will always be a legend at Southend, but if he doesn't want to be here any more then it's time to move on and get a decent fee in return.

If we get anything for him it represents a triumph for Luggy both in discovering him in the first place and then managing to get him through last season without killing anyone!

I wonder which team it is?

Legend?? I like him but have also disliked him extremely at times, he's entertaining to watch and has some talent but is clearly a sandwich short of a picnic. I would be very surprised if he played even one game in the Prem but hey good luck to the bloke.

 

[Blue_Wes]

sky sports are saying West ****ing Ham

Linky http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7908169/

 

[Nigel Blue]

By the way and following on from my previous message, but I would like to add that I think we'll have our next Bilel round the corner very soon, albeit once this sorry episode is resolved. No prizes for guessing the next inflated ego who could create disruption in the camp.

 

[blues_r_best]

No prizes for guessing the next inflated ego who could create disruption in the camp.

Is it The General?

 

[dodgeblue]

Linky http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7908169/

As per my mail Sunday it's definitely West Ham, whether he ends up there is another matter altogether.

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

Huge step up, if he does well and they sign him then fairplay to him really

 

[South Bank Hank]

By the way and following on from my previous message, but I would like to add that I think we'll have our next Bilel round the corner very soon, albeit once this sorry episode is resolved. No prizes for guessing the next inflated ego who could create disruption in the camp.

Bit harsh on Ben Clarkson there. He's a good man.