Source: FOOTYMAD
Luggy: 'Would like to bring in more forwards before season starts'
Southend United manager Paul Sturrock is still interested in the two players on trail who joined his squad in Scotland, defender Ryan Leonard and winger Rohan Ricketts, though one looks more likely than the other. ROHAN Ricketts and Ryan Leonard both figured as trialists during Blues tour of Scotland. Right back Leonard flew out with the team for the entire five day trip while former Tottenham Hotspur winger Ricketts met up with the squad on Saturday morning. Leonard seems set to soon seal a permanent switch but Ricketts’ future remains more unclear. Sturrock told www.echo-news.co.uk: “I thought the boy Leonard did well again when he played and I’m pleased with how he’s done. This was a good chance for us to have another look at him again and Rohan and I will be talking to them both in the next couple of days.” SOUTHEND United manager Paul Sturrock declared his side’s tour of Scotland as a success – despite the indifferent results. Blues were beaten 2-0 by Dundee on Saturday before being held to a goalless by Raith Rovers the following day. But Sturrock still felt the tour had definitely been worthwhile. “The time away has been of huge benefit for us and has certainly been successful. We’ve done some excellent work on the training ground, team spirit will have improved and the matches will have done us the world of good too. There was a real step up in the standard of who we were playing against and, in many ways, the defeat to Dundee in particular was a wake-up call for the players. It showed them how much hard work still needs to be done but I also think what also showed is both our opponents begin their league season this weekend whereas we still have another three weeks to go. Because of that I would actually be worried if we were flying right now as we want to be peaking for when the serious stuff starts.” However, Blues failed to score in both of their matches during the Gilvenbank Hotel Football Festival and wasted a number of chances which came their way. Southend threatened more against Dundee in their first outing and were unlucky not to net. But Sturrock knows he must strengthen his strike-force before the start of the season, especially with last season’s top goalscorer Barry Corr currently being out of action with a knee injury. “I would like to bring in one and maybe two more forwards before the serious stuff gets underway. It’s something we’re working on but I wouldn’t blame the centre-forwards who played this weekend for not scoring because I look at the whole team when it comes to things like that.”
