Source: FOOTYMAD
'Southend United to complete three signings by the end of the week'
The Bulls of Hereford United, Leyton Orient. Echo journalist Chris Phillips had tweeted that the club will take on three new players by the end of the week, two look obvious, but the third? A trialist striker maybe? Jean-Paul 'Kamudimba' Kalala Well, that will get the faithful going as we enter the penaultimate week before the league season starts against Hereford United at Roots Hall with Echoman Chris Phillips wrote: 'Blues aim to complete three signings by the end of the week.' It would be the final pieces of the jigsaw that Blues boss Paul Sturrock is trying to put together to make the club true promotion candidates in what will be a tough season in League Two next time around. The three? After the usual post-match tweeting Luggy told Echoman Chris Phillips: 'Pleased with second half and impressed by Kalala. Will be having a chat with N'diaye and stressed he must change the way he plays.' While the man himself, Jean-Paul that is, said: 'The manager has said he would like to sign me and I want to join so hopefully something can be sorted.' Kalala started his career in France playing for Nice before moving to Grimsby Town in 2005. From The Mariners Jean-Paul moved on to play for Yeovil Town and Oldham Athletic before moving back to Grimsby on loan in 2008. He re-joined Yeovil for a second spell in 2009 before signing for Bristol Rovers kast year but has been released by new boss Paul Buckle. Let's face it, your introduced to your team mates just before the kick-off of a pre-season friendly at Dartford, and let's face it, for a Plymouth boy he probably hasn't got a frigging clue where the hell that is, blimey if they didn't have a tunnel nor would I. You get on as a right-back at half time, it's 0-0, the games is dull in the extreme, and then after you've seen your side go two up you decide to let fly from an estimated 30-yards out and see it scream past the opposition keeper and nearly break the back of the net for the third........and then for good measure the very next night, at around the same time, you do it all again, but this time further out and even harder, and the team your trying to prove a point too have finished with five against Great Wakering Rovers! Not a bad two night's work, especially for a teenager who was taken on by the team manager who introduced him to the Pilgrims as a youth player when Paul Sturrock was in charge there and is now looking for new employment! In fact, he was one of only three players who stayed on for the whole 90 minutes, not bad indeed. Sturrock told www.southendunited.co.uk: “I will be having talks with Ryan. He's someone I signed for the youth team at Plymouth and have admired from afar ever since. He didn't get a look in at Plymouth after getting injured but he's done well in the two games he's had for us and has probably scored the best two goals of his life.” And let's face it having been with Plymouth he's used to clubs with financial problems! Though after being with on loan to a couple of non-league clubs Ryan will not be busting the budget while giving Sean Clohessy some decent cover. Leonard himself told www.echo-news.co.uk: “I would definitely love to sign for Southend and that’s why I’ve come here on trial. I think I’ve done OK in the two matches I’ve played so far and my aim is to keep on playing well to try and earn a contract so hopefully I will be asked along for the tour of Scotland. My goalscoring record for a right back isn’t bad but those two are certainly up there with the best goals I’ve ever scored. At Dartford I was going to pass the ball but it sat up nicely and, at the last minute, I just decided to hit it. The one at Wakering I just made a good connection with and it was great to see it go in. But I don’t think I’ve ever scored goals like that in back to back games before.” Obviously the young lad is keen and after chatting to Echoman Chris phillips after the GWR win it would be no surpris if Ryan puts pen to paper sooner rather than later. Phillips wrote: 'Looking like Ryan Leonard will be signing. He said last night he would jump at the chance of joining Blues. Also said he has a good goalscoring record for a right back.' And nobody at the two pre-season games would argue with that! The Kalala Files Personal information Full name Jean-Paul Kamudimba Kalala Date of birth 16 February 1982 (1982-02-16) (age 29) Place of birth Lubumbashi, Zaire Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Playing position Midfielder Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1999-2003 Nice B 118 (3) 2003-2005 Nice 2 (0) 2005-2006 Grimsby Town 21 (5) 2006-2007 Yeovil Town 38 (1) 2007-2009 Oldham Athletc 20 (0) 2008-2009 → Grimsby Town (loan) 21 (2) 2009-2011 Yeovil Town 49 (1) 2011 Bristol Rovers 11 (0) National team‡ 2002-2006 Congo DR 7 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:11, 17 May 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:51, 31 January 2008 (UTC) (Player info supplied by Wikipedia, for the full player info go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Paul_Kalala) The Leonard Files Personal information Full name Ryan Ian Leonard[1] Date of birth 24 May 1992 (1992-05-24) (age 19) Place of birth Plymouth, England Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Playing position Defender / Midfielder Youth career 2001–2010 Plymouth Argyle Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2010–2011 Plymouth Argyle 1 (0) 2010–2011 → Weston-super-Mare (loan) 5 (0) 2011 → Tiverton Town (loan) 18 (1) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:12, 25 April 2011 (UTC).† Appearances (Goals). (Player info supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Leonard) Many thanks to www.weston-s-mareafc.co.uk for the use of the photo
