Source: FOOTYMAD
Sturrock on signings & stadium: 'Looking at a lot of people on loan as well to bulk up the squad'
In an extensive interview with a Daily Mail blogger Southend United manager Paul Sturrock revealed his passion for being involved in League Two footy with the club even with all it's financial problems. Bring on FF! Sturrock: 'I must admit that I’m excited about being the manager of Southend' So Kevin Maher may get his testimonial at Fossett's Farm after all, a bit later than he originally expected it, with Blues boss Paul Sturrock seeing it as ready for 2015! Only four years away folks! Speaking to Joe Ridge on a Daily Mail blog Luggy went over a lot that he's been quoted as saying in the past. However, as ever with the veteran Scot, he's never less than honest, while remaining far more interesting than most at his level in the game. He started with memories of our own 'summer of disconsent', going on to how he's been through all this before, and that we can follow others once the revenue from a new stadium starts to flow in, hopefully! Sturrock told http://flblog.dailymail.co.uk: "17 players signed in a week. All of a sudden, there were still thoughts of winning promotion. Getting ourselves to a position of being a point of the play-offs last year, and then obviously injuries and suspensions knocked us sideways a wee bit. Obviously dropping of the pace at the end was a bit disappointing, but it showed that we had a nucleus of a decent team. We’ve added to it and we’re very comfortable now. It’s been hard work. It’s been the first time I’ve had to go through this kind of thing of dismantling the team and rebuilding again.I thought we got it right, halfway through the season our key players got injured and that was the end of us, but this year I think our bench is much stronger than it was, if everybody gets fit, and I think that will be a key issue for us." Seen it, done it, got the t-shirt. Sturrock continued: "Plymouth was restructuring, this is restructuring. Swindon was restructuring and Sheffield Wednesday was restructuring to gain promotion from the leagues that they didn’t merit to be in, so I’m used to this kind of job. There’s been obviously the finances of the club for a wee spell were a bit rocky, but they’re much better now, so that’s a great benefit. This club has to try and find its feet in the league it’s been suited to for a long time. For a wee while we were in the dizzy heights of the Championship, which we haven’t been in very often, but I would say that we were a wholehearted and strong member of the first division (League One) for a long time. If we can get the stadium going; Chesterfield have been promoted with a new stadium, Brighton went through two leagues, so when I look at it that way I must admit that I’m excited about being the manager of Southend." And we're pretty pleased to have you Luggs. In admitting that there are probably up to '16-18 teams' that could go up, with Crawley the obvious favourites with their financial clout, ('yes' we can certainly join them up there), he knows that dosh, and how much a club has, will always raise it's ugly head, especially if he wants to bring anybody new in, and this we presume is after getting rid of Paterson's wages as well, but leaves clubs sniffing around any jewels such as Kane Ferdinand. Luggy concluded: "We’re not daft. We haven’t got an open chequebook, they all have their prices. But they will have to come within Southend prices. This is not going to be one of those places where we build up a decent team where we bring in some players from obscurity and all of a sudden they blossom to get ripped off financially. Money is very important in any league, and I would tell anybody coming here for some of my players that they’re going to pay top dollar. It’s come to the time where we would have to move some people on to bring people in. We’re looking at that at this minute. We’re looking at a lot of people on loan as well to bulk up the squad. Until I can financially turn over some players we’re going to have to soldier on.’ Something the faithful will continue to do. Full article here: http://flblog.dailymail.co.uk/2011/08/this-is-the-strongest-league-two-has-ever-been-says-southend-boss-paul-sturrock.html
