DO NOT FORGET SUCCESS BROWN BROUGHT
PHIL Brown did a very good job in his five years as manager of Southend United. His sacking this week shouldn’t tarnish that.
But for any manager, results are everything. If you lose ten out of 14 games, you’re unlikely to survive, and Phil didn’t.
Like his friend and mentor Sam Allardyce, Phil’s had a lot of success signing experienced players and wringing the best out of their final years.
When you look at their squad – Dean Cox, Anton Ferdinand, Michael Turner, Anthony Wordsworth, Michael Kightly – there are a lot of miles in the legs. Has that finally caught up with them?
Whatever the case, It’s a sad end, and a shame to see such a long-serving manager go. Phil is someone I’ve worked with regularly and I like the way he talks about football.
This time last year, he was being linked with all sorts of jobs – including some in the Championship.
That tells you what he achieved at Roots Hall and I just hope he’s remembered there for the promotion to League One and the foundations he laid rather than a bad couple of months. It certainly won’t be his last job in management, that’s for sure.
That said, maybe a fresh face is what the players need. ExSouthend defender Chris Powell is the name bouncing around, and he’s someone who’s hungry to get back in. He’s got a League one title on his CV. He wouldn’t be the worst appointment in the world.