logo
Maher praises 'energy and heart' of Southend players

Maher praises 'energy and heart' of Southend players

BBC News22-05-2025

Kevin Maher paid tribute to the "reserves of energy, heart and character" in his Southend United squad after their penalty shoot-out win at Forest Green Rovers in the National League play-off semi-finals.The Shrimpers booked a Wembley meeting with Oldham Athletic on 1 June after scoring late in extra time to take the game to spot-kicks.After flirting with oblivion in recent years, Southend reached the play-offs with a late run of form that saw them leapfrog Gateshead and then hold the north-east side to a goalless draw on the final day of the regular season to clinch the final top-seven place.After coming from 3-1 down to beat Rochdale away in extra time in the qualifying round, they had to travel to Gloucestershire and again trailed in extra time before Jack Bridge equalised and then Gus Scott-Morris scored the winning penalty.Maher, who has guided the team through legal battles, transfer embargoes and point deductions before they were taken over last year, paid tribute to his players."The reserves of energy, heart and character came through again. It should never be doubted with the players we have here," he told BBC Radio Essex."We found a way again and everyone deserves so much credit to get us in this position. It seemed like it was dead and buried at the end but you shouldn't be surprised that the players have gone and done it again."It's nice to see the people in the directors' box, and my kids are here so it's nice for them, and the fans. The highs and lows of what has gone on in games recently is unbelievable, but that's where the football club has been, and we keep going."Maher saw the reaction in the directors' box first-hand as he was unable to watch Scott-Morris's decisive spot-kick.He said of the shoot-out: "I watched most of it, I couldn't watch the last one. We practised and Gus has been pretty consistent."I was watching the guys up in the directors' box so I could see their reaction. I couldn't watch it."The elation when it went in was an unbelievable feeling. If you could bottle that, it would be worth a few quid."Southend head into the final as underdogs, once more, against the Latics, but Maher said they were focused on returning to the Football League five years after relegation."The way the game panned out, the emotion and relief that comes with it, make no mistake, we're going to win," he said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Spurs close in on Thomas Frank after making official approach to Brentford
Spurs close in on Thomas Frank after making official approach to Brentford

BreakingNews.ie

time24 minutes ago

  • BreakingNews.ie

Spurs close in on Thomas Frank after making official approach to Brentford

Tottenham have made an official approach to Brentford over making Thomas Frank their next head coach, the PA news agency understands. Spurs sacked Ange Postecoglou on Friday, despite Europa League success, and quickly set their sights on Frank – who has gained admirers for his work over an impressive seven-year period at the west London club. Advertisement After positive initial talks over the weekend, confidence started to grow on Monday morning that Frank would be the man to replace Postecoglou and Tottenham have now entered discussions with Brentford, PA understands. Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the Club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties. — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 6, 2025 Frank's current deal with the Bees runs until the summer of 2027 and contains a release clause reported to be in the region of £10million. Brentford are eager to hold out for Frank's release clause, but they have started talks with Spurs over a compensation package which would soften the blow of losing the highly-rated Dane. The 51-year-old would take over a Spurs side which won the Europa League last month but finished 17th in the Premier League. Advertisement Poor domestic form during the 2024-25 season cost Postecoglou his job as the Spurs board was forced to make 'one of the toughest decisions' it has had to make in dismissing the head coach who ended a 17-year trophy drought. 'It is crucial that we are able to compete on multiple fronts and believe a change of approach will give us the strongest chance for the coming season and beyond,' a club statement on Friday read. PA understands Tottenham have also relieved coaches Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo of their duties. View this post on Instagram A post shared by West Bromwich Albion (@wba) Ryan Mason left his role as Spurs first-team coach last week to take over as West Brom boss, which opens the door for Frank to bring in some of his own staff – with current Brentford assistant Claus Norgaard a long-term ally. Advertisement PA understands another departure from Spurs this summer will be Scott Munn, who was made chief football officer at the club in 2023. Tottenham technical director Johan Lange has remained in post and is set to renew allegiances with compatriot Frank. Frank and Lange worked together at Danish club Lyngby before they both made their marks in the Premier League. Lange attempted to bring Frank to Aston Villa in 2022 when he worked at the midlands outfit. Advertisement Former Brondby boss Frank has developed a strong reputation in English football since he took over Brentford, with his tactical nous and man-management skills often lauded by rival managers and pundits. After Frank guided Brentford to promotion in 2021, he quickly enabled them to compete strongly in the Premier League despite a modest budget and has been linked to a number of high-profile vacancies in recent years.

Jude Bellingham misses England training due to funeral but could face Senegal
Jude Bellingham misses England training due to funeral but could face Senegal

Rhyl Journal

time25 minutes ago

  • Rhyl Journal

Jude Bellingham misses England training due to funeral but could face Senegal

The 21-year-old started Saturday's snoozefest in Barcelona as Thomas Tuchel's side continued their winning start to World Cup qualification with a 1-0 triumph against minnows Andorra. England round off the campaign with Tuesday's friendly against Senegal at the City Ground in Nottingham, where Bellingham is ready to feature despite sitting out training due to a personal matter. 24 players are out training at St. George's Park this afternoon. Jude Bellingham is absent to attend a family funeral and will return to camp later today. — England (@England) June 9, 2025 The Football Association said: '24 players are out training at St. George's Park this afternoon. Jude Bellingham is absent to attend a family funeral and will return to camp later today.' Ollie Watkins withdrew from the camp on Friday due to a minor injury, with Bukayo Saka and Conor Gallagher left out of the 23-man squad for Andorra.

DARREN LEWIS - Premier League must honour Uriah Rennie and address glaring issue
DARREN LEWIS - Premier League must honour Uriah Rennie and address glaring issue

Daily Mirror

time28 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

DARREN LEWIS - Premier League must honour Uriah Rennie and address glaring issue

Here's a truth about Uriah Rennie. He hated the spotlight. He hated the glitz, the glamour and the fascination that came with being the Premier League's first Black referee. He refused repeated requests for media interviews during and after his career, saving his life story for his memoir, Your Show, by the excellent Ashley Hickson-Lovence. Rennie was a pioneer. A trailblazer. All of the other adjectives you'd associate with an icon courageous to get to the top of the English game. Knowing what we do about the closed ranks of an un-diverse refereeing fraternity, it was some achievement for him to make it to the very top of his profession in the domestic game in the late nineties. The reason why you haven't heard more tributes from top flight referees of colour is because Rennie was one of just two in over three decades of Premier League football. After his final top flight game on the last day of the 2007-08 season, the only other Black man take change of a game in the competition was Sam Allison - 15 years later. Allison's first game, two years ago, was described as 'a pivotal moment' for English football. Now you barely see him in the Premier League. In the top seven divisions of English football - so from the Premier League to the National League, just four referees are Black or Asian - Allison, Joel Mannix, Aji Ajibola and Sunny Singh Gill. BAMRef, the Black, Asian and Mixed heritage Referees Association, was formed in order to do what English football couldn't - or wouldn't - until a few performative attempts a couple of years ago: support, develop and push for more Black referees. Because they are out there. Four and a half thousand of them in fact. Many of them having taken the same courses as some of the officials you see right now in the top two divisions. This year's annual BAMRef conference, beginning on July 19 in Nottingham, will be more emotional that usual. Rennie had been the body's north star before his passing, aged just 65. Some officials of colour knew him. Many didn't. But all of them wanted to emulate his success at breaking through that seemingly impenetrable glass ceiling. Even then, you can only imagine what Rennie went through during the days when even the supposedly forward-thinking English game developed selective hearing or looked the other way rather than confront the racist abuse accompanying criticism of his decisions. Many a time I'd be in the press box as a young reporter, listening to it. Acutely attuned to it. He was 'the Black referee', a rarity. I wanted him to do well. I grew frustrated that he had to put up with it. Some critics dismissed him as a celebrity ref during the early to mid-noughties. They didn't like the fact that he had a life away from the game within which he practised kick-boxing and aikido. They certainly didn't like the fact that he took no bits from any player, regardless of their status within the game. This is a man who sent off hugely-respected, iconic figures such as Roy Keane and Alan Shearer and managed the likes of Ian Wright. A man described as one of the fittest officials the top flight had ever seen. But even that feels as though it perpetuates a trope that Rennie was so much more than. His drive, determination and effective decision-making under pressure enabled him to make that breakthrough. His skill as a fantastic communicator enabled him to make that breakthrough. His calm authority in a flashpoint enabled him to make that breakthrough. Much has been made of the 300-plus games he managed between 1997 and 2008, including 175 Premier League games. But he'd already been added to the Fifa international list in 2000. The promotion to the PGMOL's Select Group of professional referees came the following year. Rennie was so good they simply couldn't ignore him. Now he will never be forgotten. Sky has slashed the price of its bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more. Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store