Under Pressure 2022/23

Post Match Press Conference [Harrogate 0 - 1 Southend]

Reporter 1: Rodrigo, a solid away win. Will that help put to bed some of the rumours surrounding your job safety?

de la Vega: I think the fact we've got 8 wins, 2 draws and 23 goals in 14 games should put those rumours to bed.

Reporter 1: But the club are only 11th, surely the board demand more?

de la Vega: I demand more, the fans demand more, and so do the board. Nobody wants to be 11th but we're still in a recovery process. When I arrived the club had started poorly and were 17th after 11 games. If the season had started over when I arrived then on our current form we'd be much higher.

Reporter 1: And does that...

de la Vega: And let me just point out, we're only 3 points away from the playoffs. It's a tight table. We'll be up where we belong soon but it's going to take a few games for us to break away from the pack.

Reporter 2: Chairman Mike Ashley has been reported as saying he's not pleased with the lack of attacking football on display.

de la Vega: [nods] That sounds about right. Hah, look at your faces. You were expecting me to squirm my way out of that one. Let me explain.When I arrived both I and Mike agreed we wanted to play entertaining, attacking football. I just think that now, in practise, our definitions have differed slightly. I would still maintain that we are meeting that promise.

Reporter 2: Really?

de la Vega: [shrugs] Well look at the stats to begin with. Before I arrived the club had scored 11 goals. Averaging 1 a game. We now score just over double that. So I've certainly delivered more goals.

Reporter 1: But the team isn't known for taking a lot of shots, and you're not exactly playing possession football...

de la Vega: The shots we take are good ones. That's why we're scoring more. You think attacking football is defined by the number of shots you have? I think it's defined by the number of successful shots you have. If you don't make the keeper work you might as well not shoot. It's just an area we'll have to disagree on. No more questions, thank you.

Southend Start 2022/23

Today (19th Sept. 2022) Southend chairman Mike Ashley announced the arrival of Rodrigo de la Vega as manager of the struggling BSP club. Despite plans for promotion after 11 games the club were languishing near the relegation zone, and the former manager sacked. de la Vega was brought in quickly, and not just as a short term solution. The mexican manager is rumoured to have signed at least a 2 year contract.


"Delighted to be here. There's a good core squad here, and the club has a real history - one that rightly suggests we should be higher than the BSP. The fans want league football again and that's what we're going to try and deliver."

de la Vega may have to move fast to make any major changes to the team as the season is already well underway. In fact his first game, against Port Vale, takes place in a little over 24 hours. He also has to compete with the transfer legacy of the previous manager.

"I'm not planning on making a huge number of signings or changes. We've got some good players here. We're a little light in certain positions and we're at our loan limit but hopefully we just need one or two faces, and a tactical tweak."

The new manager has apparently also promised to bring attacking football to Roots Hall, and to build for the future.

"Yes that's right. The fans deserve to be entertained, and the club should be thinking about the long term rather than just the short. All very sensible I think and something I'm in complete agreement with the chairman over."

End of an Era: Press Conference 2021/22

de la Vega to announce resignation:

Newforge Lane - 7th May, 2022

Rodrigo de la Vega: [clears throat] Ahem, thank you for attending today. After an in-depth discussion with the board I have decided to hand in my resignation. I have spent many productive years here at the club and as such it is not a decision I have made lightly. I feel it is time for me to move on. I would like to thank the fans, and the players, for everything they have done over the past 5 years. I will now take questions."

Reporter 1: Rodrigo, does this have anything to do with the change in chairman?

de la Vega: Not at all. When Grant came in he secured a loan for the club to keep it going and has been nothing but supportive of the team.

Reporter 1: Then what has prompted this move?

de la Vega: [slight shrug] It's no one thing. I've enjoyed my time here and we've achieved a lot but I feel we are set to struggle without significant investment. Youth facilities for example, we're the only top flight team without a set up and it hurts us every year. Likewise with recruitment, we have a small budget and people know that so we struggle to fill the gaps and flesh out the squad.

Reporter 2: Is this why you were looking to jump ship for Glentoran?

de la Vega: [frown] I've not jumped ship. I've left the club in  a much better state than I found. I just don't feel able to continue that tradition of success I've established at PSNI without further investment. That's not coming so I am leaving to allow someone else a chance to succeed in my place.

Reporter 1: Do you have any plans for where you manage next? You've already experienced Portugal, will you be heading back there, or maybe staying in Northern Ireland?

de la Vega: [smiles] No set plans. I'll see what comes my way. I'd be quite happy to stay here but I'm open to whatever is out there.

Reporter 2: Rodrigo, how do you resp...

de la Vega: Mister de la Vega...

Reporter 2: [rolls eyes] Mister de la Vega, how do you respond to rumours that you have only resigned to improve your chances of getting one of the open positions at Portadown or Distillery?

de la Vega: [tuts] I'm not. This conference is over, thank you very much everyone.


[End of Press Conference]

Just... 2021/22

With the relegation playoffs looming de la Vega made some tactical changes, returning to a formation closer to the traditional 4-4-2.

The first leg was played at PSNI but they were unable to use the home advantage. Further tactical tweaking was performed for the away leg, and there was a pay off...

PSNI won 4-1, and could have grabbed more goals. PSNI survive and de la Vega ensures a 3rd season of NIP football for the minnows.

"I'm relieved... I can't really celebrate it as we were in a relegation playoff. A spot no one wants. But I'm relieved."

By a thread 2021/22

With PSNI unable to put together the performances needed they finish the regular season in the playoff place.

Still better than expected at the start of the season for the cash-strapped minnows but not what de la Vega wanted.

They will face Loughall in the relegation playoff.

The end is near? 2021/22

With the normal stage of the league played PSNI are 11th with 28 points. At the moment the club occupy the relegation play-off spot. At the start of the season many in the media were expecting PSNI to be firmly rooted to the bottom of the table so 11th place is something of a sucess in comparison.

This view is something that de la Vega is keen to dispell:

"We want safety. Guarenteed. Anything can happen in a playoff so we want it sown up by the end of the season. Whether we can do our not now is down to the players. We need to take our changes and tighten up defensively."

Boardroom antics, applications and apologies 2021/22

As we approach the end of the season things have been getting hectic, and worrying, for fans of PSNI.

First of all rumblings from the boardroom have now led to an active take over bid. The process remains unresolved but the club have been placed under a transfer embargo. It is assumed that if successful the new chairman will wipe out the clubs debt.

Normally such a process would be enough to distract the fans but they've had the added concern that de la Vega may be leaving. Papers reported that de la Vega had thrown his hat into the ring for the open position at fellow NIP team Glentoran.

Such news was partially confirmed when de la Vega apologised to the board and the fans over the matter. Though he refused to be drawn on confirming whether an application had been made.

"I was asked....by one of you media types, if the Glentoran job was the type of thing I'd find tempting. And of course is it. That's not the same as me applying for that exact job though now is it?"

A section of the fanbase was so disappointed by the news that they immediately called for de la Vega's resignation. Some even claiming that they would be better off without de la Vega.

de la Vega's reponse was predicatbly spikey. He was quick to remind the fans exactly what the club had achieved under his management.

Note:

Unfortunately I didn't get the job :( Nice to be wanted though.