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."