“We’d got to the top of the First Division and it was the greatest opportunity the club has ever had to get up,” Webb said “It was time to go for it. But he thought he knew best.” Southend have been sinking ever since.Uncomfortable experiences as chief executive and substantial shareholder at Brentford (supporters felt he was not prepared to risk his own money in the transfer market) led to further disillusionment. Watching his son struggling to get a game stirred the juices again, and he returned refreshed, not quite the cynical old fogey he might otherwise have become. Like any fiftysomething, he still finds many things in the modern game to disturb him, specifically the salary levels for moderate players and a perceived over-dependence on foreigners.It seemed a safe bet to suggest that Sven Goran Eriksson would not be Webby’s cup of Rosie Lee “I think it’s totally and utterly wrong,” he confirmed “I’d rather have the tea-lady doing it.

If it’s such a good idea, why don’t we have a Swedish prime minister? I just think they’ve made a mistake. And it’s that passion that’s made me come back into football, made me want to do something for English-based players.”Fortunately, a sense of humour underpins his East Ham patriotism. Rather than having an Alf Garnett rant about his former club fielding a team without an English-born player, he is trying to talk BSkyB into a sketch in which he conducts a post-match manager’s interview exclusively in Cockney rhyming slang, with a Ranieri-style interpreter translating.Ironically, while Southend play this afternoon, Sky will be showing the Yeovil team he built taking on Blackpool in a fixture even more redolent of FA Cup memories. They should keep a camera, and a microphone, at Roots Hall too, with or without a translator.. It may be becoming a habit – when relegation threatens, send for Lee Carsley. Blackburn Rovers tried it two seasons ago, but they went down anyway.

Now Carsley has gone on a £2.5m mission to extend Coventry City’s sojourn in the top flight into a 34th season. It may be becoming a habit – when relegation threatens, send for Lee Carsley. Blackburn Rovers tried it two seasons ago, but they went down anyway. Now Carsley has gone on a £2.5m mission to extend Coventry City’s sojourn in the top flight into a 34th season.
But as Carsley starts his latest campaign, against Leicester City today, he is still trying to come to terms with his new aims since the move from Ewood Park. “Relegation this season has not even entered my head,” Carsley said “It was different at Blackburn. They bought me on deadline day when there were only 10 games left to play. It was too late for anyone to do anything.”I told Blackburn I would give it a year to try to get promotion, and when it did not happen I made it known to them that I wanted a move to a Premier League club.”The Republic of Ireland international missed last week’s game at Bradford for family reasons, but he has trained this week with his new team-mates Coventry’s manager, Gordon Strachan, was suitably impressed.