Friday 20 July 2012 16:31, UK
Southend boss Paul Sturrock's priorities are to find a goalkeeper and several midfielders before the start of the season.
The Shrimpers have won two out of three recent friendly matches but Sturrock has identified areas to improve. Trialist goalkeepers Rhys Taylor and Phil Smith played 45 minutes each in the 3-0 defeat to West Ham, while youth-team keeper Daniel Bentley and first-year professional Luke Chambers have also featured. In midfield, Sturrock cast his eye over John Spicer, Jeremy Christie and Yoann Folly in the 3-2 win over Great Wakering Rovers. "I've got a few goalkeepers to bring in. There's plenty of time and I don't want to be rushed into getting the wrong one. We're also crying out to strengthen with two new players in central midfield," Sturrock told BBC Essex. "We've got a lot of new players and a lot of trialists and trying to blend a side at the same time is very difficult. A goalkeeper has got to come in pretty quickly to adapt to a new back four, but I know the types of midfield players I want to bring to the club, so I've got to keep working away at it."
