What to do about Bilel?: 'Anyone would feel that this is his last opportunity'
Last updated : 18 August 2011 By westfield shrimper
Mohsni: A few bob taken from his wages as Ramadan continues
It first appeared in the Echo Monday,
www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/blues/9196056.Mohsni_bust_up_rocks_Blues/, after much discussion following a tweet by Echoman Chris Phillips the day before.
And on reading for the first time the story about centre-back, goalscorer and all round fans favourite Bilel Mohsni it in itself seemed rather tame, the bit about on-loan Alassane N’Diaye was far jucier!
Whether the teaser sold any more copies of the paper we're not sure but Blues boss Paul Sturrock followed this up with the admission that Bilel had indeed been fined as a 'source' told the paper: "The players are really fired up this year to get promotion but this is boiling over. The passion is there but we just need to make sure it’s channelled.”
To try and keep the excitable Frenchman under control therapy was being floated as well as hitting him where it hurts in his wage packet.
However, the chats with a good doctor had actually started, Bilel, who we were told missed last weekend's 2-1 win over Accrington Stanley to observe Ramadan, came off the bench in the Tuesday evening's 3-0 defeat to Crawley Town to go and conceded a penalty after just three minutes!
He didn't seem to add much to the away side's overall play and tactics as well! For a short while we fell apart and the damage was done.
As expected, Luggy is losing patience.
Sturrock told BBC Essex: "His whole demeanour at this minute in time is something I'm going to have to look into. He has been internally disciplined for the fracas the other night. We are going to have to sort something out. His actions have let himself down, anyone would feel that this is his last opportunity."
Tough talk from the Scot but does Mohsni deserve all this?
If Luggy accepts Bilel's religion, (see article below), then fasting till sunset for the opening month of the season is part of it and let's face it nobody is going to be in the best of moods after fasting all day amd seeing people eat all around you.
Shrimpers CEO Tara Brady showed his ignorance of the subject by saying that 'the warrior' Bilel would be better under floodlights because he could eat, well not during a match he can't and the time before hand does not lend itself to a decent meal, his antics after the Orient Carling Cup defeat showed that logic up to be a myth.
Then again you can't have a paid-up profesional of the squad being told to bugger off for a month while he gets his head in gear.
Of course, maybe the aggression will not go away, and the period of Ramadan just makes it worse, when it finishes it will still be there and clever opponents will use it to their advantage, blimey, even Matt bloody Harrold sussed him out.
So this is why Sturrock is paid to do the job he does, and we just write about it, make no mistake this is a difficult one, and Luggy seems to be talking tough.
Hopefully Bilel will fight off his demons and the Southend manager will channel that passion into points for the club and his team mates, and we won't be seeing him stuck in the reserves, not that they will be playing much this camapign, before being exiled to some other team, worse, one in League Two!
Let's see Bilel where he belongs, taking on Burton Albion Saturday afternoon at the home of football, might be easier though if he plays away from his own penalty area, just for now, and when he can eat again in the daylight!