Southend boss Kevin Maher has emerged as a target for Gillingham following Stephen Clemence’s sacking.
As Gillingham looks to replace Stephen Clemence, they are taking a closer look at Southend manager Kevin Maher.
Gillingham bag Clemence Stephen
After years of serving as Steve Bruce’s coach at clubs such Aston Villa, West Brom, and Newcastle United, Gillingham made the decision to give Clemence his first managerial opportunity when he was appointed back in November.
In the end, he would have to put up with a discouraging first stint as the team’s leader as the Gills failed to push for a play-off spot and ended up 12th in League Two.
Even yet, Clemence’s dismissal from the team came as a surprise when it was announced a few days after the season ended.
Gillingham is thinking of hiring Kevin Maher as a manager.
Since then, there has been a lot of conjecture around the potential successor, but given the timeframe, the club is not in a rush to decide.
According to reports, Maher is a contender because the 47-year-old performed admirably for Southend despite difficult circumstances.
Although Roots Hall’s financial problems are well known, Maher was able to assemble a strong team that, had they not been docked points, would have placed in the play-offs.
Maher has ties to the Gills from his playing days, having spent both a permanent and loan spell with the team. Whether he actually gets the job is still to be determined.
Kevin Maher seems like a nice match for Gillingham, according to Carlton Palmer.
Maher would undoubtedly benefit from this move, and the Gills do face some risk, but he has performed admirably for Southend in recent years, suggesting he is prepared to move up to the next level in his coaching career.
Speaking to FLW, former England international Palmer expressed his opinion that Gillingham should consider this option. He also predicted Maher’s long-term success at Priestfield.
Maher spent ten years as a player at Southend before returning, and he has performed admirably.
“He’s had to deal with some off-field difficulties, which has limited his capabilities. They finished ninth in the National League, six points out of the postseason, despite being issued with a ten-point deduction for financial issues.
“This would be a really wise and prudent appointment. Maher is a youthful manager who has improved Southend greatly and has the potential to lead the team. He is someone who could spend a significant amount of time at the club, so it would be a really wise decision.
Gillingham has to be on time for this appointment.
Although Gillingham’s owner Brad Galinson has stated his goals for the team, it’s reasonable to argue that things haven’t gone according to plan for him just yet.
A busy summer is coming up, so they must choose this manager carefully. The squad obviously needs to improve in some areas, most notably with a striker, therefore whomever is in charge needs to have support from the market.
Therefore, it will be interesting to watch how everything turns out in the upcoming months.
