Kieron Dyer is not getting carried away. Southend United supporters might be tempted to.
Four wins from seven, 14 goals scored, fifth in the National League and only three points off early leaders Boreham Wood – it has been an eye-catching opening under a rookie manager with a very familiar name. The buzz around Roots Hall is real. Dyer is determined to keep it under control.
“In the worst possible way, winning three games to start off was a bad kind of thing because everybody gets a bit giddy and ‘we’re going to win the league’,” the 47-year-old told BBC Radio Essex. The line is pure Dyer: blunt, ambitious, but laced with a warning.
A new face, a new way
This is his first managerial job after a glittering playing career with Ipswich Town, Newcastle United and England. He has wasted no time stamping his identity on a club still nursing the scars of last season’s play-off disappointment.
Southend look different. They play on the front foot, take risks, and commit bodies forward. Seven league matches, 14 goals. Six points from a possible nine at Roots Hall. The intent is obvious.
“I want everyone to think we have a great chance to win the league, but you’ve got to remember we are a really new team, with new coaching staff and new ways of playing,” he said. That is the balance he keeps trying to strike – belief without complacency, excitement without delusion.
What he will not rein in is the attacking approach.
“I’m going to put as many flair players on the pitch as possible and feed them and let them cause havoc,” he promised. “So buckle in, and hopefully we give the fans something to sing about.”
Turning Roots Hall into a fortress
For Dyer, the home ground is non-negotiable. Roots Hall has to feel like a siege for visiting sides.
“We have to make this place a fortress,” he said. “We had the set-back against Kidderminster, but our three performances at home have been of a good, high quality – with control and exciting football.”
That mix – control and chaos, but on Southend’s terms – is central to his thinking. The Shrimpers’ attacking verve has already dragged supporters back into the story after the frustration of 2025-2026, when a promotion push fell short in the play-offs. This season is about going again, with a different edge.
Tamworth’s chaos vs Dyer’s control
Next up is Tamworth on Tuesday night, a meeting of two teams who score freely but for very different reasons.
Tamworth sit 22nd, with one win from seven and 19 goals conceded. They have still found the net 13 times themselves, a tally that underlines Dyer’s assessment of them as a side that thrives on disruption.
“They’re very good at what they do. They play two up. They try to bring chaos to a game, and they want it to be transitional,” he said.
That chaos cuts both ways. “That’s why they’ve scored a lot of goals (13), but I think it’s also why they’ve conceded a lot of goals, too (19). We feel we can really expose their weaknesses.”
Dyer will not send out the same XI and hope for the best. He wants energy, sharpness, and a squad that understands this campaign will not be defined by a bright September.
“We’ll make a few changes and try to get some real freshness,” he said. “They pose a threat, but if we do what we want to do I think this game should be ok for us.”
The message is clear. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the goals, enjoy the swagger – but don’t get giddy. Southend’s season, and Dyer’s first real test as a manager, is only just beginning.
