SOUTHEND United legend Spencer Prior feels the Shrimpers must sort their structure before appointing a new manager.

Blues are on the look-out for their fourth boss in two years following Sol Campbell’s departure earlier this week.

But Prior, who won four promotions while at Roots Hall, insists serious changes have to be made if the Shrimpers are soon to get back on track after relegation from League One.

“There needs to be a complete review of the whole structure because they’ve been spending way too much money on bang average players,” said Prior.

“I think there needs to be a CEO and then a director of football that can work with guys like Ricky Duncan and Ian Hart in the academy.

“There needs to be an understanding of the club and the logistics of what it represents along with the history and the fanbase.

“After that you would need a playing style statement that represents what Southend wants and stands for and only then can you recruit a manager.”

Prior started and finished his career with the Shrimpers, for whom he made 245 appearances.

And he has seen two of his former team-mates thrown into the money for the vacant Roots Hall hot-seat.

“It’s fine people saying Adam Barrett and Kevin Maher but let’s throw Ian Benjamin in and everyone else who has played for Southend and say they would be great because they know the club,” said Prior.

“The reality is they have to be good man managers who can get the best out of players and can they follow the club’s philosophy and what it represents.

“If they’re not aligned to that then they’re not the rest person.

“That’s it in a nutshell really because otherwise you keep chopping and changing managers and you’re having to paying off people left, right and centre so you’re never having any consistency.”