Kieron Dyer making waves at Southend after leaving ‘hooligan’ days and ‘deathbed’ behind

Southend is Kieron Dyer’s first job as first-team manager, after he took up coaching in 2013, shortly after retiring as a player. Photograph: Andy Hall/The Guardian

Kieron Dyer is recounting a tale from his time in Japan at the 2002 World Cup. “You have a lot of time on your hands,” he begins from behind his desk at Southend United’s training ground.

Dyer, a chess fan, was looking for an opponent in the England squad. “Sol Campbell was a deep thinker, and I asked if he played. He said yes, and I told him I’d pummel him. I’m not joking, we played for an hour and he’d moved two pieces. If that was how much he was thinking so early …” Dyer belly laughs. “I was like: ‘Sol, I’m not sitting here for five hours playing chess with you, mate!’”