SOUTHEND United manager Paul Sturrock has ordered Bilel Mohsni to keep his temper under control this season.

The fiery Frenchman was substituted to stop him getting sent off during Friday night’s friendly with Ipswich Town.

And Sturrock is now urging the defender, who was sent off twice last season, to calm down.

“I’ve had a chat with Bilel about the Ipswich game and we need to stop this happening because he would’ve been sent off if it was a league game,” said the Blues boss.

“He got booked for getting involved in a few silly things and I think he would’ve got a second yellow card for the mouthful he gave the player when he was coming off if it hadn’t have been a friendly.

“We’ve tried to work out why he gets involved and really get to the bottom of what’s happening because it needs to stop happening.

“Bilel is the heartbeat of our side and we don’t want him sat in the stands suspended all the time.”

Mohsni’s commitment has made him a firm favourite with the Roots Hall faithful.

The 24-year-old arrived at the club on a free transfer from French non-league side Sainte-Geneviève Sports last summer and Sturrock hopes he can learn to stay out of rouble by gaining more experience.

“People need to remember that last season Bilel was a first year pro and had only been playing park football in France before joining us,” said Sturrock.

“You learn about discipline and things like that during your upbringing in football but Bilel hasn’t really had that.

“Hopefully with more games he can learn to keep calm but we don’t want him to lose the spark which makes him stand out.

“That’s what has made everyone take to him at the club because no-one has every seen someone play with quite so much passion before.”