by hector » 02 Apr 2013, 10:30
There appear to be many reasons for our plight and all of them avoidable. That is the really frustrating part. Without Ellis, O'Kane, Olejnik, even at the start of the season, there were some good performances e.g. the home game v Rochdale. But as the football stagnated, Ling reverted into his defensive shell and the performances were pretty poor long before he was sick. We had that run of chucking away games in the 85th minute, prior to which, we were still thinking about the play-offs.
To be relegated (which I think is highly likely, sadly) seems such folly on behalf of the club - by which I mean everyone connected to it, board, management and players.
The board, no doubt, have taken their eye off the ball, so to speak, been sidetracked by building up the infrastructure (quite rightly) but I think a sense of complacency led them to think we were safe back in January, when some of us were pointing out the example of Macclesfield and Lincoln in falling from seemingly secure positions. So they didn't act. Whether LIng was refused reinforcements or didn't ask remains open to debate and conjecture but regardless - it has cost us dearly.
Again, the board dillied and dallied waiting to see if Taylor could carry the team and waited far too long before bringing in Knill. Again, I think Knill was a bad choice in terms of us needing a manager who could rally the troops. The football is no better - yesterday v Bradford was worse than anything I have seen all season, and Knill's much heralded Everton and Manchester United contacts have only been able to harvest two loanees from the reserves of League 1 clubs. The board have blown it utterly this season by refusing to act. Predicting a relegation fight in January is not being wise after the event - it was blatantly obvious we were in poor form even before Christmas. But for some reason the club ignored this glaring truth and carried on with their state of inertia. If the club have been blocking the signings that would keep us in the league then they are as bad as Bateson and should just let the club fold, as otherwise what is the point of TUFC?
The management: Ling, Taylor, Knill...neither have been able to have any impact on a group of players who think they are better than they are. Tactically they appear unable to change games. One could argue that for Knill that it is not his squad, that he has not had time...but that was his remit - to keep us up and he currently is not making a very good job of it. We are nearer to the bottom of the league than we were when he came in, his signings just haven't materialised.
The players. Other than Poke, Saah and Downes, I think the others have either not been good enough or their attitude has been wrong. Rene Howe, until recently is one that I would have included in the list of players who should escape blame but lately he has just seemed to have lost interest. He may already know that he is going to join someone else next season (he may not of course, but I suspect he is) but while TUFC are paying his wages then he should be giving everything.
The likes of Mansell and Nicholson seem to have coasted on the back of their 'hero' status and it seems, sadly that their relationship with Torquay fans has turned sour. But both have been poor this year. They may have got into the PFA League 2 team this time last year but one can imagine they didn't receive a single vote this time around and their performances wouldn't merit a place in the Western League select XI.
Too many members of the squad flatter to deceive - having about one good performance in 20. The wingers, Macklin, Stevens, Bodin all look non-league and whilst one would hope that Bodin would turn it around, he has not looked like a £700 player, let alone a £70,000 one. I feel sorry for the old lady who wasted her money on him.
Next year, we should get Sturrock in. He wants another job. He did a good job at Southend and he would be a better bet than Alan Knill. However, if we go down then we should go for someone like Steve Burr or Dave Hockaday, if they would leave their clubs. Rumours seem to suggest that Paul Buckle would like another go at Plainmoor and I would take him above Knill.
There appear to be many reasons for our plight and all of them avoidable. That is the really frustrating part. Without Ellis, O'Kane, Olejnik, even at the start of the season, there were some good performances e.g. the home game v Rochdale. But as the football stagnated, Ling reverted into his defensive shell and the performances were pretty poor long before he was sick. We had that run of chucking away games in the 85th minute, prior to which, we were still thinking about the play-offs.
To be relegated (which I think is highly likely, sadly) seems such folly on behalf of the club - by which I mean everyone connected to it, board, management and players.
The board, no doubt, have taken their eye off the ball, so to speak, been sidetracked by building up the infrastructure (quite rightly) but I think a sense of complacency led them to think we were safe back in January, when some of us were pointing out the example of Macclesfield and Lincoln in falling from seemingly secure positions. So they didn't act. Whether LIng was refused reinforcements or didn't ask remains open to debate and conjecture but regardless - it has cost us dearly.
Again, the board dillied and dallied waiting to see if Taylor could carry the team and waited far too long before bringing in Knill. Again, I think Knill was a bad choice in terms of us needing a manager who could rally the troops. The football is no better - yesterday v Bradford was worse than anything I have seen all season, and Knill's much heralded Everton and Manchester United contacts have only been able to harvest two loanees from the reserves of League 1 clubs. The board have blown it utterly this season by refusing to act. Predicting a relegation fight in January is not being wise after the event - it was blatantly obvious we were in poor form even before Christmas. But for some reason the club ignored this glaring truth and carried on with their state of inertia. If the club have been blocking the signings that would keep us in the league then they are as bad as Bateson and should just let the club fold, as otherwise what is the point of TUFC?
The management: Ling, Taylor, Knill...neither have been able to have any impact on a group of players who think they are better than they are. Tactically they appear unable to change games. One could argue that for Knill that it is not his squad, that he has not had time...but that was his remit - to keep us up and he currently is not making a very good job of it. We are nearer to the bottom of the league than we were when he came in, his signings just haven't materialised.
The players. Other than Poke, Saah and Downes, I think the others have either not been good enough or their attitude has been wrong. Rene Howe, until recently is one that I would have included in the list of players who should escape blame but lately he has just seemed to have lost interest. He may already know that he is going to join someone else next season (he may not of course, but I suspect he is) but while TUFC are paying his wages then he should be giving everything.
The likes of Mansell and Nicholson seem to have coasted on the back of their 'hero' status and it seems, sadly that their relationship with Torquay fans has turned sour. But both have been poor this year. They may have got into the PFA League 2 team this time last year but one can imagine they didn't receive a single vote this time around and their performances wouldn't merit a place in the Western League select XI.
Too many members of the squad flatter to deceive - having about one good performance in 20. The wingers, Macklin, Stevens, Bodin all look non-league and whilst one would hope that Bodin would turn it around, he has not looked like a £700 player, let alone a £70,000 one. I feel sorry for the old lady who wasted her money on him.
Next year, we should get Sturrock in. He wants another job. He did a good job at Southend and he would be a better bet than Alan Knill. However, if we go down then we should go for someone like Steve Burr or Dave Hockaday, if they would leave their clubs. Rumours seem to suggest that Paul Buckle would like another go at Plainmoor and I would take him above Knill.
