Torquay United Fans Forum

Gulliball wrote:The tricky part is the we would have to offer him a contract on the same terms as he is now to get any compensation if he moves elsewhere. In the last two years he hasn't lived up to the hype of his first loan spell, but has shown glimpses of quality. Given how hard it is to attract quality players to TQ1 I would offer him a new one year deal on the same terms he is on now. Then we either line up with him in August or we get some of our money back on him. He is still a promising youngster, U21 international and we have spent £70k on him, plus put two years of development into him, so we should get a reasonable fee for him at a tribunal.

If cutbacks have to be made on the budget then there are players I would rather see leave than Billy. Mansell and Nicholson signed 2.5 year contracts on the back of golden form when they each made the L2 team of the season and we nearly got promoted. Now, three years older their form is nowhere like the same and so if we have to reduce the wage bill then they are probably our two highest earners and might allow us to keep hold of some of the other higher earners who can offer more to the side next year, such as Downes, Pearce, Poke etc.

Just don't think we will be able to afford him on what is bound to be a vastly reduced budget. I would imagine he is on a fairly decent wage at League 2 level given that we paid £70k for him and were in competition for his signature with League 1 Crewe and not only that but I reckon Uncle Martin (Lingy) would have looked after him as well.

His stock has definitely fallen since then, in my opinion, with his lack of goals a major worry. Quite simply, I don't think, even allowing for his potential, that he is worth blowing what would be a fairly large part of our budget on such an inconsistent performer. It would be galling I admit to see him walk away for free and certainly I would agree with you that I would rather keep him than some of our other higher earners such as Mansell, Nico and even Poke to be honest ... none of whom have youth on their side.

The tricky part is the we would have to offer him a contract on the same terms as he is now to get any compensation if he moves elsewhere. In the last two years he hasn't lived up to the hype of his first loan spell, but has shown glimpses of quality. Given how hard it is to attract quality players to TQ1 I would offer him a new one year deal on the same terms he is on now. Then we either line up with him in August or we get some of our money back on him. He is still a promising youngster, U21 international and we have spent £70k on him, plus put two years of development into him, so we should get a reasonable fee for him at a tribunal.

If cutbacks have to be made on the budget then there are players I would rather see leave than Billy. Mansell and Nicholson signed 2.5 year contracts on the back of golden form when they each made the L2 team of the season and we nearly got promoted. Now, three years older their form is nowhere like the same and so if we have to reduce the wage bill then they are probably our two highest earners and might allow us to keep hold of some of the other higher earners who can offer more to the side next year, such as Downes, Pearce, Poke etc.

We are all frustrated with whats gone on this season, I would have tried Billy as in the hole in a 4-5-1 but we needed a Howe up front who had a good first touch we've really missed him. I could imagine Billy getting quite a few penalties by defenders trying to get the ball off him. Benyon dives Bodin would be fouled.Referee's know Benyon well and he gets nothing.

arcadia wrote: I know where your coming from but I don't think any manager has got the best out of him, there are several ways. Looking at his swanky run I would frighten him till he he put more, I can see the same as you all but I believe there is a better player in there somewhere. Remember he's 22 not 30.

a bit harsh i know!

to be fair, at least he was trying last night. the only thing was when he got in good positions and had the chance to shoot he didnt.
his distribution wasnt bad, but on occasions he picked the wrong pass.

I have made a similar comment on another thread :

If Bodin can make the Welsh U21 International squad, there must only be 10 other people aged under 21 in Wales who can play football 8-o

Well said arcadia. I actually feel, so, so sorry for Billy Bodin. There has to be an understanding of what type of Player Billy Bodin is, an understanding also of what type of player he isn't, never has been and is never going to be, if you want a player to compete with a 6ft League 2 monster in the air or a player to run back 20 yards and produce a jaw breaking tackle Billy Bodin is not your man.

Billy Bodin is a technical player, and this kills me to say it, but it's the truth, a player that would even flourish in Exeter's team. Why was Billy Bodin never the same player when he came back after his loan spell with us, well the answer is so blindingly obvious it's untrue, when Billy Bodin was first here he played in a settled confident team, along side quality players like O'Kane and forwards like Rene Howe who could genuinely hold the ball up and create time and space for others to work in, when he came back we never had the same quality or confidence did we ? If you fail to see this, I prescribe less time playing FIFA 14 and more enlisting yourselves on some real time football coaching courses.

How is a player like Billy Bodin supposed flourish in our team, so devoid of confidence quality and leadership, some one please tell me? I am so disappointed in Chris Hargreaves to the point I am gutted, jeez we've become so one dimensional, so predictable, it beyond embarrassing , 90 minutes of just whacked the ball quick and long straight down the middle, come on Chris Hargreaves this is just basic, schoolboy stuff even.

Nothing wrong with going long, but there a time for that, and time to go wide and time to play out from the back. Now back on topic, if you want to get the best out Billy Bodin, bring your front two closer much closer together and play Billy Bodin in behind them, get him doing what he does best, and stop asking him to play wide and expect him to chase back and out muscle, something completely alien to his nature as a player.

I hope Billy Bodin finds himself a good club, hopefully further up the league ladder, where he will do very well, and no doubt we'll then have a load of "why couldn't Billy Bodin do that at Torquay" threads, again the answer to which, is obvious to me.

SuperNickyWroe wrote: god, your easily pleased.

I know where your coming from but I don't think any manager has got the best out of him, there are several ways. Looking at his swanky run I would frighten him till he he put more, I can see the same as you all but I believe there is a better player in there somewhere. Remember he's 22 not 30.

arcadia wrote:Players with an abundance of skill seldom have everything else that make a top player that is why Billy is with Torquay United. Billy is being judged mainly on what we saw last season when he was managed badly and seemed to be in a sulk after Martyn Ling left.
This seaon Billy has been more consistant and been one of the better players when he's played, yes he's missed chances but it's usually the ones he's created for himself as the problem we've had is our strike force or lack of it, getting on the end of things. One of Billys better games this season was playing off the main stiker where he looked at home and I can't understand why it has not been tried more as I understand that is where he likes playing. Yes he lacks a bit of heart and it has shewn up since his injury but his confidense will come back a little late for us.
Billy is a luxury player and in a struggling team it shows but in a good team he excells as he did a couple of years ag
The honourable thing for him to do would be sign a reduced contract for next season as I'm sure a club will be in for him and would pay a small fee.
I pay my money to see a player like him obviously others don't.

god, your easily pleased.

Dont rate him at all. Thinks he is better than he is. Trying pointless show pony stuff that anybody could try and do. No end product. I havent seen anything in him, especially this so called talent that he is supposed to have.

Part of the trouble is we have had so many crap or average players in recent times or the current era if you like then we start to rate those who look a tiny little bit skillful or who look like they are willing to take players on. We tend to put players on a pedastal and praise them far to easily these days. One of the problems is over analysing every detail of everything about football and we end up making excuses for under-performing footballers.

Christ, during the time I have been watching Torquay I have seen many average wingers or forwards/attacking midfield players, whatever the hell you want to call them who are way better than Bodin.

Just to name a few who are better than Bodin, some were good and a few were average - Paul Hall, Greg Goodridge (good), Jo Kuffour, Mark Loram (awesome), Lee Sharpe (awesome), Mark Gardiner (good) Rodney Jack (good), Paul Smith, Paul Hirons (should have done better), Martin Phillips. I even rate Tony (one dimension) Bedeau over Bodin.

There used to be a player called Ian Hathaway who occasionally undeservedly got dogs abuse from the pop, he had loads of skills but not much pace, sometimes didnt seem to try hard enough but could control a ball and take players on for fun, he could be frustrating at times but he was a very good footballer. He was definitely loads better than Bodin.

Players with an abundance of skill seldom have everything else that make a top player that is why Billy is with Torquay United. Billy is being judged mainly on what we saw last season when he was managed badly and seemed to be in a sulk after Martyn Ling left.
This seaon Billy has been more consistant and been one of the better players when he's played, yes he's missed chances but it's usually the ones he's created for himself as the problem we've had is our strike force or lack of it, getting on the end of things. One of Billys better games this season was playing off the main stiker where he looked at home and I can't understand why it has not been tried more as I understand that is where he likes playing. Yes he lacks a bit of heart and it has shewn up since his injury but his confidense will come back a little late for us.
Billy is a luxury player and in a struggling team it shows but in a good team he excells as he did a couple of years ag
The honourable thing for him to do would be sign a reduced contract for next season as I'm sure a club will be in for him and would pay a small fee.
I pay my money to see a player like him obviously others don't.

Flies like a butterfly, stings like a butterfly, too. It's all style and no substance from Bodin time and time again. I'm sure he'll be signed up by a League club (Exeter??), because his playing style's easy on the eye and he has technique befitting of a professional footballer, unlike the majority of our lot. Sadly, he's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is, he has no desire, no heart and no courage. Last night he, and most of the others, were guilty of passing the buck when there was a chance to shoot.

I feel sorry for the mystery benefactor who shelled out the £70k for him. He hasn't given anything to the club in 2 years
I was at York last night and for all his fancy flicks and step overs he can't even do the basics right like passing the ball to a colleague.

We mustn't forget that Billy is only a young lad and still learning the game. He is a frustrating player because he's got so much talent but then messes up simple things and tends to hang on to the ball too long, eventually losing it. I think both he and Jordan Chapple have lost confidence this season by playing in a struggling side ..... but that's football, lads - that happens so you'll have to get used to it. I don't think Bodin will be here next season. I suspect he will move on to another Div 2 side and do well.

I wouldnt be sad to see him go in fact I would be glad to see the back of him.

He is another one of those things that epitomises everything that is now wrong with our club.

He is a fraud of a footballer, an absolute charlatan, another footballer that has taken the p1ss out of our club. He should feel guilty and ashamed to pick up his wages every week.

But he is not the only one.

I'm not so sure he would be attracting that much interest to be honest, he's not exactly a stand out player.

I think he'd do a good job in the conference and would be worth a season to see what he can do.

I hope we can keep Chappell too but again, interest may have wained as he's not even getting into the first team of relegation fodder.