Torquay United Fans Forum

Recently watched episode2/season15 of NCIS where Special Agent Torres tosses a tractor tyre in a gym.

Aye, you've guessed it, he injured his back!

Will the tyred tossers get a result at Aldershot? They might well do if they don't tire second half.

MellowYellow wrote: 03 Oct 2017, 18:20 that is not the case with our opposition tonight, although with the 'hybrid' clubs it will be a certainty.

Tonight's late arrival by Maidenhead shows why any part-time club in this league needs to be a football first set-up and not an evening after work sort of club....It's a national league and that means what it says on the tin!

merse btpir wrote: 03 Oct 2017, 17:01 Without wishing to make too much of a generalisation, I would say that in this day and age the part-time player at National League level has football income and hence priority first, supplemented by ther employment and lower down the pyramid it is the reverse.

I now several Isthmian League players we cannot envisage playing National League because of their jobs and that is why they play in a league with no overnight or lengthy day time travelling demands...that's how there are some very, very good players in that league.

Yes, I think that about sums it up nicely, although at the moment that is not the case with our opposition tonight, although with the 'hybrid' clubs it will be a certainty. My real gripe on all of this, is that there is undoubtedly an advantage to being full time and Torquay have for three seasons failed to make it work for us. Lets hope tonight see's a change of fortunes.

Without wishing to make too much of a generalisation, I would say that in this day and age the part-time player at National League level has football income and hence priority first, supplemented by ther employment and lower down the pyramid it is the reverse.

I now several Isthmian League players we cannot envisage playing National League because of their jobs and that is why they play in a league with no overnight or lengthy day time travelling demands...that's how there are some very, very good players in that league.

I suspect this one of those rare occasions when you can both be right. Yes the gap has narrowed a lot but it doesn't anyone who can afford it going full time maybe.

Jack wrote: 03 Oct 2017, 15:06 Don't overestimate the advantages of being fulltime - the part time players are a lot fitter physically and probably mentally than they used to be.

Please don't think I'm having a pop at you Jack but if as you say is correct why are 70% of the part-time clubs in the National League in 'hybrid' mode to turn their clubs into full-time outfits, at huge financial costs, if there is little advantage. There is, except in the case of Torquay, a huge advantage in being full time. You have Solihull and Guiseley and one of the 'hybrid' teams Chester in the bottom 4 for a reason. One can have a full debate on the passionate part-timer vs. the seasoned professional, but the fact that all national league part-time clubs by their own admission would like to go full-time tells a story within itself.

Some interesting points have been made about player fitness and the advantage that full time players have over part timers based mainly on the premise that they have more time to train and also to rest between games and training sessions.
While fitness is of course of the utmost importance for players at National League level it isn't the be all and end all. The working environment, living standards, family environment and general wellbeing all impact upon a players performance.
There are some part time players who have well paid employment in their "day job" and the wages they get from football pay for the extras not the essentials. They probably train a couple of evenings with their team mates and every other day at a gym on their own (24 hour gyms are commonplace in larger conurbations these days). Some of them manage people and have transferable skills to take onto the football pitch which full timers who have only ever played football don't.
I remember hearing about a game between Nuneaton and Hereford a few seasons ago where the fulltime players of the former Hereford United were baiting the Nuneaton players because they were only part timers. The Nuneaton team included some University graduates one of whom was an Assistant Principal at a private school and another who was a design engineer for JLR and probably got a new Discovery to run in every 6 months. I don't think the Nuneaton players were too bothered by the grief they were getting and they had the last laugh when Herefoed went belly up.
It would be difficult for us to operate at National League level on a part time basis because of our location and lack of good jobs but our players will always struggle to make ends meet on what we pay and they probably have to look after the kids whilst the missus goes out to work. Many of them have to live away from home during the week. Compare this with the South East where a lot of our competitors are based. Even the full timers at those clubs can find other part time work and the part time footballers have plenty of good employment opportunities.
Don't overestimate the advantages of being fulltime - the part time players are a lot fitter physically and probably mentally than they used to be.

Gulliball wrote: 28 Sep 2017, 21:38
People are more likely to be generally critical, negative, look for problems when we are losing yes, that was one point I was trying to make. There will always be over-emotional and reactionary posts when we're losing games, and there's been plenty of examples of that over the last 4-5 years. We've lost an awful lot of games in that time, across numerous owners, managers and playing squads

Players nowadays need to be really fit throughout the whole season because the game now is very technical and very fast played on much firmer and better pitches than before and the players need to run and run and run for the whole game so the emphasis needs to be less on the upper body strength as of old but on speed of thought and body and the capacity to maintain those levels for the whole of the ninety minutes throughout the whole of the season. I don't think what has become the millstone around Simon Jeffrey's neck (and by association, his manager) of manhandling large tractor tyres is really appropriate in this day and age for a sport like football.

Also; team shape and making keeping possession a priority maximises the chances of maintaining those fitness levels necessary to compete to the end and I thought there was a vast improvement in both the way that the side was set up on Saturday and the manner in which they went about building play through the three thirds of the pitch rather than impatiently launching long balls to chase into channels, frequently losing as much possession as before and thus save on the need to expend unnecessary energy chasing the ball to get it back.

As the manager has touched on; he is trying to give the players more organisation and discipline than before and that (to me) showed on Saturday.

wivelgull wrote: 29 Sep 2017, 16:30 I am with you tomogull, together (and with brucie perhaps!) we will stand up to these pontificating bullies.

Cheers for that, Wivel. Good away win against Buxton for the Seasiders on Tuesday night. They're moving nicely up the table now - should be a good game at home to Barwell tomorrow - good luck.

tomogull wrote: 29 Sep 2017, 13:01 'he works fantastically long hours and is too busy for frivolities such as visiting hospitals'

You posted (as I quote above) insinuating that I had described hospital visits as 'frivolous' by encasing your version in parenthesis giving the impression that this was an accurate representation of what I had actually posted which was: Luke Gerrard works fantastically long hours and is too busy to be on facebook making friends; visiting hospitals and taking part in the community events on more than the rare occasion. I patently did not describe hospital visiting as frivolous.

It's not difficult to cut, paste and quote accurately but this seems beyond you; when you quote in future take care to do so accurately and truthfully.

I am with you tomogull, together (and with brucie perhaps!) we will stand up to these pontificating bullies.

This is Gareth Law talking about last seasons injuries.. then compare to this this seasons injuries. Of course there are some exceptions, but I can see a pattern emerging.

merse btpir wrote: 28 Sep 2017, 22:49 It bores you because you are a chip on the shoulder bigot. Boreham Wood is a prime example of just how much the football club YOU support is under achieving so I would suggest the subject of my post is not boring 'us' but boring you!

If you object so much to me posting on here you are at liberty to scroll on or even block my posts from your view of the site but then you would have very little to comment on would you.......censor your own view on life; not other's

Me got a chip on my shoulder ??? Ho, ho - the words pot, kettle and black spring readily to mind ! You obviously missed my intended 'play on words' - Boreham and Boring. I understand that fans of other clubs in the locality refer to B.W. as Boring Wood.

I shall continue to take a cursory scan through your posts and I will continue to put an alternative point of view where I am moved to do so. And I hope all other Forum users will do the same.

merse btpir wrote: 28 Sep 2017, 20:37 Luke Gerrard works fantastically long hours and is too busy to be on facebook making friends; visiting hospitals and taking part in the community events on more than the rare occasion, and I don't doubt it is any different for Anthony Limbrick either because these young managers have their priorities right and their teams at the right end of the league table!

Luke Gerrard is fortunate to be at a club which is well run and supportive - a 'luxury' not enjoyed by a Torquay manager for five seasons or more. However, if as you say and imply that 'he works fantastically long hours and is too busy for frivolities such as visiting hospitals', then he won't succeed and this is indicated by his team's mid-table mediocrity, only a handful of points above the relegation places. Successful managers in all works of life know the importance of a good work-life balance. Sir Alex Ferguson is a prime example.

I would remind you that Torquay's most successful manager, Frank O'Farrell who the likes of Luke Gerrard will never emulate, regularly visited the Children's Ward at Torbay Hospital and encouraged his players to do likewise. I can vouch for the lift this gave to kids to break the mundane of hospital routine to have a visit from someone known in the community, be it a footballer, singer or even a councillor. So don't you dare belittle these acts of kindness for the purpose of your vindictive vendetta.

It's one thing being bottom and another being bottom with little outlook had how things are going to improve in the future. No reserves , no youth setup as such and not much unity between fans and owners. Best we can hope for in next 12 months is to keep going even if relegated.