Torquay United Fans Forum

I'm normally as easy going about players leaving as anyone - its part and parcel of being a comparitvely small L2 club. However, I find it interesting - and slightly annoying - that Lingy has said on the bbc he'd look to re-invest some of any money recouped from sales of O'Kane (and I assume by definition that would apply to potential income from sales of Olejnik and Ellis too).

Whilst this is great in principal, we don't have any form for "buying" players anymore. Not even for small fry. And certainly not re-investing what we receive. In my memory, over the last few years we have sold (as in received cash money) for quite a few players:
Charnock
Carayol
Wroe
Benyon
Zebroski
Kee
Robertson

yet as far as I can remember, Charnock was the last player we actually paid anything for (unless there is someone really obvious I've forgotten). All of our signings have been free transfers.

Sure we have debts to service, the stand to build, a training ground to develop, but all this is pointless if we don't safeguard what we have going on on the pitch. Like i said, I have no problem with players moving on when offers come in as they have to do what is best for them, but i don't believe we will use that money to strengthen the playing squad significantly.

Southampton Gull wrote:Dave I think you're being a bit hard on Rich. He likes to know about any rumours or gossip as do most people, like I've always said, until the ink is dry nothing is for certain but there's no harm in discussing the possibilities.

I never meant it to come across that way..sorry Rich...my replies on this thread are meant generaly not just aimed at one person, got a bit fed up of the endless moaning, think our board/club are doing their best, as Nicktufc says above.

I don't mind rumours, after all I did suggest the rumourmill a number of times, agreed discussing the possibililties of player moving in or out of the club is fine, i also enjoy that side of things...what bugs me is fans jumping of the edge accusing the club of letting another player go on the cheap, and as it appears Peterbrough as I was aware at this stage are only interested, and have done nothing official.

If it turns out that Bobby did sign for Peterbrough for say £50k, trust me I will be the first out having a pop, just saying wait and see, and have the full facts before jumping down the clubs throat.

as i said, he aint turned them down as there hasnt been a bid, and he is on holiday, also posh turned there noses up when they new he had a long contract, they will sign oldhams keeper next

Dave I think you're being a bit hard on Rich. He likes to know about any rumours or gossip as do most people, like I've always said, until the ink is dry nothing is for certain but there's no harm in discussing the possibilities.

Totaly agree Gullibal top post, Richinns thats why it's sometimes better for all of us fans not to lose our heads to much, until some solid news comes out, or things are confirmed.

They lost Joe Lewis and Paul Jones this summer, so will need two keepers. I doubt they'd pay for two though, more likely to one first choice and a second choice, although you never know.

If he went to Peterborough for a decent fee then it would be a good move for everyone, as hard (almost impossible) as he would be to replace. Getting a reputation for developing players and moving them up the pyramid is huge for a Club like us, as is the fees we get for them. Sadly it looks like Eunan won't be moving up or for a decent fee.

From a Posh fans messageboard - "Just flashed up on Sky Sports News as breaking news that we have bid £400,000 for Paulo Gazzaniga"
http://www.londonroad.net/Forums/showth ... 57&page=22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(comment 428)

They cannot be in for both him and Bobby? Is that reported accepted bid wide of the mark or has Bobby turned them down?

well its in the mail as well and somebody i know has been in contact with him and he hasnt signed or been told that he is going anywhere at this present time. there is interest as we would expect but thats it .

ROADRUNNER wrote:bobby hasnt signed and we havent agreed a fee, he is currently in sri lanka on a back packing holiday with his girlfriend, , posh have spoken with torquay a couple of times since january and that is it, they have two other targets besides bobby.the daily mail dont know jack!

It was Sky Sports reporting the bid had been accepted?

bobby hasnt signed and we havent agreed a fee, he is currently in sri lanka on a back packing holiday with his girlfriend, , posh have spoken with torquay a couple of times since january and that is it, they have two other targets besides bobby.the daily mail dont know jack!

Completely agree Dave. Our board don't have the deepest pockets, or an endless supply of far eastern investors to call upon. So when the likes of Tyrone Barnett and Matt Tubbs can fetch in millions, people should be realistic and enjoy the way our club is run. Small debts, no controversy, we're not hated, and we just go about our business doing the best with what we've got, occasionally having a season of flirting with the top of the table.

The money we get for Bobby and Eunan, and Mark Ellis if he moves on, will provide a bit of an increased budget for Lingy, and provide longer term security.

Long Live Simon Baker, and long live the current ownership...

Was rushing to go out when I wrote my last reply, so just to add a few things.

Their is a massive difference between us and Crawley for a start, they are not abigger club, but do have serious cash, therefore they can afford to slap high prices tags on their players, we can't as stated our gates are truely pathetic.

And the same applies to alot of clubs who are in or were in our division last season, Swindo , Shrewsbury, Bristol Rovers and Plymouth to name a few who were getting gates well over 5000, even Northampton spent most of the season in the bottom 2 were getting 4000 plus gates, and the very reason these clubs can afford to name whatever price they want for their players, and we can't.

The picture is easy and straight, our board can not continue to run this club on forking magic beans can they, thats the whole reason why we or sometimes forced to sell our players at a slightly lower price, don't take a brain surgoen to work out.

I would have no problem with Olejnik leaving to go to Peterborough on principle. They are a decent club (these days) and are in the CHampionship with ambitious plans. In fact i'd say it's a pretty perfect club to join where Bobby would be first choice, 2 leagues higher but not immediate pressure to be amazing. What i mean by that if he went somewhere like Leeds or Bolton there would be immediate expectation that he has to be the finished article because they want promotion. By going to Peterborough he'd join a decent club that are establishing themselves at that level who don't have ideas above their station.

Where I have a problem is I have ZERO faith or confidence in our board to command a decent fee for him. In their minds it's 1991 and £100,000 is extortionate money for a player. Olejnik right now for me we couldn't replace him for a like for like in terms of quality for anything less than a minimum £400,000. There is absolutely no way our board would haggle for a fee close to that number. In fact if we got £100k I'd be surprised.

Regarding Eunan people say well he wouldn't have signed a contract without that fee release clause. Fair enough, don't offer him one then. I seriously don't think him in his last year of contract and this minimum fee would or should actually differ in terms of his worth if someone tried to buy him. I am actually slightly disappointed in Eunan as well because he was a nobody when Buckle took him from Ireland. He knows the financial situation at this club and a fair fee for him could really set us up in the long term. I feel disappointed that we couldn't say to him 'Look Eunan we think you're one of the best players in the league, we're happy for you to move on if we get a fair fee for you and we'll put this clause in but we'd like it to be £3-400,000 where we get a fair deal and you get your move to a club that really wants you'.

With the fee set this low jokers like Crawley can step in take him and we get ripped off. Don't think it's the right move for all parties but when does that actually matter. Money talks ultimately and our club must be in a truly bad way that we'd let such a bright talent go for so little.

I guarantee the next time O'Kane and Olejnik move on it'll be for 3 or 4 times the amounts we sell them for. I could understand moving on the likes of Zebroski, Kee, Wroe for small fees. At best these lads will only ever play in LEague 1 and they have no long term value and are easily replaceable. These 2 lads are special players that could go to the top 2 divisions in this country without a shadow of doubt if they are looked after properly. To let the pair go for £500k or less we have just completely shafted ourselves. Our board truly has the financial sense of northern rock.

It's the same old rantings from lasy year at this stage with people moaning about players leaving for this and that, and look how that turned out none of us saw that season coming and that included getting in a new manager and assistant as well.
Lingy stated when he took over that it would be at least 3 years before he would have the right players here that he wanted. None of us want to see our best players leave, Bobby O has been an inspiration and what a find by Lingy, EOK IMO has been average this season he started it excellent but was a passenger for a lot of the games in the second half of the season and after the Plymouth game it was down hill.

Mark has had the offer on the table for sometime now so either sign or sell. Whatever happens in the coming days and weeks I have the faith in Mr Ling and his staff to put a very good squad of players together with whatever funds are made available to him and who knows we could still be an outside bet for at least the playoffs for a third season in a row or even better.

They have met our valuation as that is the clause put in his contract. We cannot reject that offer, as it would be illegal to do so, therefore that is the vaulation that we decided would be fair for both Eunan and TUFC when we got him to sign a new contract. If we have negotiated with Eunan that £500,000 was his release, he may have not signed a new deal, and we'd be talking about a panel of F.A idiots deciding which side of £30k we'd be getting for an out of contract Eunan O'Kane.

It's disappointing because we'd all love to get more for him, and he probably deserves a bigger transfer fee. This was the deal we did with the devil, and the deal we must do with the red devils now