Torquay United Fans Forum

happytorq wrote: ↑25 Apr 2023, 20:26 Would suggest a third option - particularly for a team like us that is the footballing equivalent of an arctic outpost.

Failure of a player to 'settle'.

It'd a cliché, but absolutely something that needs to be taken into account.

Ryan Hanson is from Dover originally. He was at Hull, then went back on loan to his hometown club before being signed permanently.
Mark Halstead: from Blackpool. knocked around at other northern teams (Morecambe, Southport, Hyde, Barrow). Then moves family waaaay down south
Brett McGavin: from Suffolk. Started at Ipswich, had comparitve success at Kings Lynn (still in Norfolk) then came down here.

That's just three from the top of my head in the current squad. Of these, Halstead has had a second season and has been pretty good. You could make the case with other players in our side - Dylan Crowe, for example. Corie Andrews could be another example.

I think we assume that if you're being paid to be a footballer and you have the ability, it'll just work out right. But that's not always the case. How many times down the years have we had players far from home who look unimpressive and then end up being really good? And, on the other side - Mark Loram went to QPR with huge ability and just wasn't comfortable in West London. It happens.

That's not to say that these players should be absolved of anything - especially in a relegation season - but it can be mentally very difficult to find yourself far from home with little in the way of family or friends arounds to help you. I've been there myself. It takes time and a certain amount of character to come through it. There's no guarantee that the players I've mentioned will be great if they stay, but I think it'll be easier for them with a year of acclimation behind them.

Edit - thought of something else - as we don't have much of an academy we're forced to bring in players from further afield. If Koszela, Moyse, Tomlinson etc were half-decent, we'd not be under so much pressure to have playhers perform immediately. Look at Exeter and Plymouth - they generally have at least a couple of their products in their first XI which is beneficial; even before they think about flogging them.

UnitedinDevon wrote: ↑23 Apr 2023, 00:20 watching the replay did Hall really have to make that challenge?

standupsitdown wrote: ↑22 Apr 2023, 23:00 If that’s the case it’s very poor management.
If we had won goal difference would have only been relevant if we drew with Wrexham and Maidenhead lost by 5 to Gateshead. Another goal for us today and that would have reduced to 4.
However if we’d have held on to the lead then beaten Wrexham we’d have stayed up if one of York or Aldershot had failed to win next week.

Mr Tea808 wrote: ↑26 Mar 2023, 08:45 Big shout out to foreverTUFC , spot on post, but what Kevin Nicholson did-fans DO have short memories, I don't, I remember clearly, he achieved survival twice, on peanuts, finding rough diamonds like Keating along the way, and a TOP bloke who NEVER hid or blamed anyone, I know how well he's respected up at Exeter City, no doubt about it, I have a ton of respect for Kevin, as a player, manager, and top bloke aswell.

somersetgull wrote: ↑09 Mar 2023, 19:29 Blimey welcome. Only 4 months late. Said enough before. S.e.b.

Hope you get the hate I have received since November for stating the obvious my friend.

No I actually don't. Tho it funny and an insight into how.blind and happy clappy the forum members are.

Taelee73 wrote: ↑11 Mar 2023, 18:56 Somerset Gull, you are quite tiresome. Gotta dislike a 'I told you so character', someone who needs to prove they're right no matter the cost or time they need to wait to say it.
Corrie Andrews was overweight and unfit, he fell over numerous times a game and just didn't fit into the Johnson mould. There's undoubtably a good footballer in there, but wrong time and wrong manager in charge for us.

knightmaregull wrote: ↑10 Mar 2023, 22:06 A perpetual head scratch for me has been the youth team / young pros. To not have had a single lad break through or even be given a real fighting opportunity of a place in the first team is puzzling. Olaf splits opinions but mine is he's never had a proper chance and renewing his contract this year seems odd. Moyse looked quality in the little I saw of him. Surely when judged against the inept folk playing around Lapslie he would have done better, ir at least shown if he can cut it?

happytorq wrote: ↑10 Mar 2023, 19:16 that probably speaks to the issue we have with budget though, doesn't it? We're not giving players 3 year contracts very often - it's either 1 year or 2 year. So that means players can leave for free at the end of those contracts. Little, CLE, Cameron, Nemane. All examples of players who've done that. I believe we'd have got some money for Lewis since we did offer him a new deal but he was under 24, though.

Of course, if we were giving out 3 year contracts and those players were on them...that's only fine if they turn out to be good. What happens if Little gets injured for another year, for example. so, while I agree with you in principle I don't think it's as easy as "sell some players", particularly as we don't have the kind of youth set up that Exeter does (because we're out of the league now).

GJ is definitely a wheeler-dealer type, though - and he does not seem to trust any of the young players we have under contract - Kozsela, Moyes, Slough; in theory these are the players who could turn out t o be good and end up getting us a few kid when we sell. Instead they're farmed out to southern league sides.

dawlishmatt wrote: ↑08 Mar 2023, 08:32 I can't believe that some people are starting to attach some of the blame on the owner for the current plight of our beloved football club. When Osborne took over the club, he had a 5 year plan which included getting Torquay back into the football league. For various reasons, including the covid pandemic, the 5 year plan has failed to become a reality. Don't forget however that Torquay failed by a penalty kick a few years ago to reach the promised land.
Since then we have been up against clubs such as Wrexham who do not win promotion, they simply buy there way into the football league. Wrexham have 4 players on over 4 grand a week in their squad. At present at least 20 clubs have zero chance of automatic promotion. You cannot expect Clarke Osborne to compete with such teams. Yes, Osborne has failed to act by sacking the manager, something he should have done last year but you have to remember it's George Edwards who is responsible for running the club not Osborne. Goodness knows how much the owner has wasted on the club, my guess is around 6 million. What more do you expect him to do?
I haven't counted the number of players Johnson has used this season, my guess is that it must be around 25. Also don't forget the waste of money being spent on an assistant manager and the shambles that is Peter Johnson.
We also have players out on loan, how many seasons has Olaf Koszela who is a full time professional aged 20 years old whose wages are eating into the budget. Koszela made his debut for the club during the 2018/2019 season and 4 years later he has only played 20 times for the club. " he's one for the future" says the manager, I'm surprised that Edwards has allowed this to happen.
So please stop blaming the owner, the predicament of my beloved Torquay United is down to one man, Gary Johnson.