Foreign Links

[DevonYellow]

With the season over, and retained lists being prepared up and down the country, it allows us to ponder over possible signings and unearthed gems.

It got me thinking what happened to our links with St Vincent that allowewd us to bring in the legend that is Rodney Jack, and the more-than-capable Gregory Goodridge? There's is always something appealing about an exotic footballer, particularly at this level, and it would be great if we could find another Rodney. Does anyone remember who was doing the scouting in the caribbean?

And who could forget the amazing skills of Jean Pierre Simb signed from Paris something or other!

We also signed Jose Luis Mateu Pinto from CD Castellon in the mid 90s although he had much less of an impact! Great name though.

[usagullmichigan]

Khalid Chalqi

[Fonda]

Bruno Mereilles

[RussianGull]

Did we not have an Argentinian chap here for a brief stint (he may only have been on trial) I can remember my dad speaking Spanish with him after a friendly away at Newton Abbott, must have been around the 2000s?

[yellowarmygull]

I think the St Vincent / Barbados link came through touring teams from those regions playing at Plainmoor and Torquay inviting them back for trials / snapping them up!

I dont think Torquays scouting budget would allow for a permanent caribbean scout although I am happy to volunteer all expenses paid...........!!

[DTUFC]

Yellowarmygull's almost right. Rodney Jack joined Lambada FC, a club in St Vincent and the Grenadines, in the early 1990s. Lambada were managed by exiled Torquay fan Keith Millard, and he brought his team over to play a friendly against Torquay in 1995 in the hope that TUFC would be interested in some of his players. Jack stood out in the friendly, and the rest's history!

(http://thehomeofcaribbeanfootball.wordp ... ck-rodney/)

[portugull]

I keep telling everyone there are some fantastic players in Portugal earning peanuts who are way better than League 2 standard.

If we sign the right players we could make some serious money especially if they are strikers.

Many are from Brazil. Need I say more!

[Gullscorer]

We already have one Welsh footballer so Portugal is the logical next step..

[cambgull]

Did you forget Bodin or Craig, Gullscorer?

[AustrianAndyGull]

Obviously don't go near any Austrians unless they're goalkeepers but Gottskalksson aside i reckon we shoould be looking at Iceland for untapped potential. Basically their leagues are pants and because of that they regularly attract lower league players looking to get some experience. AJ Leitch-Smith of Crewe played there a few years back and many other English/Scottish players have done the same. The flip side of that though is that the Icelanders that come to England or other smaller European leagues do amazingly well for a country as big as Newton Abbot racecourse. They are skilful, athletic, strong and talented and so we should be looking to partner up with teams like Stjarnan, KR, IBV Vestmannaeyar, Keflavik and other miniscule Icelandic teams with superb sounding names.

Go to Iceland, it's the future ( as long as Kerry fecking Katona isn't there! ).

[Gullscorer]

Did you forget Bodin or Craig, Gullscorer?

Craig: for some reason I thought he was Scottish.. :Oops:

[Plymouth Gull]

I remember the French revolution of 2005. Great times.