Do you think Ling will be here next year?

[Plymouth Gull]

Now if you read what I say on here then you will know I'm not in the 'Ling Out' brigade that occasionally rears its head. I've always supported the bloke.

However, I pose this question to you. I'm not sure what his contract is like, I don't know if it's ending this year or next or if it's a 12-month rolling contract, but I do wonder if it is really what we need. I mean, the guy is still living in (or near) London, and I believe he doesn't take the training sessions during the week. Now I can't fault the guy for what he has done for our club, last year was an excellent 12 months of following the Gulls including the excellent run of form which saw us take 41 points from a possible 48 games or something daft. I have respect for him but commuting from London all the time must really begin to take it's toll, surely. That is a hell of a trek to be making a couple of times a week or whatever.

Something seems to have changed this year though, and I don't know what. Obviously we lost the key players like Bobby, Eunan and Ellis but we have replaced Ellis and Bobby (to an extent). However we aren't playing anywhere near as well as we were. The transformation we have seen on the pitch has been crazy, and not really in a good way. I don't know if they are doing the same things in training, but I feel we need a manager who is of a hands-on approach, someone who is based down here and accessible.

I really appreciate Ling's efforts for commuting down all the time, and if he could get a place down here then great, but, based on this seasons performances, I don't think I'd be too disappointed if he and ST did move on, come the season end, wherever we finish.

I know I might get some stick here for this, but fire away. I will still support the bloke as I have done, but I just feel that we would benefit from someone who is down here, rather than someone who's 3/4 hours away.

[bengull]

I think he will still be here, simply because I believe him to have had such an influence over initiating the off-the-pitch goings on (some of which have had a major detriment on his own transfer budget) that he wants to be around to see them come into fruition and reap the rewards of spending 2 seasons with relatively meagre playing resources. I am sure I heard somewhere that he lives with his brother in Exeter for some of the week, this might well be incorrect but your point remains that any sort of constant commuting isn't ideal.

I don't think he will be sacked because the squad by and large is all his own, and he has an awful lot of negotiations and sorting out to do in the summer. Then we will see if he really does have his 'fingers in many pies' I am expecting a pretty big overhaul in the summer to be honest, with so money out of contract, he has freedom to stamp his authority properly on the squad for perhaps the first time.

I have plenty of respect for the job Ling is doing, on the pitch isn't exactly enthralling at the moment, but off the pitch we have never been healthier, and with young talent coming through the future has never seemed so exciting, so I personally would be disappointed if he was to leave as I do not believe we would find someone so willing to tow the club's lines and policies and keeping the accounts above water. Added to this, just because this season is turning into a bit of a struggle, it should not for one moment erase nor compromise the monumental job he did last season, no-one gave the man a chance when he strolled into TQ1, in fact his appointment was led with mountains of horrific abuse, he was an arriviste. To turn us into near promotion candidates was a near miracle: he proved plenty of people wrong that season, it would be a shame if he did not back himself to do it again.

However, he has came under incremental pressure from fans both home and away, doubts have been turning to whispers, whispers have been turning into shouts, shouts into abusive and denigrating chants. It does seem he is unpopular amongst many of his fans, whether or not this would be enough to drive the man away I am not so sure, but I don't think you would be the only one ambivalent to him leaving.

One thing I would say though, is that part and parcel of being Torquay is the commute. We are at the a**e end of the country, miles away from the rest of footballing England, any manager (unless local legend) would require moving their entire family down here and relocating, so the problem may not just lay with the man, but the job? After all, I am more than sure Leroy commuted from Bristol daily, and Bucks did a lot of travelling too??, so perhaps it is just down to being one of the drawbacks of the job. Which he too would have to have weighed up at the start.

So personally I would be both surprised and disappointed if Ling wasn't here next season, and I probably expect to be in the minority with that view too.

[Dave]

According this article he splits his time between his home and staying with his brother in law in Exeter..http://footballleagueblog.dailymail.co. ... moted.html Scroll down to the bottom its just below the Mo Farah photo.

It appears he is still on a one year rolling contract, just with a pay rise..http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/New-T ... story.html

Barely stay awake right now, have a proper read of this tomorrow...

[Gullscorer]

I'm surprised this question has been asked. Martin Ling has been doing a great job on a very limited budget and, for long-term survival and success, a club needs stability, and should not be changing managers every time the team goes through a bad spell. And the fact that he is based in Hertfordshire for much of the time should not be an issue given our geographical location. When his kids are grown up and flee the nest, he may well decide to move down here; we must wait and see. But there are pros and cons. He may be doing a fair bit of travelling now to get to Torquay, but he is also currently in a great position to watch other games and players, and to have more frequent contact with other clubs and people in football. If and when he moves to this area he would have to travel much more to do this type of work which is, or should be, an important part of a football manager's job.

So get well soon, Martin, and carry on the good work...!

[gullintwoplaces]

I completely agree with Gullscorer, get well soon Martin Ling.

[supergulls]

Nick gull please don't post stuff when you really don't know the truth because all it does is bring negativity to the camp. Martin lives with his brother in law in Exeter. He takes part in every coaching session with Sean on a daily basis. He only goes back to london when the first team squad are not in, which are his days off so I don't see what's wrong with someone driving to see his wife and children when he's not at work. When the team play up north on a Saturday or near to london after the game he doesn't travel back to Torquay. He goes home and has Saturday night Sunday and sometimes Monday off. Then he's back in with the team on Tuesday. As the squad are not in Sunday or Monday I really can't understand what the problem is what Martin does in his free time.

[ROADRUNNER]

martin ling does live with his brother in law during the week and goes home at weekends, that is FACT, i believe he will be with us next season, and he will have a clear out at the end of the season, there will be a lot of players whos contracts are up at will not be renewed, martin has a list of players that he wants, if he can get rene to sign a new contract which he is working on hard at the moment then he will build around him. he is doing the best he can i believe on a tight budget.

[Colorado Gull]

This is a good thread to have, but I think we've got to get away from the 'where is Lingy' business. If at this present moment in time, we were playing well and near the top of the table with Lingy staying in London and staying with his brother in law in Exeter, we wouldn't think anything of it. So just because we haven't been playing well and currently in 18th place, shouldn't mean that the position of our manager should be discussed because of where he is situated.

The real matter of the situation is the 90 minutes of drivel played each week. Do I think Ling will be here next year? Unless we're relegated then yes Lingy will be here next year. The board won't want to change things if we're not relegated.

Do I want Ling here next year? Depends. If we keep playing this bleak style of football I won't be happy. However, if we do stay in the football league, we should wait for the summer and see what signings are made. If singings do happen I would like to see what happens and give Lingy a chance. If none are made, I'll be doubting Ling's career as Torquay Utd manager.

[JamieE]

Shaun Taylor said before the game it was weird not having Ling at training, so I don't think he misses many!

The owners and chairman have the club at heart, they aren't going to put us in danger to try and get out of the league. I will enjoy watching the clubs above do just that. Martin Ling is 100% the right man for this job right now, he is a smart man who knows what we are doing, building the club up from the bottom. If we go up, we want to at least have an attempt at sustaining it. The only way we can do that is if we invest in the facilities. If that means we have a few seasons of mid-table mediocrity then I will take that, that's what we've all craved for a few seasons after all, isn't it??

[bengull]

Nail hit on head, well said that man.

[gurneygibbs23]

yes i think he will be here.

A change of tactics and opportunity given to other squad players would be good to maybe boost our fortunes, as this current side that played yesterday in that way will go nowhere.

[AustrianAndyGull]

This is a good thread to have, but I think we've got to get away from the 'where is Lingy' business. If at this present moment in time, we were playing well and near the top of the table with Lingy staying in London and staying with his brother in law in Exeter, we wouldn't think anything of it. So just because we haven't been playing well and currently in 18th place, shouldn't mean that the position of our manager should be discussed because of where he is situated.

The really matter of the situation is the 90 minutes of drivel played each week. Do I think Ling will be here next year? Unless we're relegated then yes Lingy will be here next year. The board won't want to change things if we're not relegated.

Do I want Ling here next year? Depends. If we keep playing this bleak style of football I won't be happy. However, if we do stay in the football league, we should wait for the summer and see what signings are made. If singings do happen I would like to see what happens and give Lingy a chance. If none are made, I'll be doubting Ling's career as Torquay Utd manager.

For me personally Danny this is the most important aspect. I think Ling is doing a good job overall but if you are telling me he can't get that group of players to play some decent football now and again then words fail me. I think he will be here next year as the board trust him and he is working under certain constraints which he is happy to do but if the football doesn't improve massively next season, and i don't mean every week, just now and again would be a nice change, then i would be quite happy to see him leave after next season. Nothing against the man, as i've said he is doing a decent job but i can't watch any more of this 'bleak' football as you so effectively describe it.

[Colorado Gull]

The part you highlighted Andy, was supposed to say 'The REAL matter of the situation is the 90 minutes of drivel each week'. I've now edited that in my original post, stupid iPad corrected it and thought I wanted to say 'really' not 'real'. This is where technology has gone mad, everything's trying to make it SIMPLER for us human beings, where in fact it's actually making it more difficult! Writing a sentence and it decides what your next word is!? What!? From the words of Michael McIntyre it's like google. You search what you want and it comes up with 'did you mean' I knew what I freaking meant google!!

My goodness! I sounded a lot like yourself then Andy, so I'm going to calm down and get back to the topic! Your point you made, is quite right!

[AustrianAndyGull]

The part you highlighted Andy, was supposed to say 'The REAL matter of the situation is the 90 minutes of drivel each week'. I've now edited that in my original post, stupid iPad corrected it and thought I wanted to say 'really' not 'real'. This is where technology has gone mad, everything's trying to make it SIMPLER for us human beings, where in fact it's actually making it more difficult! Writing a sentence and it decides what your next word is!? What!? From the words of Michael McIntyre it's like google. You search what you want and it comes up with 'did you mean' I knew what I freaking meant google!!

• My goodness! I sounded a lot like yourself then Andy,

so I'm going to calm down and get back to the topic! Your point you made, is quite right!

That may be true Danny but i've NEVER in my life said 'My Goodness' mate! :na:

[Colorado Gull]

we all know that from your match day threads!