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taxilady wrote:Manse ran around like a headless chicken for quite a long time before he left us

Nonsense. He spent most of the last 2 seasons trying to take on 2 or sometimes 3 opponents in the middle of the park, with little assistance from whoever else was in midfield. You know, the noted tacklers like Craig, Bodin, Chappel etc.
If you have one ball winner/tackler up against 2 or 3 opponents he's always going to struggle, no matter who it is. Lose the midfield and you lose the match (usually).
You've only got to look at the midfield this season to realise that. Young and Richards just get bullied off the ball far too easily and as a consequence, it just invites more pressure onto the defence.

Sunnysideup wrote: Nonsense. He spent most of the last 2 seasons trying to take on 2 or sometimes 3 opponents in the middle of the park, with little assistance from whoever else was in midfield. You know, the noted tacklers like Craig, Bodin, Chappel etc.
If you have one ball winner/tackler up against 2 or 3 opponents he's always going to struggle, no matter who it is. Lose the midfield and you lose the match (usually).
You've only got to look at the midfield this season to realise that. Young and Richards just get bullied off the ball far too easily and as a consequence, it just invites more pressure onto the defence.

Yay! Let's play 4-5-1 with three hard-tacklers and no creativity what-so-ever! Lee Mansell captained a side to relegation, while I am far from blaming him for it all to expect anything more than a twelve month contract on half his previous pay would have been crazy given we were becoming a Conference club.

I agree that Mansell was offered a deal that wasn't the same as he was on, and probably vastly reduced as most have said.

However I objected to that fact it was made out as if CH did not want Manse and chose for him to leave. This wasn't the case. CH wanted Manse here and therefore offered him a contract, he was only in a position though to offer what he did. This was based on budgets for this year, we were dropping down a division and the fact Lee was getting older and had not performed to the same level last season.

I think the time was right for club and player to part ways. Playing for a new club seems to have rejuvinted him somewhat, and you cannot object to him taking more money elsewhere at this stage of his career, much in the same way as when Branston left.

PhilGull wrote:
Yay! Let's play 4-5-1 with three hard-tacklers and no creativity what-so-ever! Lee Mansell captained a side to relegation, while I am far from blaming him for it all to expect anything more than a twelve month contract on half his previous pay would have been crazy given we were becoming a Conference club.

I would imagine that, if we hadn't had so many big earners still here this season, Manse would have stayed as he would have been offered a similar deal to what he was already on.

CH wanted him to stay but was restricted by his budget.

PhilGull wrote:Yay! Let's play 4-5-1 with three hard-tacklers and no creativity what-so-ever! Lee Mansell captained a side to relegation, while I am far from blaming him for it all to expect anything more than a twelve month contract on half his previous pay would have been crazy given we were becoming a Conference club.

Didnt seem to be a problem with Eunan playing alongside him. But then again, Eunan was also capable of tackling and winning possession back.

Lee Mansell left us to better himself and did it, he gave his all to Torquay and was an honest player. My friends in Bristol Rovers rate him and perhaps it was our manager not getting the best out of him.

arcadia wrote:Lee Mansell left us to better himself and did it, he gave his all to Torquay and was an honest player. My friends in Bristol Rovers rate him and perhaps it was our manager not getting the best out of him.

You really do hate Chris Hargreaves don't you. What's he done to you? Nicked your job or something? Are you Alan Knill?

Chris didn't do anything to Lee whatsoever - Lee will be the first to admit that he had a poor season by his standards last season, but then few people actually excelled.

The reason why Manse is doing well at Rovers, and would have done well here this season, is because the conference is probably now his level. It pains me to say it as he is my favourite player and I pretty much would have had his baby if I'd been capable ( ), but it is the truth. I've no doubt he will give his all if Rovers get promoted, as that is the type of player he is, but I think this is now his level and he will probably struggle next season if they go up.

Stop blaming the manager. He wanted Manse to stay, but his budget gave him little choice but to lose him really.

Scott Brehaut wrote: You really do hate Chris Hargreaves don't you. What's he done to you? Nicked your job or something? Are you Alan Knill?

Chris didn't do anything to Lee whatsoever - Lee will be the first to admit that he had a poor season by his standards last season, but then few people actually excelled.

The reason why Manse is doing well at Rovers, and would have done well here this season, is because the conference is probably now his level. It pains me to say it as he is my favourite player and I pretty much would have had his baby if I'd been capable ( ), but it is the truth. I've no doubt he will give his all if Rovers get promoted, as that is the type of player he is, but I think this is now his level and he will probably struggle next season if they go up.

Stop blaming the manager. He wanted Manse to stay, but his budget gave him little choice but to lose him really.

not sure about the baby stuff though, the fact both nicho and manse still live in Torquay suggests they gave it all to stay here. Would you have nicho back next season?

I believe that Manse has moved away from Torquay. Assume he's moved to/around the Bristol area. Nicho still lives in Torquay.

Mellow Yellow wrote:I believe that Manse has moved away from Torquay. Assume he's moved to/around the Bristol area. Nicho still lives in Torquay.

Indeed. The commute was just too much of a pain to be viable long term, despite liking the area.

yellowsmiffy wrote:Manse and Nico were two of the top few earners at the club, so with the other Knill lads on also decent money and contracts left to run - Hargreaves had to offer them much reduced contracts.

Manse is probably on something at Rovers similar to what he was on with us. Can't blame him for that, and can't blame Hargreaves either.

Not sure about Nico though - can't remember if we offered him a reduced deal or just let him go?? Unfortunately he really would have improved this current side, although I admittedly didn't think he would before the season.

You sure about that? I'm a great fan of Nicho, he did great things in his time here - but that last season? He was pretty woeful...

Nicho was poor at best at left back for a while before he left us. He was sussed by opposition as a weak link, players passed him to easily when in position and when out of position he would berate other players that were there too much too often for my liking.

His set piece kicks and throw ins were good but I would cringe every time he took corners as they were often wasted.

His first season with us was his best in my opnion but regardless of the above he served the club with dedication.

Let's face it Manse was a disaster last season both on and off the pitch, how he and Nico divided the dressing room was , IMO, the major reason for our problems last year. I hate to say it, or even think it, but I do wonder how Knill might have performed had all of the team been behind him.

leetufc wrote:I agree that Mansell was offered a deal that wasn't the same as he was on, and probably vastly reduced as most have said.

However I objected to that fact it was made out as if CH did not want Manse and chose for him to leave. This wasn't the case. CH wanted Manse here and therefore offered him a contract, he was only in a position though to offer what he did. This was based on budgets for this year, we were dropping down a division and the fact Lee was getting older and had not performed to the same level last season.

I think the time was right for club and player to part ways. Playing for a new club seems to have rejuvinted him somewhat, and you cannot object to him taking more money elsewhere at this stage of his career, much in the same way as when Branston left.

Mansell has proved that he's good enough, the problem was he played for bad managers. Yes he moved on because we could not afford his wages. Best of luck to him.

Nicho has been released after a season at Kiddy. But he has left with much less of a taste in his mouth than when he left here. Supporters were generaly supportive of him. I imagine he will be looking for another club at this level now.