callum ball to stay?

[Behind-the-Gulls]

On reflection i may have been a tad unfair to Ball. I don't necessarily think he is a bad player but just that at this moment in time from what we have seen i don't hold the opinion he warrants a starting berth over Hawley or Benyon. He has scored just twice, one a massive deflection and one a pretty regulation finish although they all count. He has had some cracking afforts at goal but so has Bodin for example when he cracked one against the bar at Morecambe so most players have. What he has shown me personally in the 3 games I've seen live plus highlights of others and reports makes me come to the conclusion we have better options, long term options than him.

I accept that he may need more time to show what he can do but we find ourselves going down that road again don't we. A loan player (unless it is for a season or more) really needs to hit the ground running, we cannot be waiting around for them to 'find their feet'. Azeez comes in and bang, a goal already and a great impact and he has only played 30 minutes or whatever for us. If we have someone on loan for a month or two then they need to start ideally like Azeez has done but if not certainly be a lot more effective than Ball has been.

We've got players contracted to TUFC that can do a better job than Ball so no offence to him but i'd rather see them in the side on the basis of what I've seen so far.

In addition i also agree with Matt when he says he is just not his cup of tea. I can't quite put my finger on it but that is exactly how i feel about Ball.

As others have said though, if he is completely free then keep him here as a back up option.

[brucie]

Is Azeez a winger or a striker. It seems to me that Knill has been playing Ball every week to appease his parent club - otherwise he would surely have been dropped by now.
If Azeez is as good as everyone is saying he is going to go straight into the team on saturday, but whose place is he going take?

[wivelgull]

Brucie is right. I'm certain that when Ball was signed there was mention that part of the deal was that he played in every match.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Brucie is right. I'm certain that when Ball was signed there was mention that part of the deal was that he played in every match.

This cannot be true as that would make Knill a total imbecile and I don't believe he is that stupid.

No truth in this whatsoever. (I hope ).

[PhilGull]

I doubt there is anything written down to say he has to play every game but this is the usual understanding with loan moves, that they get to play as many first team games as possible.

[Dave]

Total ballhooks, no way have we loaned, or any club loans a player in, on the understanding they play every game, of course the parent will want the player to be involved but would never insist on the player playing every game.

In Callum Ball we have player who actually played 29 senior Championship games scoring 3 goals, he also played 21 times for Coventry last season scoring 3 times in cup games including a goal away at Arsenal. If I were a League 2 manager, yes I want him around my set up, and frankly not sure want some you have watching, this lad has something, his career his been interupted by injuries, however no doubt in my mind at 20 he will go on to be a big succsses.

[ferrarilover]

I think it's probably unlikely, if only because such a clause would be so difficult to administrate in law. The wording of the agreement would have to both very specific and necessarily vague at the same time. Also, it simply isn't a good idea to play a guy every week regardless. If he's knackered, not well, not training right etc, then he can't be played. I think he's getting the game time he is because, although he isn't very good at the role, he is the most likely target man we've got and the other strikers in the squad thrive on that.

I disagree with Dave, I don't think he'll make it in the big time because he isn't enough of an athlete. He is the slowest grown man I've ever seen (I work in an old peoples' home), he is tall but hopeless in the air and he isn't good enough at anything else to be allowed to get away with such an acute lack of pace. He might make it in the pro game, but not at any real level beyond where he is right now.

Matt.

[brucie]

Got to agree with that - its an accurate summing up.

[ferrarilover]

For those concerned, no need to worry, I've called down and Hell has indeed frozen over. :~D

Matt.

[Scott Brehaut]

It's been frozen for years if you believe Dante

[Lloyder5]

For those concerned, no need to worry, I've called down and Hell has indeed frozen over. :~D

Matt.

Do Brucie and Wivel live in the home where you work?

[hector]

Total ballhooks, no way have we loaned, or any club loans a player in, on the understanding they play every game, of course the parent will want the player to be involved but would never insist on the player playing every game.

In Callum Ball we have player who actually played 29 senior Championship games scoring 3 goals, he also played 21 times for Coventry last season scoring 3 times in cup games including a goal away at Arsenal. If I were a League 2 manager, yes I want him around my set up, and frankly not sure want some you have watching, this lad has something, his career his been interupted by injuries, however no doubt in my mind at 20 he will go on to be a big succsses.

[hector]

It's a squad game, a club can't just have 11 players. That said, I see why Ball was signed, he's just never quite turned out to be the player Knill thought he was. We have plenty of players to do the Ball thing, we could do with someone to do what Ball doesn't (but looks as though he should).

You wanna be careful Hector, you'll have Tezza after you for having a go about Bennerz.

Matt.

I'll chance my arm!

[gullintwoplaces]

Brucie is right. I'm certain that when Ball was signed there was mention that part of the deal was that he played in every match.

I don't know if anybody remembers the episode in Father Ted where Father Dougal McGuire (played by the wonderful Ardal O'Hanlon) got very confused between dreams and reality. It seems to me that some of the usual suspects on this forum have been playing too much Football Manager, and they now believe that the mad thoughts they have at 4 in the morning ( :sleep: ) are actually real.

There are plenty of examples of this: the comment above from Wivelgull; the nonsensical comment from Yellowmonkey who stated that the Gulls have a bigger playing budget than the successful teams in League 2 (sadly no evidence, as you cannot post links to dreams); many of the comments by Brucie, based on dreams about games that he did not go to. Father Dougal syndrome is alive and well on the Torquay Fans Forum. Remember, dreams are not reality and reality is not a dream.

[Sunnysideup]

In Callum Ball we have player who actually played 29 senior Championship games scoring 3 goals, he also played 21 times for Coventry last season scoring 3 times in cup games including a goal away at Arsenal. If I were a League 2 manager, yes I want him around my set up, and frankly not sure want some you have watching, this lad has something, his career his been interupted by injuries, however no doubt in my mind at 20 he will go on to be a big succsses.

Reading that you would think he was an established player at a higher level.

If you want to be accurate, he managed 6 league starts for Coventry last season, a (very) struggling team, scoring 0 goals. If he couldnt hold down a starting place there, that doesnt exactly speak too highly does it?

As to his Derby record, 12 league starts in 2 1/2 years doesnt shout established player either.

I'm afraid I have to agree with Matt again. He doesnt look to have enough in his locker to play any higher than L2/BSP level.
Maybe he will turn out to be another Rickie Lambert. I doubt it though on what i've seen this season.