Mixed messages/singing from the same hymn sheet.

[Dave]

There is no doubt this season so far has been very disappointing , results and performances have not been up to where any of us , from the board to coaching staff, players and fans alike expected they would be. I think it’s fair to say we all share the same frustration.

The one thing that has bugged me the most is since late November we have seen a host of interviews from Simon Baker and Martin Ling. First we see Simon Baker talk about the club being ready to push on and invest in the team http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/Torqu ... story.html, followed by Lingy say we must make sure all players fit the budget http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/Torqu ... story.html. Then we see Simon Baker talk about the board wanting to steer the club in a controlled way towards league 1 football http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/TORQU ... story.html, and following what can described as one of the most disappointing performances under Lingy, Martin Ling once again talk about the clubs lack of money. So for more than a month now we have seen the first team manager and club chairman not really singing from the same hymn sheet. How can than be right?

We want to attract more fans to the club, and Simon Baker is spot on in going public talking up the clubs ambitions. My message to Martin Ling is simple coming out in public and constantly referring to the club’s lack of money and not being able to sign players in January is a massive “PR” mistake, the majority of us Gulls fans are well aware of that and we do not need telling, and you must learn to rise above the odd moron who shouts at you.

When you have the manager referring to the budget in this way then rumours will fly also, yesterday we saw a small number of posts which I found disturbing, these posts suggested that the club were making massive loss’s and the club didn’t have a pot to piss in which would lead some believe the club was about to fall a fiscal cliff along with the good old U.S.A, These rumours are both dangerous and maybe wide of the mark. I have no inside information just the ability to read between the lines, for a start our current attendance levels are no lower or higher now than at this point during the last 3 seasons, I do not believe the board would have budgeted for a higher attendance level, money earnt from the F.A cup is a bonus I do not believe our board would have been stupid enough to budget against getting to the second or third round of the F.A cup, couple that with the recent raft of public articles from Simon Baker talking about the club being ready to move on. Whilst we are well aware myself included that the club does work of a limited budget think it’s fair to say the club is not in any way about to go into financial meltdown.

Further proof of this is in the recent loan signing of Angus Mcdonald, and Martin Ling who last week spoke about looking for a tall striker in January, if this comes off clearly going to be a loan signing rather than permanent. I have posted a number of times there was money in the pot for loan signings now confirmed by Martin Ling http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... .aspx.Also wonder with 16 players I believe out of contract and the club in no rush it seems to offer new one's are we going to see a squad shake up for next season?

I have been highly critical on team performances that’s just me trying to be honest about what I see, I however I am very proud of what our club has become over the last 4 years and thank the board for making that happen. I also believe our club is in very safe hands.

[AustrianAndyGull]

[supergulls]

Sometimes it could be just a cash flow problem with two recent home games called off in December we have had no money coming in but wages still have to be paid. I don't see it being a long term problem as once the games are replayed we will gain the revenue back.

[Mav]

I would suggest what is probably more disturbing is that with the current level of football being played(bloody awful at that). If this continues along this vain for the rest of the season, the downturn in supporters coming through the gate will continue in a downward trend. Surely it would be wise to invest in wages to bring in a couple of loan players and turn the teams fortune around with a view to keeping these supporters at games. I'm a season ticket holder and i find myself increasingly not wanting to bother going to games due to the current tripe we are playing. I would suggest I am more likely to not renew my season ticket next year, but pick and choose which games I wish to attend rather than forking out £500+

[wivelgull]

I agree with Mr. Mav. It's the quality of the football this season which is the main point here. Surely the management can serve up something better than this? Having to drive a one hundred mile round trip to games I rarely question making the journey, but the performances this season have been so uniformly awful (with one or two exceptions) that I'm really doubting my motivation to go the Exeter game. Yes, we all like to win, but if, in losing, we have served up some good quality and exciting football, then even the most critical supporter will grudgingly admit to having seen a good game. Winning brings in the crowds, yes, but knowing that you're going to see a good game even if we lose keeps the floating fan (of which I am NOT one) at Plainmoor; In April I will celebrate my fiftieth anniversary of coming to Plainmoor and supporting United.

[Dave]

Yep understand cash flow, the biggest blow was losing the Exeter game it's likely we would have seen a 5000+ crowd for that game the club will have to factor in the cost of the postponement and take into account shift wokers and exiles who may not be able to attend the new date. However as said this game will be played and with an unexpected £10,000 (sky)coming in from City away any losses from this game will be in part made up.

MavGet excatly where your coming from, I dont intent this thread to turn into another "what can the club do to increase gates figures" They have that in hand, bristows bench should have helped increase gate figures up to now it has not in fact our current ave gates are about the same as Jan 2011 and 2012. This could well be down to the standard of football being played, the worry is if this continues the attendances will fall further, it's not all about winning or achieving 80% possession, but atleast dominate long periods of the game, force a number of corners, sting the gloves of the other teams keeper, overall we are not doing that no where near enough.

I have said it a number of times and mean it, I am no fan of bringing in loan signings for the sheer sake of it, however we have gone through the season with a large number of injuries mainly to our attacking options, thats when clubs in our postion that can not go out and sign players permanently here there and everywhere need to go into the loan market. Another problem to me is we as a club seemed to have wasted a large chuck of our budget signing Thomas Cruise what on earth was to point, he seems to offer nothing to the squad, he cant play at centre back, Nicho's had an up and down season, Cruise cant seem to challenge him for the left berth either, had we signed a left back /stroke centre back the money thats was allways in the pot for loan top ups could have brought in an attacking option for December rather than Angus McDonald.

Finaly I feel the chairman, Directors and team manager must get over the same message publicly, we have seen Simon Baker talking things up and the same time Lingy talking things down. Chairman says the clubs ready to move on to the next level, team manager says we cant we have no money..huh? We must stop as a club right through the management and down to the fans feeling so sorry for ourseves and constantly bleeting on about having no money, look at the likes of Aldershot, Morecambe and others who are working of the same even lower gate figures than us, dont see them bleeting on, just getting on with the job doing the best they can with what they have. We have to do the same.

[supergulls]

I don't agree with Tom cruise being a waste of money, when I have spoken to people at the club they all say he is a top quality player and I think he will be a fantastic aquirement for the future. From what I have been told he will start to become more prominent soon as nicho isn't getting any younger.

[Richinns]

I don't agree with Tom cruise being a waste of money, when I have spoken to people at the club they all say he is a top quality player and I think he will be a fantastic aquirement for the future. From what I have been told he will start to become more prominent soon as nicho isn't getting any younger.

Agree - Nico (rightly so) is holding that spot down but anybody who knows something from reserve games and from training will tell you Cruise is quality and Ling thinks very highly of him.

[supergulls]

Richins that is exactly what I'm hearing and the lad is just biding his time and maybe out of loyalty the change hasn't been made as yet but it will come and as Tom is a young lad he has time on he's hands. As you stated you only have to watch the reserve matches and I've spoken to a few of the players and he is very well thought of .

[Dave]

Please forgive me, I had not meant to suggest Cruise was a waste of money due to the player having a lack of quality or not being good enough. Us fans have talked a lot this season on the clubs lack of budget, and as we all know clubs in our position need squads with a fair number of flexible players in it, players that can cover two positions if needed of course.

In Thomas Cruise we could well have the most expensive left back in waiting in league 2, if our budget is so small then we simply cant have a quality young left back in the squad waiting for the player infont of him to retire, and thats is why I suggest he is a waste of money. Just to go off at a tangent here, think Nicho has had some very good games also think he has had his fair share of bad games aswell, Cruise surely could have/or can come in and give Nicho a rest.

[Richinns]

Please forgive me, I had not meant to suggest Cruise was a waste of money due to the player having a lack of quality or not being good enough. Us fans have talked a lot this season on the clubs lack of budget, and as we all know clubs in our position need squads with a fair number of flexible players in it, players that can cover two positions if needed of course.

In Thomas Cruise we could well have the most expensive left back in waiting in league 2, if our budget is so small then we simply cant have a quality young left back in the squad waiting for the player infont of him to retire, and thats is why I suggest he is a waste of money. Just to go off at a tangent here, think Nicho has had some very good games also think he has had his fair share of bad games aswell, Cruise surely could have/or can come in and give Nicho a rest.

No offence meant towards you Dave!
I suspect Nico will be given a rest if our form continues to be so poor. Not singling him out but in Cruise we have a more than adequate replacement waiting in the wings and it could be time to bring fresh faces (not that we have many!) into a side who are not performing.

[ferrarilover]

Blimey, I thought I was alone in realising the quality that Cruise has, glady, it appears not.

Matt.

[happytorq]

Blimey, I thought I was alone in realising the quality that Cruise has, glady, it appears not.

Matt.

No, you're not alone. Spoken to a few people at New England and they said he was great, they just couldn't guarantee him anything. (there are some bloody stupid contracts in MLS). Always thought he'd make a good player.

[ferrarilover]

Sorry, I've missed this, did the Revolution (is that right, NE Revolution?) try to sign him?

Matt.

[happytorq]

Sorry, I've missed this, did the Revolution (is that right, NE Revolution?) try to sign him?

Matt.

He had a two-week trial. I believe they wanted to take him on but it would have been difficult; not only financially (the Revs pay terribly, even compared with other MLS teams), but practically speaking - it would have been really had to get a green card for him. Lack of international experience, profile etc. To be honest I was surprised they even bothered giving him a trial, but I guess as he was looking for a club it didn't hurt them. I've spoken people closer to the team than me (I have a press pass for there but I don't go that often - it's 3 hours drive) and they seem to suggest the management and players were quite impressed.

Think MLS would be a really good place for young players to give it a go were it not for the tricky situations with immigration. Kerrea Gilbert (ex of Arsenal) had agreed a deal with Portland but they wouldn't let him in thanks to his criminal record (think it was a drink-drive thing).