Get a grip

[Richinns]

We are four games in!

Granted we have not hit our stride but the overreaction by some is laughable. It is not like we have lost all the games either! (won 1- should have been 2 but for a large slice of misfortune).

People expectations also seem to be way higher than what the playing budget can reasonably be expected to deliver. Barrow (for example) have double (+ more) the playing budget of ours. On playing budget we are probably a bottom half team again - and that is where we currently are. I expect us to pick up and for Nicho to deliver a decent return but currently the chances are against him turning us into a top five outfit which seems to be what some expect.

In some realms of social media interaction (noticeably more on other forums I don't post on and on Facebook) some are already starting to target the manager. I just don't get it! He is the biggest thing going for us currently and in honesty the guy keeping this club together. Show some respect and some realism!

[brucie]

Its got nothing do with being realistic. Are Sutton a bigger club than us? no there not and they are part time to boot. Given that we couldn't compete with them, then there are grounds for being worried.

We are not playing any good teams at the moment so we have to pick up points - if we hit the bottom of the table the likelihood is that we will stay there. A repeat of last years escape won't occur because last years team is at least twice as good as this years.

Our defencesive line up looks abysmal - another defeat against those non league giants North Ferriby looks a distinct possibility. God elp us when we play the likes of Tranmere and Forest Green.

[PhilGull]

Where does all this 'playing budget' stuff come from? Do all the clubs publish their wage bills and transfer kitties?

As for calming down, I do understand where some people are coming from - there is a certain level of expectation for a club like ours in a league like the Conference. It's the same as the fans of the big Premier League teams moaning because they haven't challeneged in a while and lowly Leicester beat them to the title last year. I don't however understand anyone having a go at Nicho, support the manager and his team, if you must have a go at someone have a go at the board who waste money on crap like Yellowfest!

[Gloomy Gull]

......that's some advice for Brendan - he does seem to be spilling a few this season !!!!

[numpte]

....but he was TUs best player on Tuesday night.

The team that started last season wasnt the team that ended it, plenty of pups in the first few months of the season played for us and im sure the team will evolve this time around as well.

[Gloomy Gull]

It was a tongue in cheek comment - he is a good quality keeper at this level.

[Gullscorer]

I can understand Brucie's point, but he's wrong, and I agree with Richinns, because we're only four games into the season, and it's impossible to make any judgements at this stage as to where teams will end up next April. And to all those who criticise Kevin Nicholson, I challenge them to name another manager who could have kept us up last season and who could do as well as Nicho is doing now on the budget available. We owe him huge gratitude and respect.

It's true that promotion for us is currently a distant dream; so too were Leicester's thoughts a year ago of last season's Premier League title. We may well be heading for mid-table mediocrity or even a lower half finish; and given the state of the club's finances, it may take us a few seasons to climb the tables and up through the Leagues. But pessimism and negativity never won anything. If that attitude had prevailed with Team GB, they would be coming home with no Olympic medals, despite all the Lottery funding they received. And Leicester City has shown that dreams are not impossible.

It took Nicho four months after taking over as manager to form a squad capable of beating relegation. It could take him as long to develop a successful squad this season, which would still allow time to challenge the top teams or go on a good cup run. There may be relatively few pessimists and critics (at least I hope so) but why should he and the players bother, if people moan and criticise even at this early stage? They deserve our full support, from now right through until the end of the campaign.

[brucie]

In your opinion I'm wrong. I havn't criticised Nicholson at all but surely its obvious this current team isn't a patch on last season. We havn't any cover anywhere in the team - least of all in defence or up front. The only striking option is the atrocious Jamie Ried.

Now we have signed Chamberlain who I have seen play and is as far off this level as Sean Finch. If that is the best we can do we are as good as relegated already.

The team is better than the one that started last season but is it really likely that Nico is going to find a Nathan Smith, Macdonald or Dan Butler to shore up the holes in our defence. Unlikely.

[Colorado Gull]

Criticism on each game as it goes is fine. I've been to every game so far and the two away games were absolutely appalling, Sutton being worse than Macclesfield! However, it's not all doom and gloom because we're only four games in. Will we be fighting for promotion? Probably not, I'd love to be proven wrong. Our budget is as low if not lower than last season, we don't have any investment coming in, our realistic goal should be a mid-table Conference side (anything else then Nicholson needs a knighthood with a statue of himself built outside Plainmoor). Not what we all want in the slightest when TUFC fans can easily remember getting promoted with Burton and now look at how the two clubs went in direction. There's no denying that I fear for the future of the club. A mid-table Conference side will not bring in 2,100 fans every week (around the figure we need) and, as a business, will really struggle at 1,500 each week. Our job as fans is to get behind Kevin and the entire squad, they need our support more than ever; but don't let that allow you to not voice criticism, because the Macclesfield and Sutton games certainly deserved just that.

[Richinns]

In your opinion I'm wrong. I havn't criticised Nicholson at all but surely its obvious this current team isn't a patch on last season. We havn't any cover anywhere in the team - least of all in defence or up front. The only striking option is the atrocious Jamie Ried.

Now we have signed Chamberlain who I have seen play and is as far off this level as Sean Finch. If that is the best we can do we are as good as relegated already.

The team is better than the one that started last season but is it really likely that Nico is going to find a Nathan Smith, Macdonald or Dan Butler to shore up the holes in our defence. Unlikely.

This is all very premature IMO. You have never seen Gus's replacement kick a ball yet so judging whether he will be an adequate replacement is impossible. Gerring kept his place for the Sutton game as he was voted Man of the Match is the previous two games (a win and an unlucky draw). Gallifuoco now gets his chance to show what he can do.

We are not playing great at the moment and the two away trips have produced very poor performances but we are ONLY 4 games in. We have no divine right to beat the Sutton et als of this league and many more will get beaten by the teams such as them as they are all well drilled and fully fit. Part time no longer means what it did in previous eras and using that stick to beat the club with is just a little unfair.

[torq2u]

Brucie.

You are right. What an amateurish set-up this is - with numbers coming off shirts, 15-year-old bangers of buses breaking down, and the signing of park footballers. I agree. Nicholson is not up to the job. That's for certain . The players we have are crap. Absolutely. There is no budget to strengthen the squad, or buy AA membership for the team bus. Correct. Bristow's Bench is falling down; the crowds will dwindle, and the club will go into a steep demise. You're spot on. And all your insights coming while you keep your distance from any actual real-time action. Brilliant.

Now, what have I left out. Whatever it is, you've said it, time and time again. Thank you for enlightening the rest of us (except sycophantic Wivelgull who is already enlightened).

So, you see, there really is no need to repeat yourself repeat yourself ad nauseam. It's so BORING. Just let the rest of us (except Wivelgull, of course) get on with being Torquay SUPPORTERS. Which means worrying ourselves silly about the future whilst we experience the perpetual ups and downs in the life of this wonderful club.

OK?

[gullintwoplaces]

I take comments about the performance of players from those who HAVE seen the team play this season far more seriously than those who have not. I have seen the home games and, although there are some clear gaps of quality in the side, I feel we were unlucky not to win both games. My concern was the overly frequent aimless big boot out of defence, the overhitting of the ball and the lack of speed. But there were positives. I haven't seen the away games, but the results speak for themselves.

I feel that Nicho is doing as well as can be hoped with very limited resources, and he doesn't deserve the criticism he is getting from some (non attending) fans. This isn't the best of times for Gulls fans, but the constant negativity from those who can't be arsed to go to games is sad.

Football fans expect a lot. I saw Arsenal fans calling for the head of Wenger after ONE game, and we hear the same from the Cornish down the road about their manager.

[Gullscorer]

Joe Ward has signed on loan from West Brom and is eligible for tomorrow's game. Midfielder.

[wivelgull]

A message from the Enlightened One: I agree with brucie!

[Plainmoor78]

A message from the Enlightened One: I agree with brucie!

Is Brucie your alter ego?