Martin ling

[brucie]

Tauntongull is spot on with his post. Harsh reality but we don't owe Martin LIng a living, pure and simple.
Its likely that Lings illness affected his ability and judgement to do the job he was paid for even before he went sick.
Comparing Lings managerial record with Knills is also completely pointless.
When Knill took over we were a complete shambles. He bought in replacements which were better than what we had already.
Yes we had some poor performances but when the loan replacements were recalled, Knill has made the best of what he had left - no doubt about it, and he should be given huge credit for it.
And in the week when we were under massive pressure he has come up with the goods.
Barnet especially was won playing attacking football - we were hanging on that end but ultimately could have scored half a dozen in that game.
Ling is probably an amiable and good bloke. He did a good job in his first season here but the wheels were coming off long before he went sick.

[gurneygibbs23]

Knill has done an excellent job. Martin may not have had the support of the boards money, but he was not managing the team well. The form was already going down the pan, and he was not rectifying this. Knill has firstly added wisely then unfortunate recalls hampered this, but then got the best out of our 'usual' lot by getting wins over barnet and morecambe.

Knill appears to be a far better tactician and motivator, and the bloke is kicking every ball on the touchline.
Martin leant against the dugout waiting for mr un-knowhow taylor to advise... It would of taken us down.

Thankyou Alan Knill for even getting us this close to survival, one more point/just a single result going our way will preserve our league status.

Hope the club find a way for Martin & Taylor to leave with dignity, and appoint Knill & Brass.

[Dave]

I do not understand why some are indicating it's up to Martin Ling to decide whether he returns as Torquay manager or not, Really ? Surely thats a decision for the board to make.

Does Martin Ling really have a contract for next season, some are suggesting this bizare one year rolling contract is due for renewal in June, surely the club and Martin Ling have not signed up to a one year rolling contract that does not provide either party with any protecion, by having no end date when either party can walk away with out being in breach of contract. Otherwise whats to stop Lingy every June thinking they can't afford to pay me off so what the heck I will have another year, or on the flip side what if Lingy wants to walk away and the club could just auotmaticly renew the contract and leave Martin Ling in limbo. So please some one tell we have not signed Lingy up to a rolling contract that can be auotmaticly renewed by either side with out recourse, if that is the case then I have indeed been taken from a world were sanity is the order of the day, and dumped in a world were insanity rules the roost.

Martin Ling retuning as our manager to be honest fills me full of dread, don't get me wrong I am and remain a fan of his, anyone who has ever suffered from a stress-related illness will know there is no full 100% cure for it, you can keep the stress under control, keep it in the back ground so to speak, but once it's there it never goes away it becomes a life all about controlling it.

Martin Ling will have to win back some of the fans there is little doubting that, get of to a good start all will soon be forgotten, get off to a bad start playing the same turgid, dull football we were treated to this term, and I can see all hell breaking loose and the club once again firefighting the same siutation as the stress will ramp up very quickly on Lingy.

[gullintwoplaces]

I have sympathy with the folk that are worried about Lingy's return. We really don't know how this will work. Also think that Knill and Brass have done a good job to repair the damage.

However, we all have to remember that Martin is an employee of the club, subject to all the legislation implied by that statement. He has a contract, and the club have to adhere to it. This means treating Martin fairly and reasonably in the eyes of the law, also, potentially, taking account of the Disability Discrimination Act (which may apply, we don't know!). You can sack a manager that fails badly, you can sack a manager for a number of other things (such as hitting players), but you can't sack a manager for being off sick! If you do, you risk being taken to court and losing a shedful of money if the Disability Discrimination Act applies.

Overall, we should all be fair to Martin and the club. Martin may come back, may stay , we just don't know. It is not simple though, you can't just say sorry Martin we prefer Alan Knill, that way lies some serious problems.The club may find other ways of resolving this (e.g. compromise agreement if that is felt to be in the interests of both the club and Martin), but this may take time and it not be straightforward. It is possible also that he may return and do a brilliant job!

[RussianGull]

If this is true, and I'm not doubting you Supergulls - but football is a strange old game, how can we as fans accept Ling back into the fold when he hasn't said a word since January; not on the official site, not to the BBC, not to Sky, not to the HE.

For me the cheeky cockney act wore thin, I want someone in charge who lives in the area, not someone who heads off back to London every opportunity. That said, I wish him good health and IF he was to return as manager then good luck to him, but the second we start losing he better be ready for some serious stick.

[Plymouth Gull]

Martin Ling retuning as our manager to be honest fills me full of dread, don't get me wrong I am and remain a fan of his, anyone who has ever suffered from a stress-related illness will know there is no full 100% cure for it, you can keep the stress under control, keep it in the back ground so to speak, but once it's there it never goes away it becomes a life all about controlling it.

Martin Ling will have to win back some of the fans there is little doubting that, get of to a good start all will soon be forgotten, get off to a bad start playing the same turgid, dull football we were treated to this term, and I can see all hell breaking loose and the club once again firefighting the same siutation as the stress will ramp up very quickly on Lingy.

Nail hit on the head here. If he comes back, and gets off to a bad start (even as early as 5 games I reckon) the pressure will ratchet right up.

Still think this should be left until after Saturday though!

[PlainmoorRoar]

The reason there was no comment by ling to
Anyone was because he went AWOL!! Noone knew where he was! I'm in no doubt that the 'illness' was self inflicted and as for his contact well going by other things the board has done wouldn't be surprised if its gold plated for him!!

[Rivo_7]

From a purely football point of view I would see this as a disaster. We played shocking football which I feel limited the potential and ability of a squad which I believe to be much better than we have seen this season and with no plan B in place when it didnt work.

Also, if the rumours about his illness (it being alcohol related) are true then surely this would be a breach of contract? I know for a fact if I was unable to perform my duties at work due to alcohol then I would be out the door in a shot! I wish him no ill health and hope that he makes a full recovery from what ever has been wrong but if the rumours are true then I believe that the club owes him nothing in terms of continued employment!

[Gullscorer]

The reason there was no comment by ling to
Anyone was because he went AWOL!! Noone knew where he was! I'm in no doubt that the 'illness' was self inflicted and as for his contract well going by other things the board has done wouldn't be surprised if its gold plated for him!!

You sure about this? You know from proven fact or are you just believing rumour?

[Scott Brehaut]

From a purely football point of view I would see this as a disaster. We played shocking football which I feel limited the potential and ability of a squad which I believe to be much better than we have seen this season and with no plan B in place when it didnt work.

Also, if the rumours about his illness (it being alcohol related) are true then surely this would be a breach of contract? I know for a fact if I was unable to perform my duties at work due to alcohol then I would be out the door in a shot! I wish him no ill health and hope that he makes a full recovery from what ever has been wrong but if the rumours are true then I believe that the club owes him nothing in terms of continued employment!

So, maybe the rumours are not true then.

If he had breached his contract I'm sure things would have been sorted.

[taxilady]

I wish that this thread had not been started. We were all upbeat about being only one point away from safety, almost there; in fact, we might already be safe. Our players have learnt to fight again, & we've been getting used to supporting them in full voice & enjoying the football. We weren't even hugely downbeat about not having Rene for the final game. Now we're all fighting again, & a lot of us are downbeat or even angry that Martin Ling might be returning because we don't want to watch his 'style' of football again. I just wanted to look forward to the game on Saturday. Bad thread.

[wodger of awabia]

Welcome back Martin Ling, & thanks to A.K. for his reasonable, but not impressive stewardship.

A few of you seem to think that A.K. is our manager, this may be because the media have referred to him as the " Torquay Manager". This has never been the case & Temporary Manager should have been used by them,typical of the media to ba##s things up!
A.K. was engaged to "turn things around" & was reported to have extensive contacts to entice loan players to sign, if considered necessary. To be fair the two that we got were good signings but were recalled by their parent clubs. Plymouth, Barnet & other clubs also suffered from the recall clause. Well done Taylor for signing, Benyon, who was a season long loan. Obviously someone learnt from the Craig Stanley loan fiasco where he was not available for the play-off final at Old Trafford. It also appears that A.K. was not able to manage & had to bring in Chris Brass to help out.
It is just as well that Torquay's luck has changed, Bodens goal against Barnet should have been saved, & the Morecambe sending off, & comedy "own goal of the season" are what has saved our L2 status, & nothing to do with clever management. A lucky manager is always better than a good one ( stand up Paul Buckle! ). I assume that the posters on the Barnet Forum will be accusing T.U.F.C. of bribing the Morecambe goalkeeper.
Martin Ling has:
Got us into last seasons play-offs
Signed Olejnik, Howe,Saah, Downes & Jarvis all good business I.M.O.
Brought in mega bucks by selling Ellis, Olejnik & O'Kane
Extensive contacts in Scotland

Another thing that is annoying me is that the board were happy to elect Thea Bristow as Chairperson before this dreadful season has ended, thus giving her the opportunity to be "the woman who took Torquay into the B.S.P", surely she does not deserve this & the appointment could have been made at the end of the season.

[Rivo_7]

Scott you may well be right, the rumours could well be untrue but they seem pretty strong! I am not saying this to put a stain on his character as his private life is his private life but as he is in a position which directly affects thousands of others (the fans of the club) then some form of clarification as to why this period of absence has occured should be made if he is to re-enter his post as manager of Torquay United.

[Scott Brehaut]

Rivo_7 An announcement may be made, but I'm sure they won't do it until after this Saturday.

[Scott Brehaut]

I wish that this thread had not been started. We were all upbeat about being only one point away from safety, almost there; in fact, we might already be safe. Our players have learnt to fight again, & we've been getting used to supporting them in full voice & enjoying the football. We weren't even hugely downbeat about not having Rene for the final game. Now we're all fighting again, & a lot of us are downbeat or even angry that Martin Ling might be returning because we don't want to watch his 'style' of football again. I just wanted to look forward to the game on Saturday. Bad thread.

I concur.