Should the club sack Alan Knill?

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 30 Dec 2013, 11:41

Or that he takes to drink like Ling did or goes wibble - which looking at him yesterday seems a distinct possibility.

hector · Post by **hector** » 30 Dec 2013, 11:52

Southampton Gull wrote:All you have is hope. Hope that he will resign.

Are you going to pay for his contract to be terminated? If you were in his shoes and moved your family down south would you then resign a few months later and risk the financial stability of your family?

No, if I was Knill I wouldn't resign but I would be tempted to negotiate a settlement rather than endure what he must be enduring. Asking supporters if they would pay for his settlement is ridiculous. It is if by saying that the argument for keeping him is won. The club will lose far more money by keeping him.

If the argument for keeping him is a financial one, does that mean we are supposed to put up with another season of Knill after this one, if he has a 2 year contract? Even if we are in the conference? I can't imagine too many people would rush to renew their season tickets. I certainly would not be if Knill has taken us down and is still in charge.

Again, asking me/supporters if they would pay off Knill. Well, it wasn't us who awarded him a 2 year contract. Perhaps those that did, need to take a hit, or else we all stand and watch while the club gets dragged down again thanks to the stupidity of those who appointed him in the first place.

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 30 Dec 2013, 12:02

Fair response. I'm not saying your viewpoint is wrong but the point is the Board appointed him and until they can afford to replace him all we can do as fans is get behind him and the team. The concensus of opinion is that currently we're not. The Board might be reaping what they sow but as fans we are doing the same. The majority seemed to want rid of Ling, how many now wish he had been given a chance to turn things around?

wodger of awabia · Post by **wodger of awabia** » 30 Dec 2013, 12:13

hector wrote: No, if I was Knill I wouldn't resign but I would be tempted to negotiate a settlement rather than endure what he must be enduring. Asking supporters if they would pay for his settlement is ridiculous. It is if by saying that the argument for keeping him is won. The club will lose far more money by keeping him.

If the argument for keeping him is a financial one, does that mean we are supposed to put up with another season of Knill after this one, if he has a 2 year contract? Even if we are in the conference? I can't imagine too many people would rush to renew their season tickets. I certainly would not be if Knill has taken us down and is still in charge.

Again, asking me/supporters if they would pay off Knill. Well, it wasn't us who awarded him a 2 year contract. Perhaps those that did, need to take a hit, or else we all stand and watch while the club gets dragged down again thanks to the stupidity of those who appointed him in the first place.

I doubt if any Championship, L1 or L2 clubs could have afforded to sack their managers, but plenty have done it, & done it in good time. By the time that we get round to it it will most likely be too late for the new man to keep us up.

kevgull · Post by **kevgull** » 30 Dec 2013, 12:38

Certainly not, League 2 football is far too expensive

Looking forward to saving a quid or 2 next year!

frenchgull · Post by **frenchgull** » 30 Dec 2013, 13:11

Alan Knill will not leave Torquay until the end of January.If the results go well,the odd win,a draw or two or not getting hammered,the board will keep faith in the hope that two other teams will do worse and fingers crossed we end up third from bottom.If we loose every game perhaps with a draw or two then he will go with the hope that someone will keep us up with three months of the season left.What we need is a new board,easier said than done,but this lot,with the exception of the Chairwoman,seem hangers on's with some delusion that being a board member of a football club gives them some creadence/one upmanship with all their friends and relatives.In business you need very strong leadership,think of Alan Sugar,people who act rather than react,but then we are Torquay so look forward to the struggle.

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 30 Dec 2013, 15:33

For the past four years or so Bristol Rovers have been sacking their managers around this time of year, but after four or five managerial changes they are still a struggling League Two club. This season, they won't sack Ward, nor should they. To do so would be even more of a gamble.

And the same goes for Torquay. To sack Alan Knill and bring in a new manager would do nothing to change our fortunes for the better, because our final league position at the end of last season depended on good fortune as much as the managerial abilities of Alan Knill, and the same will apply this season, whoever is in charge. And do the Gulls' board really have it in them to recognise a good new manager when they see one?

It's not a happy situation, but if the club cannot afford any extra expenses now, we have no choice but to stick with what we have, and focus on fully supporting the team. After all, the manager and the squad are doing their best, but if they feel we don't care, why should they? Compared with some other clubs, apart from a loyal hard core, we're a lousy load of supporters at the best of times. Let's show them we deserve a Football League club.

budleigh · Post by **budleigh** » 30 Dec 2013, 15:53

What we need is a new board, easier said than done, but this lot,with the exception of the Chairwoman, seem hangers on with some delusion that being a board member of a football club gives them some credence/one-upmanship with all their friends and relatives...

And that sort of comment is probably the reason that the directors take very little notice of what is written on fans' forums. Absolute rubbish with seemingly no thought put into that comment whatsoever.

rooster · Post by **rooster** » 30 Dec 2013, 18:08

frenchgull wrote:Alan Knill will not leave Torquay until the end of January.If the results go well,the odd win,a draw or two or not getting hammered,the board will keep faith in the hope that two other teams will do worse and fingers crossed we end up third from bottom.If we loose every game perhaps with a draw or two then he will go with the hope that someone will keep us up with three months of the season left.What we need is a new board,easier said than done,but this lot,with the exception of the Chairwoman,seem hangers on's with some delusion that being a board member of a football club gives them some creadence/one upmanship with all their friends and relatives.In business you need very strong leadership,think of Alan Sugar,people who act rather than react,but then we are Torquay so look forward to the struggle.

A bit harsh, I think you will find its the Chairwoman that is keeping him here...............

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 30 Dec 2013, 18:50

budleigh wrote:
And that sort of comment is probably the reason that the directors take very little notice of what is written on fans' forums.

They've proved over the years that you're wrong on that score.

budleigh wrote:
Absolute rubbish with seemingly no thought put into that comment whatsoever.

Back to agreeing totally

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 31 Dec 2013, 09:19

I think January will tell a lot. It seems like Knill has learnt a lesson and perhaps in private has admitted he got things wrong. In the summer he assembled a squad to play a particular brand of football in a very rigid 4-4-2 system. We have now seen that change and results are starting to improve. I am now waiting to see what happens in January. If he is allowed to shuffle the deck then I think he will be here until at least the end of the season. IF we see a different type of player arrive who will help the change to a different style of play then I may be a little happier with him, if we finally see something approaching a Eunan replacement come through the door then I will be delighted!
My main worry is that the board will back him and he will then go back to plan A and look for more players to play his poor 4-4-2 system.
It's difficult from the outside to say either back him or sack him. Assuming he is saying the right things to the board I think they are right to continue with him for the time being.

Post by **oxgull** » 31 Dec 2013, 10:16

Well that's the frustrating thing! The club has to stick with AK and, to be fare, there has been some improvement but we still fall to those ever present defensive errors that are regularly costing goals. I didn't go to the Exeter game but the reports seem to state that we weren't too bad, just bad errors and a wonder strike but how long can we keep saying that before its trapdoor time and we are consigned to non league oblivion.

I just hope the board are right on this one otherwise its Forest Green Rovers and Brackley Town (up through the play offs in Conf North), no money, youth set up, etc, next season and home gates of around 1,000 disgruntled fans.

Saying that I went to see Brackley Town draw 1-1 with Leamington on boxing day. My old mate Ray Styles is one of their directors. 600 fans and no atmosphere but a friendly little club all the same. Please don't consign us to that though!!! The opposing fans migrate around the ground at half time. Bus shelter for a covered home end and It really is NON LEAGUE.

Post by **Trojan 67** » 01 Jan 2014, 16:58

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » 01 Jan 2014, 16:59

If its going to happen it has to happen before the weekend to give anyone coming in half a chance to do some dealings.

But of course, if we are to give Knill the boot that will likely blow the budget out of the water so we'll just have to hope that someone else can do better with the players we have.

Post by **Scott Brehaut** » 01 Jan 2014, 17:03

I was clearly a little bit premature with the humble pie a couple of weeks ago.

Two derby defeats back to back - crap strike force. Totally reliant on loanees. Defenders suddenly forgotten how to defend.

Taxi for Juan.

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