Shepherd Murombedzi.

[Southampton Gull]

Of course I understand frustration, it's impossible to be a Torquay fan without knowing a lot about that particular subject. What I dislike are suggestions that the current board want to be relegated, that they don't care, that they are weak etc etc. What they inherited was a total shambles courtesy of Bill Phillips and his cronies. What they have done is make tough but sensible decisions to keep the club going. People assume that appointing Nicholson was a mistake, I actually think he has the makings of a good manager, he certainly inherited a bunch of misfits that showed no desire to wear the shirt, no desire to improve their lifestyle and fitness and a bunch of players who simply didn't care about the plight of TUFC. He came in and realised that he had very few players he could trust and set about looking for players that would improve us.

We're in the shit because we've had to reign in the spending right across the club and the playing budget took a massive hit early on. We've had to live within our means without any wealthy benefactor and running costs were simply too high. The fact they've managed to reshuffle and get rid of the deadwood while hampered by having such limited finances is commendable but with their every decision being wrongly criticised I do wonder why they haven't simply walked away. Our fan base seems much happier being glass half-empty, I'd rather wait until their plans are seen through than jump ship because of financial hardship making things difficult.



Eddy, I know you are as passionate about the club as anyone but your scathing attack on Steve is unfair, he will feel as hurt as any of us by where we find ourselves now and you know that all too well. Surely we can all get behind them for the rest of the season, if we don't then it really is a case of watching the club die.

[DevonYellow]

I'll always support my club. If they end up playing in the South Devon League they'll still be the club I support.

I guess because I'm aware of some of the moves the club are making with regards to recruitment I'm not unhappy to see the backs of players who have proved all season long they aren't good enough or can be relied upon to act as professionals. Just because a player leaves it doesn't mean there isn't a strategy to see through, it just doesn't happen overnight. Breed and Phillips will be hurting as much as all of us but instead of giving up they are working non-stop to give us the best chance possible to beat the drop. The least we can do is support them when they need us the most.

I think that goes for all, at least most, of us on here. We all care deeply and that is why passions run high at times.

Having the "inside" information on these matters would undoubtedly make some decisions easier to understand. What annoys me most is seeing the club slowly dieing and everytime we (the fans) have the audacity to complain, question or just have a rant the line is be grateful to have a club and give us more time. Time is running out!

I actually think the manager, players and board are lucky to have a fanbase like ours.

Yes there are a few grumblings on mathdays and the internet but we've never turned on the players, like Villla for example, and they continue to get clapped off each home game. Gates are relatively high too.

Not reallly bothered with Shep going but what did they really expect when Marsh went. Us all to congratulate them on a fantastic turn of events? It doesn't mean we don't care, for me it's the opposite.

[Southampton Gull]

Marsh going was his own doing, he made sure the club had no option but to let him go and seek a replacement. Why do fans feel they have the right to criticise the club over a little shit like Marsh? Why would we keep a player who was unprofessional enough to scream at anyone in earshot that he wouldn't play for us again. Far better to be rid of him and bring in a player who is hungry to play for us.

Marsh is the one who should be taking the flak not the club.

[kevgull]

In a nutshell this might be why you dont understand the frustrations of many long time supporters. You are close to the regime, you are aware of things happening. Well we are not and the communication from the club is frankly poor. Is it any wonder when the Chairman hasnt spoken for months and all we see is a steady draining of the playing squad that we are worried for the future of the club we love.
When people like CP Gull, one of this sites most respected and sensible posters feels the need to question then maybe its time to take notice. I support Torquay United . Support for custodians is conditional on them doing the right thing by the club and its long history of professional football.
Hopefully as you say things will happen in the next few days to put our minds at ease as one thing is for certain, without reinforcements we are going down.

[Neal]

Of course I understand frustration, it's impossible to be a Torquay fan without knowing a lot about that particular subject. What I dislike are suggestions that the current board want to be relegated, that they don't care, that they are weak etc etc. What they inherited was a total shambles courtesy of Bill Phillips and his cronies. What they have done is make tough but sensible decisions to keep the club going. People assume that appointing Nicholson was a mistake, I actually think he has the makings of a good manager, he certainly inherited a bunch of misfits that showed no desire to wear the shirt, no desire to improve their lifestyle and fitness and a bunch of players who simply didn't care about the plight of TUFC. He came in and realised that he had very few players he could trust and set about looking for players that would improve us.

We're in the sh*t because we've had to reign in the spending right across the club and the playing budget took a massive hit early on. We've had to live within our means without any wealthy benefactor and running costs were simply too high. The fact they've managed to reshuffle and get rid of the deadwood while hampered by having such limited finances is commendable but with their every decision being wrongly criticised I do wonder why they haven't simply walked away. Our fan base seems much happier being glass half-empty, I'd rather wait until their plans are seen through than jump ship because of financial hardship making things difficult.



Eddy, I know you are as passionate about the club as anyone but your scathing attack on Steve is unfair, he will feel as hurt as any of us by where we find ourselves now and you know that all too well. Surely we can all get behind them for the rest of the season, if we don't then it really is a case of watching the club die.

[madgull]

I love how people are backing up suddenly and saying 'well you would feel better about it as you know that people will be brought in'. Does anyone with half a brain cell REALLY think otherwise? No, because we're all so upset and enraged that we couldn't possibly conceive, through our tear-streaked keyboard ramblings, that the board may actually have half a clue, despite saving us from fiscal oblivion. No, they're a bunch of complete no-hopers. "Ohhhh, but there's no communicaaattiioooonnn, waaahhhhh", yeah like you see ANY club laying out their plans in public other than vague statements. Of course, it doesn't matter if they DO put out statements, cos they STILL get criticised.

We should so have gone with the alternative...oh wait, that would be folding. Well, from the tone of many posters here, they'd rather see the club fold than suffer the personal ignominy of supporting a poor club who are doing poorly. Me personally, I thought that came as part and parcel of the Torquay United package.

[Jerry]

Marsh going was his own doing, he made sure the club had no option but to let him go and seek a replacement. Why do fans feel they have the right to criticise the club over a little shit like Marsh? Why would we keep a player who was unprofessional enough to scream at anyone in earshot that he wouldn't play for us again. Far better to be rid of him and bring in a player who is hungry to play for us.

Marsh is the one who should be taking the flak not the club.

Which brings us neatly back to the point Mattpuma made earlier.

You know these things but the rest of us don't.

[davidcaldwell123]

Its Kevin's job to make decisions, he's only human and will make mistakes and he will learn from them, the problem at the moment is the results are not going his way, no one would bother if we were winning every game. Managers are judged on results not media relations, personality or ongoing decisions, most managers have a strategy, the decisions along the way may confuse people, its only the case as they don't know the strategy.

I personally I think Kevin is on a longer term strategy to build a team with the right behaviours,I said before transitioning players in and out will take time to gel, so will finding a system to suit them. Some managers are not bad managers they just get the strategy wrong, if Kevin's strategy is longer term then he's doing a great job and it will provide the club with a great platform to get promoted if they go down, duel strategies tend not to work, if he has one this is where all the confusion is at the moment.

[Southampton Gull]

No, Jerry. Madgull makes the relevant point, most of the people posting are just writing emotional rubbish that does nothing but fuel more of the same.

I told everyone last year that Bill Phillips was causing us real problems , all I got was you and your ilk asking for proof which would have resulted in me breaking confidence with people who entrusted me with information. I could list a number of transfer targets but until the time is right you'll have to trust in those making the decisions. Steve Breed saved us close to six figures when he secured us a new training base, looks like he knows what he's doing to me.

We're close to signing a player once dubbed the fastest man in football, if he does sign then I'm confident we'll see results improve just like performances have.

[RussianGull]

That's not a typo is it SG? fattest instead of fastest? Are we resigning Akinfenwa?

[ferrarilover]

Adam Gemili? Obviously not, I was just pleased to have recalled his name.

Alternatively...

Could we really afford Arjen Robben?

Matt.

Added in 6 minutes 16 seconds:

You know these things but the rest of us don't.

By making this statement, you have to accept that 'these things' exist.

If they exist (as you accept they do) then we've little to fear and the hysterical ramblings of those with no idea must be dismissed as just that.

Matt.

[Jerry]

No, Jerry. Madgull makes the relevant point, most of the people posting are just writing emotional rubbish that does nothing but fuel more of the same.

I told everyone last year that Bill Phillips was causing us real problems , all I got was you and your ilk asking for proof which would have resulted in me breaking confidence with people who entrusted me with information. I could list a number of transfer targets but until the time is right you'll have to trust in those making the decisions. Steve Breed saved us close to six figures when he secured us a new training base, looks like he knows what he's doing to me.

We're close to signing a player once dubbed the fastest man in football, if he does sign then I'm confident we'll see results improve just like performances have.

Firstly "me and my ilk" weren't asking you to break any confidences at all. Simply saying that without knowing what you knew we couldn't have the same cast iron opinion on things that you had. I have no doubt that it is frustrating being privy to all of this kind of info but not being able to divulge it. I think sometimes you forget that most of us don't know all of these little bits of insider knowledge and expect us to respond as if we do.

Secondly, emotional rubbish is the stock in trade of football forums isn't it?

I don't think you will find anywhere that I have criticized Steve Breed and I'm sure he is doing his utmost and I will be there this season and the next and the next and the next..... to support whatever team he manages to put out.

Added in 13 minutes 57 seconds:

Added in 6 minutes 16 seconds: By making this statement, you have to accept that 'these things' exist.

If they exist (as you accept they do) then we've little to fear and the hysterical ramblings of those with no idea must be dismissed as just that.

Matt.

At the risk of sounding like Donald Rumsfeld - It's one thing to know these things exist but quite another to know what they are.

And anyway, the hysterical ramblings are the best thing about this place.

[Scott Brehaut]

As Donald Rumsfeld once said:

There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know

[ferrarilover]

Agree. Ramblings are stock in trade.

These are known unknowns. We know that we do not know what is going on, but we do that that SOMETHING is going on. Given that the only positive actions which occur are ones which aim to benefit us, we must accept that our lot will improve. Add this to the titbits given out by those for whom these are known knowns and we are forced to conclude that it's party time baby, yeah!

Matt.

[taxilady]

but breedy is sad & depressed on Facebook. We don't know if that's football-related or personal....