Jeff wrote: ↑21 Aug 2017, 18:41
Bit concerned with the lack of information so far on who is tipped for the job. Normally somebody on here would have the inside track on who the candidates are, but aside from Chris Todd I'm not aware that anyone has publically linked themselves or been linked in the press to the job
No gossip from inside the club these days because all the sources that posters had inside Plainmoor have left.
I am actually pleased there hasn't been an appointment yet. If it was going to be one of the cheapo options mentioned (Tully, Todd, Herrera, Harrop etc.) I would imagine it would have been signed and sealed by now. So the longer we wait the more hopeful I am that they are actually putting some thought into it.
Already Wilkinson has been linked with the vacant manager’s position at Torquay United, and Wilkinson said: “I do want to move on a level.
“There’s a few little things in the pipeline but nothing certain and I may be taking a gamble.
“But I won’t be out of the game for long."
Taken from 'Newbury Today' local newspaper for Hungerford Town...
Seems quite promising, and tbf the man looks like a possessed pitbull, something we need!
smw1989 wrote: ↑21 Aug 2017, 21:29
Already Wilkinson has been linked with the vacant manager’s position at Torquay United, and Wilkinson said: “I do want to move on a level.
“There’s a few little things in the pipeline but nothing certain and I may be taking a gamble.
“But I won’t be out of the game for long."
Taken from 'Newbury Today' local newspaper for Hungerford Town...
Seems quite promising, and tbf the man looks like a possessed pitbull, something we need!
Have we actually created a media story? I don't remember Wilkinson being linked anywhere other than on the 2 Torquay forums.
If we do go for him it'll be a risky appointment but precisely the kind of appointment we should be looking at. Looking at Wilkinson's record with Hungerford is oddly similar to the Cowleys at Concord.
Risky in what way; surely not as risky as gifting the job to favoured old players with no managerial experience whatsoever.....
Wilkinson has managed three clubs ~ Henley, Milton United; and for the past seven years, Hungerford Town ~ coached in the Reading Academy and brought little Hungerford up three levels to the glass ceiling they currently exist under due to ground restrictions.
I would say that more than blows the CVs of the likes of Chris Hargreaves and Kevin Nicholson out of the water!
Last edited by merse btpir on 21 Aug 2017, 23:35, edited 1 time in total.
I doubt we'll back him in the same way though. Cowley was able to spend £50k on a centre-back, Sean Raggett from Dover, and go round signing the best players from many other National League Clubs, including his previous side Braintree. In that respect it was a remarkably similar scenario to Paul Buckle ten years ago - transfer fees to spend at a time not many other non-league sides did, and brought in a lot of players he knew to be proven at this level from his previous side Exeter, who like Braintree had been in the play-offs the year before. Both young and inexperienced managers - but given the resources to be successful, which they were.
For our new manager to 'do a Cowley', we'd need the same sort of backing the Bristows and rest of the consortium provided (£1.3m losses in 2 seasons, 2007-09). Our new manager will get closer to £1.30 to spend, and will be closer to Kevin Nicholson's win percentage than Cowley or Buckle.
Gulliball wrote: ↑21 Aug 2017, 23:20Both young and inexperienced managers - but given the resources to be successful, which they were.
Danny Cowley was far from 'inexperienced' when he got the Braintree job having been at Concord Rangers for ten years and taking them from the Essex Senior League to the National League South. Factor in his time at Braintree and Lincoln appointed a very well qualified and experienced manager.
Paul Buckle served his time as Player Coach at Weymouth and then assistant manager to one of the best managers in football, Paul Tisdale at Exeter City. He had 'served his apprenticeship' by the time he got the Torquay gig in direct contrast to both Hargreaves and Nicholson who had absolutely no managerial experience whatsoever.....and how the club has paid the price!
Cowley still only had one year of experience at this level at the time Lincoln took him on, and only one more at the level below that. He was 37 years old and had never been a full time manager before - I would still call that inexperienced. If you looked at the 24 managers in the league I doubt there were many less experienced.
Paul Buckle had one season at Exeter as assistant to Tisdale, whilst Chris Hargreaves had been a coach at Bournemouth, under the golden boy Eddie Howe. They were both in their first management jobs, same age, former Torquay players - an almost identical record prior to joining Torquay.
Cowley and Buckle both had carte-blanche to sign their dream team of National League talents. It doesn't mean that they aren't good managers, but you can't expect our new manager to walk into Torquay United as it is now and do the same thing.
Gulliball wrote: ↑21 Aug 2017, 23:20
I doubt we'll back him in the same way though. Cowley was able to spend £50k on a centre-back, Sean Raggett from Dover, and go round signing the best players from many other National League Clubs, including his previous side Braintree. In that respect it was a remarkably similar scenario to Paul Buckle ten years ago - transfer fees to spend at a time not many other non-league sides did, and brought in a lot of players he knew to be proven at this level from his previous side Exeter, who like Braintree had been in the play-offs the year before. Both young and inexperienced managers - but given the resources to be successful, which they were.
For our new manager to 'do a Cowley', we'd need the same sort of backing the Bristows and rest of the consortium provided (£1.3m losses in 2 seasons, 2007-09). Our new manager will get closer to £1.30 to spend, and will be closer to Kevin Nicholson's win percentage than Cowley or Buckle.
True but Cowley also got Braintree into the play offs spending buttons and with crowds of two men and a dog. Possibly the smallest club in the play offs since our good friends Histon. That was through his managerial skills not financial backing.
Merse - risky in that it'll either pay off fantastically or flop. Whereas bringing in someone like Mark Yates would have been less risky but also potentially much less upside. As he say he's far more qualified than Nicho ever was and more than Hargreaves (who was far more qualified than Nicho - not that he was greatly qualified). For what it's worth I think it's a risk worth taking.
Upon Wilkinson leaving Hungerford skipper Matt Day summed up the players’ mood when he said: “It’s a massive, massive bombshell". When Kev left even though many fans had sympathy for his predicament, there was little sign of discord amongst the players
Even more astounding is Hungerford's Chairman stating “I only got involved with the club because of Bobby so I’m going to think about my future.". Anyone heard of Osbourne thinking about his future now Kev has gone ( I doubt it even though many are probably hoping he is.)
The fact Wilkinson and his coaching staff have all left at the same time means they have another club lined up - Torquay appears the perfect fit for a manager and coaches with ambition ( as Merse alludes too Hungerford have reached the glass ceiling due to due to ground restrictions). Unless anyone knows of another club seeking a managerial team we have to been odds on favourites for their services.
Last edited by MellowYellow on 22 Aug 2017, 00:03, edited 1 time in total.
smw1989 wrote: ↑21 Aug 2017, 21:29
“There’s a few little things in the pipeline but nothing certain and I may be taking a gamble.
Well, he's spot on with that. He will certainly be taking a gamble if he decides to come to what must be the most toxic basket-case of a club in the league. The other difference, Gulliball, is that the Cowley brothers and Paul Buckle were appointed to clubs that were being professionally run (Lincoln after several troubled seasons). Whoever is appointed as our next manager comes at a time when, off the field, the club we love is being run every bit as shambollically - is that a word, or have I just made it up ?? - as when Chris Roberts was here.
Gulliball wrote: ↑21 Aug 2017, 23:44Cowley still only had one year of experience at this level at the time Lincoln took him on, and only one more at the level below that. He was 37 years old and had never been a full time manager before - I would still call that inexperienced. If you looked at the 24 managers in the league I doubt there were many less experienced.
You'll never persuade me that managing a part-time club whilst holding down another job ~ and Cowley was Head of PE at a secondary school ~ is anything but experience of the highest order. Devising fitness and conditioning programmes that fit into the players' schedules; overseeing training, travelling, matches (and the non league schedule is Sat-Tue-Sat relentless before Christmas) organising scouting, watching games; keeping tabs on the emerging talent you personally know from years in the coaching game. These guys are living and thinking the game 24/7!
When Frank O'Farrell was recruited from Weymouth people asked "who?"; they soon found out who he was. Taking over a comfortable and complacent bunch of players who had things easy for thirteen years under #clublegend Eric Webber who's dismissal caused similar disquiet amongst supporters to those who now laughingly want to erect a statue to Nicho. Having had to devise training and travelling to fit around their jobs as butchers, bakers and candlestick makers; Fo'F now had to persuade so called 'full-time' footballers who had things easy with a couple of hours three or four times a week that running the cliff paths of Maidencombe and paying attention to detailed and instructive team delegation talks in preparation for coming matches would now be the way.
A lot of those players didn't like it; moaned in 'confidence' to all and sundry within the support base, and cried 'foul' when they were ousted and lost their club houses and O'Farrell's stock was unpopular to say the least. But he was here to work for the chairman; not the players who were there to work for him ~ or else!
It brought him the same success as he had at Weymouth though; and that was his first venture into 'full-time' management!
merse btpir wrote: ↑21 Aug 2017, 23:17Risky in what way; surely not as risky as gifting the job to favoured old players with no managerial experience whatsoever.....
Wilkinson has managed three clubs ~ Henley, Milton United; and for the past seven years, Hungerford Town ~ coached in the Reading Academy and brought little Hungerford up three levels to the glass ceiling they currently exist under due to ground restrictions.
I would say that more than blows the CVs of the likes of Chris Hargreaves and Kevin Nicholson out of the water!
Parallels could also be found with Paul Cox leaving Eastwood Town to manage Mansfield Town too.
