TUFC 2019/20 Squad

Teigngull · Post by **Teigngull** » 28 May 2019, 16:13

Meant to say nearly elapsed,
Ta for pointing it out

Dockers Pal · Post by **Dockers Pal** » 30 May 2019, 00:32

As we wait for news of our new signings
Putting yourself in the position of the Johnson brothers, you have to appreciate just how many journeyman footballers there are out there looking for a contract.
Take in the L2, NL, NLS and NLN, Southern League Premier, NPL Premier, and Isthmian League Premier players available on free transfer or have just been released. Add to that players released from academies, U-21 and U-23 squads. Then add players from Scotland, Wales and Ireland. And then EU players. And onto that add other foreign players here looking for contracts. And then there are the players that were already available as free agents. All told the pool maybe 5000 in all.
To hone in on what we need you have to confirm that players meet our person spec
• The players have to have the right levels of fitness
• Demonstrate the organisational knowhow to fit GJs requirements, without needing to be told by the coach from the sidelines
• Taking responsibility, no shrinking violets
• Right levels of consistency such as in positional sense and in decision-making

Then think of the requirements for skill – goalkeeping, defending, wingplay, defensive midfield, creative midfield, striking.
Then disciplinary record, and so on

And then you might have reduced the available pool down to a manageable number. Then you find out which players would possibly move to TUFC, and those that definitely won’t. And those that are outside our pay range. We would expect that GJ would be positively influential in getting players to look at us seriously. And so the 5000 becomes less than 500, and then you are segmenting the very interesting from the quite interesting and the club needs to show more interest and gauge responses.

And then our most likely early signings will be of players wanting to step up to the NL as the recently higher level players won’t want to take a step down until the NL level appears to be the best they can get.

So you can understand why our previous managers have used fairly extensive trials to identify the last few players we are going to offer contracts to, because getting it right is tremendously difficult and it has a massive bearing on how the season turns out.
We wait with great hopes.

Midlandgull · Post by **Midlandgull** » 30 May 2019, 14:19

Dockers Pal wrote: ↑30 May 2019, 00:32 As we wait for news of our new signings
Putting yourself in the position of the Johnson brothers, you have to appreciate just how many journeyman footballers there are out there looking for a contract.
Take in the L2, NL, NLS and NLN, Southern League Premier, NPL Premier, and Isthmian League Premier players available on free transfer or have just been released. Add to that players released from academies, U-21 and U-23 squads. Then add players from Scotland, Wales and Ireland. And then EU players. And onto that add other foreign players here looking for contracts. And then there are the players that were already available as free agents. All told the pool maybe 5000 in all.
To hone in on what we need you have to confirm that players meet our person spec
• The players have to have the right levels of fitness
• Demonstrate the organisational knowhow to fit GJs requirements, without needing to be told by the coach from the sidelines
• Taking responsibility, no shrinking violets
• Right levels of consistency such as in positional sense and in decision-making

Then think of the requirements for skill – goalkeeping, defending, wingplay, defensive midfield, creative midfield, striking.
Then disciplinary record, and so on

And then you might have reduced the available pool down to a manageable number. Then you find out which players would possibly move to TUFC, and those that definitely won’t. And those that are outside our pay range. We would expect that GJ would be positively influential in getting players to look at us seriously. And so the 5000 becomes less than 500, and then you are segmenting the very interesting from the quite interesting and the club needs to show more interest and gauge responses.

And then our most likely early signings will be of players wanting to step up to the NL as the recently higher level players won’t want to take a step down until the NL level appears to be the best they can get.

So you can understand why our previous managers have used fairly extensive trials to identify the last few players we are going to offer contracts to, because getting it right is tremendously difficult and it has a massive bearing on how the season turns out.
We wait with great hopes.

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 30 May 2019, 14:34

They won't be starting from scratch though. They will have a constantly updating list of potential signings for each position in various scenarios. They would have known their primary targets for each position weeks ago. It's just a case hard-work and patience to get them signed up for us.
There will of course be the odd new face that wasn't on their radar suddenly becomes available but it's not the norm. This is the difference between seasoned, experienced professionals with backing from the owner and inexperienced youngsters with no support from anywhere.

Teigngull · Post by **Teigngull** » 30 May 2019, 17:01

PhilGull wrote: ↑30 May 2019, 14:34 They won't be starting from scratch though. They will have a constantly updating list of potential signings for each position in various scenarios. They would have known their primary targets for each position weeks ago. It's just a case hard-work and patience to get them signed up for us.
There will of course be the odd new face that wasn't on their radar suddenly becomes available but it's not the norm. This is the difference between seasoned, experienced professionals with backing from the owner and inexperienced youngsters with no support from anywhere.

Rjc70 · Post by **Rjc70** » 30 May 2019, 17:13

Armani Little signs. https://mobile.x.com/TUFC1899/status/11 ... gr%5Etweet

JackyB gull · Post by **JackyB gull** » 05 Jun 2019, 07:28

I disagree i think Jean's Strength is an asset but we do need to bring a more experienced centre half into the squad just to make a bit of competition to get into the starting XI.However,i do agree with reidy we must bring in one or two striker signings because when we had one the league and we were playing with just him upfront he was iscollated and against bigger teams that would be a problem.GJ could even play Ruairi upfront more.

grockle · Post by **grockle** » 12 Jun 2019, 18:04

TUFCfan wrote: ↑13 May 2019, 15:55 Manny Duku has been officially transfer listed by Cheltenham. Imagine there's a decent chance we would be interested in him given he was originally scouted and signed by the Johnsons.

Great shout!

Richinns · Post by **Richinns** » 13 Jun 2019, 15:45

Squad as it stands:

GK - MacDonald
GK - Covolan
DF - Wynter
DF - Cameron
DF - Niate
DF - Davis
MF - Keating
MF - Kalala
MF - Hall
MF - Dickson
MF - Little
ST - Reid
ST - Koszela
ST - Duku

Within the the recently released video update Gary talks about bringing two more in (this was prior to the Duku signing) meaning we would have a squad of 16/17 with 2/3 loans also arriving. I am at 15 (when one more comes in) so have I missed something?
https://www.torquayunited.com/official- ... son-plans/

grockle · Post by **grockle** » 13 Jun 2019, 18:47

I think you can have more loans than that.

brooker · Post by **brooker** » 13 Jun 2019, 20:32

Im slightly underwhelmed by Johnson's comments on recruitment. Little is a great signing, and i trust his judgment on Duku, given that this the second time Gj has gone out to get him. Investing in a second senior keeper is also a good sign that the budget is ok.

Based on the recent interview, we might only have one more signing to come. For me we need at least one more cb, fullback and winger. Maybe we are lining up some of the Bristol boys again, but i was hoping for a couple more quality permanent signings to really lift the squad from last year.

DWB · Post by **DWB** » 14 Jun 2019, 07:20

brooker wrote: ↑13 Jun 2019, 20:32 Im slightly underwhelmed by Johnson's comments on recruitment. Little is a great signing, and i trust his judgment on Duku, given that this the second time Gj has gone out to get him. Investing in a second senior keeper is also a good sign that the budget is ok.

Based on the recent interview, we might only have one more signing to come. For me we need at least one more cb, fullback and winger. Maybe we are lining up some of the Bristol boys again, but i was hoping for a couple more quality permanent signings to really lift the squad from last year.

I would agree especially with the number of defenders we have. Is it possibly because he already knows what loans he is likely to get from Bristol city and the fact that he is sort of obliged to play them and therefore keeping a ‘happy squad’ of players. Judging by last season he is content with a smaller squad of quality players?

Teigngull · Post by **Teigngull** » 14 Jun 2019, 07:58

No, as Merse quite rightly tells us on his excellent imformative site (BTPIR), a lot of 'targets' Will not be available until 30 June due to contract restrictions.
We are not in the market for NLS standard players now, it would seem, so I wouldn't expect any major signings just yet .
Patience is a virtue, In GJ we trust.

DWB · Post by **DWB** » 14 Jun 2019, 08:35

Teigngull wrote: ↑14 Jun 2019, 07:58 No, as Merse quite rightly tells us on his excellent imformative site (BTPIR), a lot of 'targets' Will not be available until 30 June due to contract restrictions.
We are not in the market for NLS standard players now, it would seem, so I wouldn't expect any major signings just yet .
Patience is a virtue, In GJ we trust.

I am only responding to Gary Johnson’s latest interview on the TUFC website where he states there should be one more signing and then, unless a ‘Roy of the Rovers’ comes along that would be it apart from loans?!

brooker · Post by **brooker** » 14 Jun 2019, 08:38

This isn't what GJ said in the interview though Teigngull. He said that after Duku and A N other, that will be us just about done in terms of permanent signings for the summer unless "a Roy of the Rovers, I have to sign him type of player becomes available".

That doesn't sound like we're waiting until June the 30th for Football League players.

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