Gary Johnson, stick or twist?

[bobbytanz1963]

I’m as frustrated as the next man in the team/squad this season. Is change gonna improve things, who knows but what seems abundantly clear is that:

1.Nothing will come down from the owner or board or done - they aren’t football people. They have a separate agenda

2. Every interview with GJ is bland, same old same old and he will never vent his frustration in public

3. The communication with the fans is limited with no update on injuries etc ! For example what’s the story with Mark Ellis ??

4. Change won’t improve things - it’s a poor squad, a club not willing to improve this so what chance does a new manager have. One home league win so far this season is unbelievable. !!!

I’m convinced GJ will walk at the end of the season, his body language and tone is that if a defeated man with no passion, desire or clue on how to deal with the demise of the the club. Then his protege Downes will be installed ……

Having followed TUFC since 1969 it’s current plight hurts and this is now a club on life support with no hope of a cure I fear. Much as I believe the GJ era has run its course I just don’t see the benefit of any change at this stage, acceptance of relegation will come to the fore over the next 4-6 weeks I believe.

But I will continue to make the 120 mile round trip to games in the hope that the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t the onrushing train !

[Cheddargull]

The problem is the squad. Even if you got rid of Johnson you still have a squad that is basically not fit for purpose (with a few exceptions). I don't think it's possible to recruit an entirely new squad at this point in the season, never mind the cost, so we might as well carry on with Johnson until the end of season and hope he decides to retire then see what happens.

[Louis]

Added a poll to this topic. Let’s see what our readers think.

[DevonBee]

336 votes on the other where 74% voted Johnson out
There was a time limit on the vote, not sure if that is the case here ?
Only 1 vote to stay here so far
Surely Downes and Johnson can vote for themselves to
stay…. And a few Dave’s to boost things

[DevonBee]

Twist, without a doubt.
But, who on earth in their right minds would take on such a basket case of a club right now ?
If GJ & AD are given their marching orders I can see the 'board' going as far as Hall & Moxey in a joint player managing role ( if they were agreeable, that is ! ) at best.
Have the owners got the will & compassion to address the current decline ? For me the answer is no, this is a deliberate act in gently & surely bring the club to its knees & then turning off the life support.
Sad but true, we are all complicit in its demise, as supporters we are allowing it to happen, we have a voice and all we do is tap away at our keyboards & vent our frustrations, to which the club obviously ignore.
Are there any protests during matchday? Not that I hear loud & vociferous angst towards the board & management at all, there were a few murmurs of GJ out yesterday but all in all it was quite a pathetic rant that never really got going.
If we really want a change then we gave to make it known constantly, accepting this constant dross is IMO is complicit in the clubs managed decline
We have a voice, together it can be loud enough to make a difference, after all it is our club always has been & always will be.

Good points Teigngull, a few murmurs is not enough
I am sure he has heard worse at Bristol City when it all
Went Peary.
Our voices can be loud enough
Imagine if this was Millwall and the reception

[Nick Potkins]

Like most on here I am not happy with the club, league position or the lack of comment from the board. Changing the manager may help a little, but enough to save us, who knows!

My concern is investment, long term vision and plans. We believe our summer recruitment was poor, but if this is all we can afford changing the manager means nothing. Sadly a board statement is badly needed, then we can judge.

I ask that all involved in Torquay Talk, Trust or any of the other Podcasts start asking this question. Without the answer we are in the dark.

Does anyone know a rich American, Arab or Chinese investor.

[DevonBee]

78%?

You couldn't make it up. Actually, you can and you did. There is no such statistic.

Take a look here its an even higher %

[DevonBee]

Just a thought was it Johnson's brother who voted ?

[hector]

Teigngull makes a very valid point in the nation that the club is being deliberately steered towards a decline in an effort to bring it to its knees.

If this is the case then those shouting abuse at Gary Johnson are seriously missing the point. It doesn’t matter who the manager is if the owner is determined that the club will become so pointless it no longer needs its stadium. Shout at Gary Johnson all you like but if you think someone like Clarke Osborne (who has a record of basically destroying other sporting entities) is going to appoint someone to turn things around when his intentions appear to be to put this club into a coma, then those people are surely living in a fantasy world. What chance has Gary Johnson or any manager got against that? Clarke Osborne has shown time and time again that he plays the long game; he waits and the only surprise is that Gary Johnson has stuck around to put up with it. He is an experienced and very successful manager and I’m sure he doesn’t need this grief in his life. If he has a contract (let’s pretend he signed a two-year deal after the play-off final) then who can blame him for not wanting to walk away from it and I seriously doubt Clarke Osborne cares enough anyway to want to have to pay his manager off when he perhaps could be leaving in four months time anyway.

Those shouting at Gary Johnson seem to forget the cards are all held by Osborne and he doesn’t care what you think. Banners, shouting abuse just won’t wash with him in fact whatever supporters do just plays into his hands.

- shout at the manager - takes the heat off Osborne
- boycott - just accelerates the decline Osborne is probably angling for


The only thing anyone can do is make things uncomfortable for Clarke Osborne but the fact he doesn’t attend makes that very difficult. You can’t protest to someone who isn’t there and isn’t listening. He basically has the club and consequently supporters (as the only people who actually care about the club) by the balls and pathetic chants against Gary Johnson aren’t going to change things.

[toastkid]

74% of 376 people. They perhaps represent 5% of fans. And most of the people on here who comment are complainers, so to say it's "fact" is nonsense.

If you said "Did you know approximately 4% of fans want GJ out - fact!" I suppose it doesn't carry as much weight.

Personally, I think we should stick with GJ. Fact!

[DevonBee]

74% of 376 people. They perhaps represent 5% of fans. And most of the people on here who comment are complainers, so to say it's "fact" is nonsense.

If you said "Did you know approximately 4% of fans want GJ out - fact!" I suppose it doesn't carry as much weight.

Personally, I think we should stick with GJ. Fact!

With respect then you are in the minority if you think we should stick but thats your opinion.
As has been said by many the issues lie higher than Johnson and Downes, but at no other club would he/they have survived this long, with the
truly appalling season we are having. P 25 W4 FACT

[culmstockgull]

Trouble with your theory Hector if Osborne is driving Torquay into the ground he gets nothing and loses 5 million plus into the bargain, what ever your reasons for disliking him stupid he is not. He only has a lease on Plainmoor, the council are not going to say, oh dear no football club ,lets give the ground to Osborne so he can build houses. They may offer it up to the highest bidder for building but who is to say that Osborne would win that particular battle, and besides is Plainmoor not listed as a community asset or some such thing. Additionally with a limited life lease they are not going to give him Quinta for nothing.Either way, how many houses would you have to build on Plainmoor to get the building costs and 5 million back, answer those sums do not add up.
All these is a deflection from the shortcominegs of Johnson and his inepitude.,

[Nick Potkins]

Danny Cowley anyone

[Cheddargull]

74% of 376 people. They perhaps represent 5% of fans. And most of the people on here who comment are complainers, so to say it's "fact" is nonsense.

If you said "Did you know approximately 4% of fans want GJ out - fact!" I suppose it doesn't carry as much weight.

Personally, I think we should stick with GJ. Fact!

And by your deduction 1% of fans want him to stay.

[jono_Gull209]

Trouble with your theory Hector if Osborne is driving Torquay into the ground he gets nothing and loses 5 million plus into the bargain, what ever your reasons for disliking him stupid he is not. He only has a lease on Plainmoor, the council are not going to say, oh dear no football club ,lets give the ground to Osborne so he can build houses. They may offer it up to the highest bidder for building but who is to say that Osborne would win that particular battle, and besides is Plainmoor not listed as a community asset or some such thing. Additionally with a limited life lease they are not going to give him Quinta for nothing.Either way, how many houses would you have to build on Plainmoor to get the building costs and 5 million back, answer those sums do not add up.
All these is a deflection from the shortcominegs of Johnson and his inepitude.,

Gary Johnson with a good budget doesn’t get a team fighting relegation. It’s pretty simple.