Club statement

[Dave]

Bill for a coach/manager maybe £40k, the bill for relegation would be more like £400,000 the maths is simple.

Understand that Rich, as long as whoever comes be it a coach or manager, can, and is prepared to offer a different view point and not just support the norm.

[brucie]

Firstly what a horrible worrying time for Martin Ling and his family. I understand he has two teenage kids. Lets hope that the diagnosis is one that is positive. What an awful thing to have happened.

Onto the football side of things and after last nights game it is clear that Taylor is not up to the job. No excuse for him being booed though - its not his fault at all, but his decision to move his most effective player in Ashley Yeoman to the right wing was a tactical catastrophe.

We are a football team which has lost the plot. On a scale of ineptitude we imploded big style in the seconds half. I have to congratulate the board on taking a step which might ultimately save our league status because make no mistake we are a relegation outfit waiting to happen.

A team which has limited ability, zero confidence. Really we gave up when the first goal went in and so did the crowd. I have scarcely witnessed anything like it.

[Glostergull]

First of all. Get well Martin. We all love and care for you. Good luck Shaun in managing in the meantime.
Now to who is available.
One name seems to have ecaped all of you. He was successful. he was very positive. he brought the best out of the players. he brough a brilliant brand of football to plainmoor. He is available. ie not attached to any club at present. and he loves United.
Come on guys. Whoe would fit the bill perfectly. is available and not likely to want to oust Martin when he recovers and would be a perfect stop gap we would find would not rock the boat and help rather than cause unrest in the club with undercurrents of will he replace Martin etc. and you have to admit he brought a brillaint brand of football and would really make use of the guys we have.
Imagine the effect he could make to Criag. Macklin. Mansell. Bodin. Howe etc. and the others.

My Vote. Step forward. LEROY ROSENIOR.

[Richinns]

Bill for a coach/manager maybe £40k, the bill for relegation would be more like £400,000 the maths is simple.

Understand that Rich, as long as whoever comes be it a coach or manager, can, and is prepared to offer a different view point and not just support the norm.

Dave - I 100% agree with you but if the club have told Taylor there is no money for a loan then I would worry what money there is for an experienced manager at this time.

I hope and pray to be proved wrong.

[Richinns]

Firstly what a horrible worrying time for Martin Ling and his family. I understand he has two teenage kids. Lets hope that the diagnosis is one that is positive. What an awful thing to have happened.

Onto the football side of things and after last nights game it is clear that Taylor is not up to the job. No excuse for him being booed though - its not his fault at all, but his decision to move his most effective player in Ashley Yeoman to the right wing was a tactical catastrophe.

We are a football team which has lost the plot. On a scale of ineptitude we imploded big style in the seconds half. I have to congratulate the board on taking a step which might ultimately save our league status because make no mistake we are a relegation outfit waiting to happen.

A team which has limited ability, zero confidence. Really we gave up when the first goal went in and so did the crowd. I have scarcely witnessed anything like it.

Totally agree with all of this to be honest. Good post. Taylor is new to a first team coach role and expecting him to step up to a manager position is unfair to both him and the club.

[PhilGull]

Umm... Was not sacking Leroy the very first thing the current board did ?

[Richinns]

Umm... Was not sacking Leroy the very first thing the current board did ?

Leroy is not the right move - I hope this is not being considered.

[divingbboy]

My Vote. Step forward. LEROY ROSENIOR.

Hasn't he been out of management/coaching for ages now?

[PhilGull]

Hasn't he been out of management/coaching for ages now?

Only five and a half years since leaving us.

[divingbboy]

As others have mentioned, I wonder if Paul Bodin is a possibility. It's not like he's managing Arsenal and despite the fact that he declined to be Ling's assistant, they're good mates, he may want to help out and his son's here.

[Glostergull]

you don't forget to ride a bike even if you haven't ridden one for many years, I doubt he has forgotten how to coach a team even though he has been out of the game for years. he isn't exactly old and he has the ability to manage players. a gift he obviously had.
I doubt he was really sacked as such. He was told that a take over was likely. The new board had thier man in mind. It wasn't his fault. he did nothing workng and I doubt the board did either. he knew the situation. i doubt there is any bad feelings over this. and how can anyone say he isn't going to do a damn good job.
The other conclusion is that you don't want his image tarnished with a return that goes the way of so many when they go back to a club they have left previosuly. In which case I fully undertsand you point of view. otherwise I cannot fathom the logicality of the argument.

[Bitchie Renault]

Good to get some kind of clarity on the situation from the club, for now, we should only send our best wishes to Martin and his family and hope that it is something he can fully recover from. He is clearly an honest, hard-working very likeable bloke who has signed some excellent players for Torquay and given us some incredible memories, most notable from last season, and will still hopefully have a part to play in our positive future progression.

Hopefully there is some kind of emergency fund for this kind of thing, not sure about a couple of the figures being banded about for the cost of a temporary manager, but as there are 10 weeks left until the end of the season, surely we can get someone decent for say £2k a week and a £5k sweetner bonus for signing/keeping us up = £25k. It's nothing in terms of the potential loss of going down.

Of the names mentioned, think it had to be a manager not a coach, so should rule out someone like Paul Bodin. I would love Nigel Adkins, but couldn't for moment imagine him dropping this low. Next best might be someone like Westley, he plays a fairly bland variety of football and his record at PNE was lacking a bit, but he's been very effective in the past at getting results at smaller clubs. One other name to pop in the hat, I have no idea what he's up to nowadays, if he's still involved in football or even if he's still alive!!! But Ian Atkins...brilliant football firefighter, did it for us once before.

[PhilGull]

Solidity is what we need. A Big Sam clone would be perfect - tighten up the defence and look to score from every set piece. Nicho could (and in my opinion should) be the top assist maker in the division with his wand like foot and long throw. Not pretty but it is effective.

[Bloggy]

you don't forget to ride a bike even if you haven't ridden one for many years, I doubt he has forgotten how to coach a team even though he has been out of the game for years. he isn't exactly old and he has the ability to manage players. a gift he obviously had.

I got on a bike the other month for the first time in years... it was not a pleasurable experience!

Half time buckets might go towards paying for someones services.

Get well soon Mr Ling.

[Gullscorer]

Don't know if there's an emergency fund or not, but, whatever the additional expenses, which we all agree are necessary, surely additional necessary emergency expenses are the kind of thing for which a club would and should be insured...? Of course, insurance may be so expensive that it may be more cost effective to put money into an emergency pot...