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forevertufc wrote:After the way he was treated. please enlighten us, what way was he treated, do you know the facts, or are you just guessing. Personally wouldn't read to much into this.

Well, it isn't difficult to interpret that he probably felt hard-done-by when he publicly stated that he had been told that his job was safe. To then get the sack, well, then I suppose that might make someone feel hard-done-by, whether or not it was justified on footballing reasons.

He did feel hard done by and coupled with the illness it was a difficult time for him. Time is a great healer and he is fit and well and if circumstances changed I know he would be a serious contender to get back and continue where he left off before his illness. Personally I'm just glad he is fit and well, football.......as they say its a funny old game

As it happens Ling's tactics and style of play would be working a treat in this league. It would still be hell to watch but it is now. We'd be top half.

I'd never want him back though in a million years although I hope is doing well and enjoying the mess unfold here.

AustrianAndyGull wrote:As it happens Ling's tactics and style of play would be working a treat in this league. It would still be hell to watch but it is now. We'd be top half.

I'd never want him back though in a million years although I hope is doing well and enjoying the mess unfold here.

I don't know about hell, it was sometimes very exciting watching Ling's team hanging on to a 1-0 lead by the skin of their teeth, & everyone was a "nervous wreck" by the time that the final whistle was blown. I think that Ling is a very clever manager,who realises the strengths & weaknesses of his players, & gets the best out of them. Given the players that were within his budget most likely the only way they could get results was to play the way they did. Don't forget he was not given the option of loaning players but in any case his "plan B" was to use players that were already at the club to cover for injuries etc. IMO he is certainly a far better manager than Knill.

Personally I would be happy to have Ling back in the future. For now though it's Alan Knill who needs the support and a little faith from the fans. He's here to stay, people just need to get used to the idea that the Club aren't going to follow the ridiculous example set by the Premiershit morons.

AustrianAndyGull wrote:As it happens Ling's tactics and style of play would be working a treat in this league. It would still be hell to watch but it is now. We'd be top half.

I'd never want him back though in a million years although I hope is doing well and enjoying the mess unfold here.

You didn't see the Rochdale/Chesterfield matches down here. Worse than anything Ling ever served up (and that's saying something!)

No Nick but I saw the games at Fleetwood, Burton, and for much of the game against Morecambe and Bury and first half v Northampton we were WORSE than under Ling so I have to agree with you . Burton was just horrific.

Southampton Gull wrote:Personally I would be happy to have Ling back in the future. For now though it's Alan Knill who needs the support and a little faith from the fans. He's here to stay, people just need to get used to the idea that the Club aren't going to follow the ridiculous example set by the Premiershit morons.

Tut tut, no swear words on this forum you may upset fellow members. But I agree entirely with what you say

I think the Knill v Ling debate revolves around what you want to see. The best we could hope for under Ling was extremely boring football, but extremely boring football that was likely to be relatively successful. Knill's style could go disastrously wrong, but if it goes right, it could be really, really good. Last night was better than anything that I ever saw under Ling. It was pacy, exciting, forward thinking and, against a lesser keeper, would have resulted in a comfortable win. Roll the dice and see what happens, versus take the money and run.

Would I have Ling back? No, thanks. Nothing against the bloke, but I'm a gambler. I'd rather take the chance with someone who is capable of producing really exciting football, but who, in so doing, runs the risk of producing hopeless, disjointed football. Others will disagree.

Matt.

ferrarilover wrote:I think the Knill v Ling debate revolves around what you want to see. The best we could hope for under Ling was extremely boring football, but extremely boring football that was likely to be relatively successful. Knill's style could go disastrously wrong, but if it goes right, it could be really, really good. Last night was better than anything that I ever saw under Ling. It was pacy, exciting, forward thinking and, against a lesser keeper, would have resulted in a comfortable win. Roll the dice and see what happens, versus take the money and run.

I'm 100% with you on this too Matt but I just didn't expect the exciting football to be so infrequent to the point that it has been virtually non existent. It has been more disjointed than exciting which is the big problem. Knill certainly has been rolling the dice each week but a sound and workable football philosophy has not been the result.

I think that has been the main problem. I expected a lot of inconsistency with the way I thought Knill was going to play initially but I balanced it out with the knowledge that maybe 1 in every 3 games we'd be awesome and tear the opposition apart and such a strategy would see us achieve at least mid table relatively comfortably. As it is now we are neither being treated to any decent football whatsoever (last night excepted) nor are we getting results which is kind of where the hysteria and anti-Knill feelings are borne from. It is purely sheer disappointment, we feel shortchanged big style with what we have got compared to what we thought we were getting.

I suppose having Paul Buckle back is too much to hope for...

ferrarilover wrote:I think the Knill v Ling debate revolves around what you want to see. The best we could hope for under Ling was extremely boring football, but extremely boring football that was likely to be relatively successful. Knill's style could go disastrously wrong, but if it goes right, it could be really, really good. Last night was better than anything that I ever saw under Ling. It was pacy, exciting, forward thinking and, against a lesser keeper, would have resulted in a comfortable win. Roll the dice and see what happens, versus take the money and run.

Would I have Ling back? No, thanks. Nothing against the bloke, but I'm a gambler. I'd rather take the chance with someone who is capable of producing really exciting football, but who, in so doing, runs the risk of producing hopeless, disjointed football. Others will disagree.

Matt.

That is nonsense. Last night was good - in view of what we have had to put up with recently but it was not better than the 3-1 home win against Plymouth two years ago, or the masterclass in away performances we taught them a couple of months later at Home Park.

I think Knill is a gambler because he hasn't a clue what he is doing. He plays the loan market and it is just pot luck who he gets. His one good season at Bury was partly down to the lad he had from Manchester United. Now it may be that he has finally happened upon a formula, as last night was the first time we looked like a team all season. But don't pretend it was better than the day we tore Plymouth apart at Plainmoor with goals from O'Kane(2) and Stevens or Mansell and Bodin scoring at Home Park.

hector wrote:His one good season at Bury was partly down to the lad he had from Manchester United.

Are you really that stupid??

How many times do people have to explain to you in very simple terms (so you might possibly understand them) that the 3 seasons he was at Bury they made the playoffs the 1st season, 9th the 2nd season and he left near the end of the 3rd season with them in the playoff places again. That looks like 3 good seasons to me (and probably anyone capable of rational thought) and I would certainly be happy with that here for the next 3 seasons.

To be honest, Hector, I didn't actually intend to suggest that I'd considered every single match we played under Ling, its relative merit compared with last night and a detailed assessment of the pros and cons, it was more a generalisation. If it saves you typing more pedantic dribble on the Internet, just insert the word 'almost' wherever it seems to you to better reflect your version of reality.

FFS

Matt.

AustrianAndyGull wrote:As it happens Ling's tactics and style of play would be working a treat in this league

Andy, they didnt seem to be working last season without O'Kane