AustrianAndyGull wrote:
I think that's a little unfair. Ling signed Olejnik, Poke, Downes, Saah, Howe and a few others who have done really really well for us and some sold for a few quid too. Ok he signed some crap especially one player which i don't need to name but which manager doesn't? It was how he got them to play which contributed to some players struggling IMO, Downes, Saah and Poke have been overrun on many times this season but they have a bit of quality at this level and so were able to cope reasonably well under often severe pressure. Players like Oastler, Nico and some others defensively just couldn't handle being put under this amount of pressure most weeks and regressed. Nico is knocking on but has been an excellent player at this level and Oastler i believe could also have stayed and would have benefitted from a change of management.
Howe (penalties aside) scored us quite a few goals despite largely having p*ss all support or opportunites created for him so goes down as one of Lings best signings but like i said, Howe succeeded DESPITE Ling and not because of him. Can you imagine how many goals he would have scored if we had actually gone out there and attacked?
I think Ling failed himself by adopting an archaic way of playing and refusing to change it rather than because of his signings being crap. Nathan Craig too still has potential but is always played out of position. He could have got so much more out of what he had if he approached football with a different mentality and made better use of the players he had at his disposal.
We can say what we want about Ling and i often have but he has made this club a few quid (which cancels out the cash he wasted on Bodin - couldn't resist, sorry :Oops: ) and got some really good players to come to Torquay and i don't hold the opinion that the reason we struggled last season was because all our players were crap. I hold the opinion that we failed because a negative force was at work last season (and this time it wasn't me! :~D ) and once the rot has set in and this mindset has been absorbed by the players from the management then it becomes almost impossible to turn things around without a spark or a change of scenery. That spark came from Knill and Labadie and I thank the Good Lord it did come.
Well i didnt mention about whether his signings where good or not
If Ling came back then imo he would have offered new deals to them both
whereas Knill who has actually been working with the players knows they aren't L2 standard
I keep hearing the Joy Division song on the bloody radio and always sing along with SAAH WILL TEAR YOU APART - AGAIN. Now I can't do that anymore so will try and resist singing every time I hear it from now on. Just try NOT singing it when you hear the song come on though, it's nearly impossible!
Strangely enough it was Pope Gregory the 9th inviting me for drinks aboard his steam yacht, the saucy sue currently wintering in montego bay with the England cricket team and the Balanese Goddess of plenty.
bixieupnorth wrote:my favourite band of all time, shame i was slightly too young to see them live
yeah yeah mate, tell us owt thee.
Strangely enough it was Pope Gregory the 9th inviting me for drinks aboard his steam yacht, the saucy sue currently wintering in montego bay with the England cricket team and the Balanese Goddess of plenty.
Not so sure that Saah will end up at Cheltenham now, as they have just signed centre half Troy Brown from Aldershot, so I would be a little surprised if they wanted Saah as well. Cheltenham seem to be adding well to what was already a decent squad, can see them doing well again next season.
As for Saah, it will be interesting to see where he ends up as there aren't too many League 2 clubs in and around the London area (Dagenham? Wimbledon? Southend? Wycombe at a stretch?) unless he moves up a League, or even down.
