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I cannot help but recall the reaction from Cambridge United fans when Mr. Ling was appointed manager here. In one sense they have been proved correct, for (like other contributors) I think that the quality of football (not necessarily the results) over the last two seasons has been dire. Living fifty miles away from Plainmoor I found myself becoming more and more reluctant to make a hundred mile round trip in winter to watch such tedious stuff. Tomorrow I am coming to Plainmoor for the first time in two months with the hope that the football I see will be exciting and, well, fun - everything that it wasn't under Mr. Ling. As usual I agree with BRUCIE and hope that Mr. Knill continues in post next season.

What I fogot to say earlier, one thing I thoughly enjoyed Tuesday was watching Knill and Brass going nuts on the sidlines at players who still look scared to get over the halfway line , it was fantastic to see those two constantly encouraging our players to get forward and support our attacking play.

Something I do not think we have ever seen from Martin ling and his doughnut side kick Shaun Taylor.

The difference is this:-

On Friday next week, I shall be making the huge 40 minute journey to Northampton to watch the troops take on the Ryan Gilligan appreciation society. It's usually a game in which we struggle, but this time I genuinely believe we can beat them. If Ling was in charge, I wouldn't doubt we would be coming away with a 1-0 loss whilst spending 88 minutes camped in our own half and I'd feel like I'd wasted my money.

Instead, I'm looking forward to seeing us take the game to them and having a decent go of it.

This all just makes me think that last season was a fluke.

cambgull wrote:
This all just makes me think that last season was a fluke.

Nonsense - last year we had a player called O'Kane who pretty much ran most games he played. We had players like Mansell who came into his own and scored vital goals. We had Lathrope who excelled in his position "in the hole" between defence and midfield. We had a fantastic goalkeeper, some have said THE best they have seen in their time supporting the Gulls.

No, last season wasn't a fluke - he got the team playing well, believing that they could win a game and also defend a lead. They had a mentality of almost knowing that if they scored we would win as not much was getting past them. He made them stubborn and hard to beat.

Ling had success at Leyton Orient over a sustained period of time - yes his time elsewhere wasn't great, but then no manager since has also managed to do much with them either so you could wipe that one clear.

Depression can be a very serious illness - yes, the wheels came off this season, but we only lost five out of our first 20 league games this season (not including the cup games) - ok so we drew a lot but we weren't losing, and we were holding our own in the league. Of course, Martin could have been ill for a long time and trying to battle through it. Maybe he thought he could do it, but ended up failing to do so. The real damage, in my opinion, was done by Taylor - he was clueless and should have NEVER been tasked the first team affairs - anybody on the Board should have been able to see what almost everybody else could - but they appeared to bury their head in the sand and not do anything until things got so bad it looked like we were totally stuffed, dead and buried.

Look, if Ling is still manager next season he will still have my support - and if he fails then he will deservedly get the sack.

Anyway, the above is just my opinion, of course, and it looks like I'm in the minority - but I'm just trying to offer up my thoughts as to why we maybe shouldn't be so harsh on a guy who did so much for us last season.

I don't see how Ling can ome back when his credibility as all but evaporated. It will only take two poor results for people to get on his back and probably much longer for the club to dither and sack him.

His return just will suck any ounce of optimism out of the new season (should we stay up).

It is a shame the way it has panned out but I do think it is for the best that the club and Martin Ling part company.

Thats actually claptrap - O'Kane didn't run every game at all - he hardly had a kick in the last two months of the season.
As those of us who witness the football with our own eyes will tell you - we have been dire this season. To blame Taylor for doing the damage is fantasy island stuff. Sure he is clueless but the damage was done by Ling not Taylor - it was Lings team.
Whether Lings illness is anything to do with headaches,drink related,self inflicted,depression,stress related or driving too fast doesn't really matter one jot. Lings an amiable bloke and everyone wishes him a full recovery from whatever it is he is suffering from.
However he is off work,not fit enough to do the job he is paid for,is recieving specialist help but apparently is going to returning in May (if you believe what Baker says).
Call me old fashioned but May is about five weeks away isn't it.
So he is going to come back fighting fit having made a full recovery?
Is that honestly going to happen - what next is Jesus going to be spotted driving up Telegraph Hill on route to Plainmoor.
As Andy said we don't owe Ling a living - I am sorry if that sounds harsh but the board have a responsibility to do whats best for the club not Martin Ling.

I'm not saying we owe Ling anything, I'm saying that you don't suddenly become a crap manager and he certainly wasn't last season.
Maybe his ability was clouded by this illness but if the dr(s) say he is fit to return who are we to argue?

You're not on your own Scott. I can't disagree with anything you've written.

Ling saw that our strength was in defence and tried to play to that strength. He was simply playing to our team's collective strength. Obviously things tailed off even before he was officially taken away ill but I am still firmly of the belief that if Ling was healthy we wouldn't be in this relegation fight. I know that isn't a popular opinion but I stand by it.

forevertufc wrote:What I fogot to say earlier, one thing I thoughly enjoyed Tuesday was watching Knill and Brass going nuts on the sidlines at players who still look scared to get over the halfway line , it was fantastic to see those two constantly encouraging our players to get forward and support our attacking play.

Something I do not think we have ever seen from Martin ling and his doughnut side kick Shaun Taylor.

Yep it made a refreshing change to see a more animated & passionate approach from our management team!

Wurzel & Lingerie treated the dug out like a bus shelter!

onwards & UPwards

I agree with both of you.

It is also important to remember that Ling has towed the line for the board for the entire 18 months of his reign. Spending little or nothing and moulding his meagre resources around getting an expensive stand paid for as well as many other bits of important infrastructure set up and ready to improve our future. Those set of circumstances would stretch and test any manager.

Alan Knill has come in and is doing an excellent job, raising morale and already looking to improve results in an attractive manner, if he keeps us up he is a hero. That said he has been given carte Blanche to bring in whatever reinforcements he deems fit, I would be interested to know whether this was an avenue always available to Ling throughout the season, or whether this is a measure taken only to ensure our survival.

Not many people were too impressed with Knill's appointment, his managerial pedigree is no better nor worse than Ling's. he is showing himself to be an excellent 'firefighter' but questions remain, if he were to take the job on a permanent basis, if he could take the club on amidst our rather unique set of budgetary restraints without wracking up debt. Ling has shown he is capable of this at Orient, we all conceded this would be a consolidatory season and whilst Ling's illness may have caused it to to turn into a relegation scrap, there is still a chance, albeit diminishing, that Ling has a masterplan for next season. Next season may not be in Knill's thoughts, it is all conjecture.

I don't care who is in charge of us next season, happy with Knill, happy with Ling, happy with a fresh approach if needs be. As long as we are still in the football league that is all that matters. What I really want, more than anything, is for the board to take all mitigating factors into consideration and make the right decision for the best possible season next year. Make sure that the football is pleasing to watch and the club gets back on the upward curve after a decidedly rocky 6 months.

As said, we do not want a rigmarole lasting the entire summer which then compromises next years progress. The board needs to know for certain who will be in charge next season for contracts to be sorted etc, but more importantly they need to show the fans that they are in full control of our football club and that previous mistakes have been learnt from. That from early on in Pre season we can be confident of a bright future. They need to get fans onside as early as possible.

Well said Bengull

Agree with a lot Bengul says. What is important is staying up this season. My view is that the Boards statement is detrimental to that. Its going to make the players uncertain, removing the confidence and motivation that Knill has brought about, because they will now be uncertain about how they should be playing and who they should be impressing. They will be remembering the dire football, defensive tactics, poor team selection, substitutions, and lack of any attacking spirit under Ling and that may reflect itself in their play for the rest of the season. This announcement is very unsettling for the players and only makes Knills job even harder. Poor bloke. On top of that, there is no way that the Board can have any idea whether Lingy will be fit to take on this job in 6 weeks time. As someone who suffered a stress related illness (breakdown) because of pressure and lack of support at work, plus travelling and staying away from home, I would not have been able to go back to work within a year, and only then with a phased re-introduction and removal of responsibilities. And even then, you wont know if you can hack it as before. The Boards promises are counter-productive and we seem to have a situation where they are undermining Knill, unsettling the team, opening their mouths before they need to (artificial pitches and play-offs !") and without concentrating on the urgency of staying up, not who will be Manager next season.
I say, support Knill as Manager and get Lingy to act as Chief Scout until he can prove himself capable of taking on any more responsibility than that, when he is fully well again.

brucie wrote: As those of us who witness the football with our own eyes will tell you - we have been dire this season.

Ha Ha Ha @ that !!

Terry you are always the first to tell us how crap we are "according to the commentary". You're hardly able to boast about how many games you get to. Next you'll be telling us you're passing up a fortune in overtime to get to a game

stevegull wrote:You're not on your own Scott. I can't disagree with anything you've written.

Ling saw that our strength was in defence and tried to play to that strength. He was simply playing to our team's collective strength. Obviously things tailed off even before he was officially taken away ill but I am still firmly of the belief that if Ling was healthy we wouldn't be in this relegation fight. I know that isn't a popular opinion but I stand by it.

I'm with you guys too. I've been a staunch supporter of Ling and seen far more games under his leadership than Stayaway Terry. Unfortunately I'm also coming round to the opinion that his time to leave has come. His illness has obviously been a factor in his ability to carry out his duties at work and the team indeed the club have suffered because of it. A fresh start for all parties would be best IMHO.

glad martin is on the mend, and throughly nice bloke, but i dont see him coming back, i think the club are just being careful as they cant be seen to too ruthless, i cant imagine the board letting this happen again as what happens if he were to have a relapse.