View from the bench

Post by **exilegull** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:26

So I am lucky enough to be squad number 99 this year. I attended the Hereford match on Saturday and sat on the bench and then was there Sunday for pictures with players and attended the forum. It was interesting to get a slightly different perspective and thought I'd share a few thoughts.

Firstly massive thanks to those that organised it and thanks to Alan, Chris, Kenny, Damien and the squad for making me so welcome when it must be something of an intrusion.

I spent a bit of time in the dressing room before and after the match - there is clearly a good team spirit. The leaders are as you'd expect, with Mansell and Downes being the main two. Additionally Dale Tonge seems a popular addition to the squad and plays a role as one of the more senior players. The younger lads seem to have settled in as well, including those that have come through the youth system.

Before the match Damien Davey was kind enough to run me through the routines they go through before and after the match to try and minimise injuries and also gave me the details of the pre-season routine they have been through. He put together a programme to try and ensure that we are one of the fittest teams in the division and explained a little about how they had gone about it. The whole team were earing heartrate monitors throughout the game so he could monitor them closely.

I like the management team. Alan Knill is tough but fair and a really nice guy off the pitch. As he proved at Bury he is good at developing young players and I can see why throughout the game he was constantly directing the team firmly but constructively and encouragingly - he doesn't seem to be the kind of guy to sit back and watch, he is kicking every ball. After the match he took me to one side and was very open and honest about the performance, the squad and what he was looking to do - one of the themes that he repeated at the forum was he wants the team to be tougher than last season. This applies to both the players at the club but also influences who is looking at bringing in - he seems to be delighted with Pearce as not only he is a good player but he has that physical edge. As he stated at the forum, he was a little disappointed with the attitudes last year where we went to places like Gillingham and Northampton and played reasonably well but lost by the odd goal and that the reaction was "Ok we lost but they are a good team and we did ok" - he wants to win. On Sunday morning he took me into the office for a chat and while we there he was on the phone about potential strikers and he was happy to talk in front of me. There are still a lot of options, 4 names were discussed, who I will not repeat publically but there are clearly a lot of choice and it is about fitting the budget and making sure it is the right player to fit in the squad - personally I am not worried.

Chris Brass is the perfect foil - Chris and Alan clearly got on very well and have a similar philosphy. Chris is also focussed on what he does taking pre-match preparation and warm up very seriously and was constantly at the side of Alan on the touchline throughout the match. However Chris also displays his lighter side more openly and is also probably more seen as one of the lads. It seems to be the way it should be with the manager, more authorative and respected and the assistant closer to the team personally - not that I think Alan is not close to the team or Chris is not respected!

The fans forum was interesting - much has been discussed on the other thread but a few interesting points. There are a lot of players out there that are going to have to take big wage cuts to continue playing football - he showed he was very conscious that Torquay need to be disciplined with wages. He was very open about positioning the club as somewhere for players to come and put themselves in the shop window but they have to fit into the wage structure. Pearce was used as an example of someone he just wants to playing regular football and AK reckons he could be a half a mil player.
He also discussed Rene Howe - stated he ahd a very good relationship with Rene but it was clear very early on he wasn't going to stay. He also said he very well understood RenÃª relationship for leaving but is disappointed he hasn't gone on to something bigger - although Rene had discussions with League 1 clubs and SPL but nothing was quite right.

I'm optimistic for the future under Alan and Chris - I think the difference between middle 8 and potential top 8 is going to depend on the striker we bring and whether the youthful 4 wide players can hit their potential and we can score enough goals. Defensively I think we are solid. The squad is definitely work in progress and I think 2014/15 will be the season to propely judge AK on.

Post by **exilegull** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:31

BTW - that is some youth keeper we have. To pluck my penalty out from the bottom corner and turn it around the post was pretty exception

PlainmoorBob · Post by **PlainmoorBob** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:37

Great, great post - confirms what I feel most reasonable posters were sensing about the set up - has made me feel cautiously optimistic and very positive! Gotta be better than the slow Ling-ering death under the last boss!

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:38

Well thats a rarity on this board an interesting and insightful post

Wivelgull is probably the only other poster who knows his onions and posts anything worth reading.

I might have missed something but what does squad number 99 mean and why are you in the dressing room,talking to the manager etc etc.

Thanks for the thread btw - very interesting.

Post by **exilegull** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:42

brucie wrote:Well thats a rarity on this board an interesting and insightful post

Wivelgull is probably the only other poster who knows his onions and posts anything worth reading.

I might have missed something but what does squad number 99 mean and why are you in the dressing room,talking to the manager etc etc.

Thanks for the thread btw - very interesting.

There was an auction this season to be assigned squad number 99 - as part of the package I get a squad photo with the team, I'm listed as number 99 on the squad lists, I got to sit on the bench for a preseason friendly (which I did saturday) and I can attend a training session.

hector · Post by **hector** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:48

Thanks for a very interesting summary of your day. Quite a reassuring account of how the maternal machinations work.

Post by **Dave** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:50

Top stuff, are you over for the Wimbledon game?

Post by **exilegull** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:52

One more thing related to the financial situation in football that was very interesting.

I know one of players of played for AK at Bury quite well so we got talking about him. He was sold to one of the then larger teams in League 1 for almost 6 figures and had his wage almost tripled. He barely played a game before moving on about 6 months later. AK spoke to the manager and it turned out that the player had been recommended but the manager never actually saw him play - they just decided to splash the transfer money and wages out on the strength of the recommendation.

Post by **exilegull** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:54

forevertufc wrote:Top stuff, are you over for the Wimbledon game?

No I was just here for a quick trip this weekend. Nothing planned yet but I'll try and arrange another Torquayfans.com match sponsorship later in the season. I'll be in touch when I know more.

AustrianAndyGull · Post by **AustrianAndyGull** » 29 Jul 2013, 12:58

Thanks exiled, a very interesting post for those of us who don't know anything about the goings on at Plainmoor generally. Sounds like you had a great day!

Richinns · Post by **Richinns** » 29 Jul 2013, 13:10

Great insight and thanks exile. Nice to have a bit of personality added to the situation at Torquay and also great to see they have given proper acknowledgement and attention to the winner of the squad member competition, which is a new addition this year I think?
Now - if you would like to PM me those 4 strikers he was talking to - I would be most interested!

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 29 Jul 2013, 13:27

And then Richinns can pm to me as you have proof of my trustworthiness :Oops:

Post by **exilegull** » 29 Jul 2013, 13:33

Richinns wrote:Great insight and thanks exile. Nice to have a bit of personality added to the situation at Torquay and also great to see they have given proper acknowledgement and attention to the winner of the squad member competition, which is a new addition this year I think?
Now - if you would like to PM me those 4 strikers he was talking to - I would be most interested!

Haha - while he was happy to speak in front of me he also made it clear that if the names became public he would know where they came from and there would be consequences! :whip:

wivelgull · Post by **wivelgull** » 29 Jul 2013, 13:38

I can vouch for brucie.

OhJimmyJimmy · Post by **OhJimmyJimmy** » 29 Jul 2013, 13:42

Thanks for the post. Very interesting. Leaves you wanting to hear more. In amongst all the drivel we write on here the best post I've read.

Feel slightly more optimistic already!

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