View from the bench
Posted: 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 Renê 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.
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 Renê 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.
