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So who out there thinks all this kerfuffle about our league start is way ott?

Who trusts Knill implicitly and has no doubts about his ability to move us forward?

If you are one of these people then please do state your reasons why other than saying, "we've got to back the manager". Backing the manager is not a basis for an opinion so if you are in the Knill camp then I would be very interested to hear why this is the case based on what you have seen so far.

Have you seen things in games or in players that others have missed? Have you identified anything that we could praise Alan for? Are a couple of wins just around the corner and if so why?

seen nothing to suggest a couple of wins are around the corner. Football is a strange game sometimes though and just when you expect to lose again you can go on a great run out of nowhere.

right now, confidence in Knill is low, has to be said. Ultimately it's up to the board, and i'll support the club no matter what.

I hope you are right about the wins being around the corner WLY.

I started this thread because I know some fans get sick and tired of seeing negative posts even if they are purely based on what an individual has seen and I get sick of ridiculously optimistic posts where there is no basis for it other than blind faith.

This is an opportunity for those that believe in Knill to tell us why they do so based on all the evidence put before them this season on and off the pitch. It's not meant to be a positive v negative argument but just so those of us who think he's a clown can sort of get to comprehend where supporters of Knill are coming from.

I think all fans have given Knill support from the time that he took over but serious questions now need to be asked as to his suitability for the role. The constant changing of players, formations and tactics are somewhat baffling and I think it is safe to say that he does not have a clear idea of the best formation for the players at his disposal. He cannot expect to bring in new players and expect them to have an immediate impact especially when they are young and inexperienced in league football. The squad when fully fit is very decent but players need to be given a run of 3-4 games in a set formation and playing style rather than all the chopping and changing and introduction of new players as this cannot be good for morale.

With other teams sacking managers in League Two and other managers such as John Sheridan at Argyle openly saying they are under pressure due to bad results (Not as bad as Knills!) Knill must surely adopt a back to basics approach whereby a settled experienced side is picked on form and performance in training as that just does not seem to be happening at the moment.

I dont think it is the time to give youth a chance as there is so much pressure on the side at the moment, that will come once a few wins are under the belt although that might be a month or two away. Personally, I would pick the side as follows and this is based on the last few games and players available:-

Poke, Tonge, Pearce, O'Connor (Downes when fit) Cruise

Chappell, McCourt, Lathrope, Craig, Bodin

Benyon

4-5-1 with Lathrope holding and Chappell and Bodin playing as Forwards / Wingers when attacking

For me Knill has until after the FA Cup First Round and a couple of league games to turn the tide otherwise he has to go.............................

Herein lies the problem.

Nearly 24 hours after I posted the thread and we have 2 responses (thankyou) as to why Alan is the right man for the job. All to quick to have a pop at the blokes slating the man on here but not prepared (or in typical torquay fashion - can't be arsed) to come on and say why they believe Knill will get things right.

I think no more need be said. You all secretly think Knill is weird and will take us down but can't bring yourself to say so.

To answer my question - none of you trust him.

Oh who gives a f*ck anyway, i'm past caring.

I would like our new manager to be an automaton that the fans can programme to set up the team and tactics. It then goes out there and delivers our wishes to the players so that we have only ourselves to blame if it goes wrong. If it goes right we can enter our manager into robot wars to get a few extra quid for the club and we can all go out and get slammed on whisky.

AustrianAndyGull wrote:Herein lies the problem.

Nearly 24 hours after I posted the thread and we have 2 responses (thankyou) as to why Alan is the right man for the job. All to quick to have a pop at the blokes slating the man on here but not prepared (or in typical torquay fashion - can't be arsed) to come on and say why they believe Knill will get things right.

I think no more need be said. You all secretly think Knill is weird and will take us down but can't bring yourself to say so.

To answer my question - none of you trust him.

A few people on other threads have tried to present the idea that he was a good manager at his other clubs, but no one has tried to justify his record at our club this season...........

Yes you are right wodge but like I said, it's not the basis of the here and now.

Just because someone was good at one club doesn't mean they will replicate that at another with different circumstances. What I want to know is based on the team we have AND what we have seen this season - why will he get it right?

Oh and coincidentally , the thread title happens to be one of the best songs Neds Atomic Dustbin ever made.

AustrianAndyGull wrote:I would like our new manager to be an automaton that the fans can programme to set up the team and tactics. It then goes out there and delivers our wishes to the players so that we have only ourselves to blame if it goes wrong. If it goes right we can enter our manager into robot wars to get a few extra quid for the club and we can all go out and get slammed on whisky.

Kind of like Ebbsfleet taken to the next level !

If we don't do it Sky will. :}

I shall just paste this comment i put on another thread

About this time 2 seasons ago we had a team that went 8 without a win and had just lost 4 out of 5.

Having just been smacked 5-2 at home and 4-1 away and looking like we couldnt buy a win, how many people (apart from Hector) were clamouring for the managers head?

And were they still doing that come January/February?

Thanks sunnysideup. We all know that a win could be just around the corner and we could go on a great run but if that is your belief then what makes you think this other than 'waiting and seeing'? If you have seen nothing to suggest this is around the corner (although it may be) then you are in the same boat as the rest of us who are just posting about what we've seen which is the same as what you have seen by and large.

I waffled a bit there but does that make sense?

The negativity around the club does not help.

I can only view the club from an outside perspective and although I am worried by some of the stories coming from people (some of who are closer to the clubs than others) I judge the squad to be far better than what we ended the season with last year. I also judge his loan signings brought in to be of a very decent standard.

Alan Knill is different from the previous managers we have recently had and seems a hard task master who distances himself from being friendly with the players. I suspect when a club is on a bad run then this does not help and as an outcome it fuels the stories - but this does not mean his approach is wrong for the long-term good of the club.

For me - a combination of bad luck with injuries and how the ball falls on the pitch, poor form (which every team hits at some stage) and a settling in period of a new squad and management team as well as a very negative fan-base, have all combined to produce the reasoning behind the circumstances we currently find ourselves in.

Of course some mistakes have been made but no manager is free from guilt of this – even Sir Alex.

I remain positive we are not in real danger of relegation and for me this will become distinctly more of a threat if the board act now, instead of giving the guy more time than many on here are prepared to provide.

I hope to be able to preach the very annoying lesson of "I told you so!" in the near future to the many doubters.

There were very few who didn't think that Knill was the man for the job way back in May. He had saved us and most of you were saying how positive he and Brassy were. But if you look back in history you will see that the man who was brought in to save us with most of the season gone either didn't get signed up or was signed and had a mare the following season. need I provide the proof or have you all got memories.
Yes I will support the manager and team but history tells me it won't work for one reason or another.