Torquay United Fans Forum

It seems to very rarely work out when you bring somebody in to work with the Manager particularly when the person brought in is senior to the Manager. I well remember the time when Dennis Rofe was our Manager and had initially done a good job but when results went wrong Malcolm Allison was brought in to "help him". It lasted about a week before Rofe went and Allison took over. I can only say it is a useful ploy if you want to get rid of a Manager although usually it would not prevent you from having the pay up the departing Managers contract.
If your Manager has a rolling contract I am not sure how much you have to pay up as I have never been sure what has to keep the contract going and what the obligations on both sides are.

Ling & Hargreaves from the start might have worked, but it wouldn't now. In any job it's difficult to be in control of something and then relinquish that, but to then have to stay around and play a lesser role would be even tougher.

Plus I'm not sure Ling & Hagreaves would be that good of a fit. Lingy's very casual, Hargreaves is much more in the shouty shouty Buckle mould.

Hargreaves is far too stubborn and arrogant to accept the help of a senior figure.

Buckle did benefit from the help of Colin Lee and John Milton and the work those two did should never be forgotten. It was a good setup at that time.

Not to mention that fact that Buckle had John Milton with him, who had a rather good eye for a player or two....

If anything. Along those lines were to happen. I think we would have a director of football. Much like Colin Lee and Paul Buckle. Colin did most of the recruitment those first two seasons under Buckle, and Buckle did the work on the training ground. In our third year, I believe Colin took training for a couple of weeks when Bucks lost the training ground. So CH hasn't had that extra figure to help him. Not to mention finances being against Chris.

But yes, I agree with a few of you. I can't see Chris becoming. A number two, if that were to ever happen, it was when he first joined.

BayGull wrote:
He has at least one - a very good head of hair!!

Losing all his strength when is was cut. 8-o

Stevie_RitchTea wrote:Hi guys

Clearly CH has some inadequacies when it comes to being manager. But he also has some very good strong points ..

He has at least one - a very good head of hair!!

I think an experienced assistant alongside Hargreaves would have been ideal from the start. I don't imagine he would be too happy to have his assistant sacked now though, let alone have him sacked AND be demoted!
We either stick with the current team or start again.

I think Hargreaves as assistant to Sturrock (or someone similar) would have been perfect from the start. But Hargreaves had a decent job before this one and I imagine he wouldn’t have come to Torquay at all unless he was given the top job. And I doubt his ego would accept someone coming in above him now unfortunately.

Hi guys

Clearly CH has some inadequacies when it comes to being manager. But he also has some very good strong points, for example, his ability to find talent who no-one has heard of has been clear, and although form has deteriorated throughout the season the first quarter was fantastic and showed signs of real potential.

He has been proven (I think?) as a coach, and wondered how you would feel about letting Hodges go, and if Hargreaves became assistant manager to someone like Ling? Personally I think that they would compliment each other really well.

So what do you guys think?