Torquay United Fans Forum

Well, not that there was much support for him anyway ( 1 vote on this poll) but I think this news means we can definitely rule out Lee Hodges.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 503035.stm

Too early for him to make the step up tbh - he has certainly enjoyed a good first season but with the set up at Truro that's not particularly surprising. It will be interesting to see how they get on in Blue Square South though - only two leagues below us now which represents an incredible rise up the football pyramid.

I think Nicky Forster would be worth ago. Did well at Brentford.

There is a part of me that would love to see Rioch return. When he signed for us in the autumn of 1981 it was like having Roy Race sign...a former World Cup captain, so when he returned from USA to manage us I was so pleased and equally devastated when he resigned in 1984. I was 15 then. I'm nearly 43 now and for this unfinished business to happen it does seem a bit too long (almost 30 years after he left) to be returning.

So really, I do not think Rioch would be a good idea. I think I am right in thinking that he does (or did) own some shares in the club...I'm sure I remember reading this...plus the links with the Boyce family are probably still there as Tony Joyce was chairman when Rioch was manager. But sentiment is probably the main reason for any suggestion of Rioch. He was a hard taskmaster and a stickler for discipline in ways that may not get the best out of someone like Zebroski. His post-Arsenal career is a bit mixed and I wonder what knowledge he would have of players in League 2.

He has credentials to warrant investigation but you wonder at 64 is he a bit long in the tooth now.

Furthermore, this was the sort of role (not exactly) that Colin Lee possibly occupied initially for Buckle and that obviously did not quite work out. These roles are fraught with danger in terms of who is the actual boss etc.

While Paul Trollope would be my first choice it is still not an appointment that I feel fully content with...there does seem to be a shortage of names that you think...'oh yes, he would be good'.

Too many sugggestions are ruling with the heart and as we have seen in the past (Wes) it rarely works.

As for Leroy...again, it is ruling with the heart. After relegation in 2005 he did not do very well at all and although I think the blame for this lies more with Mike Bateson. Speaking of Leroy...it was he...in his ten minute term...that brought John Milton to the club...so who knows, maybe Milton will stay.

Good point TUFC85 , that said it looks like all roads head to torbay for Mr Trollope does it not?

I can't see how everyone is talking about or mentioning Leeroy, I'm sure he is earning as much if not more than he would be as Torquay manager for the BBC, he appears to have taken the media/punditry road. Something in my blood tells me this is what Chris Hargreaves will also do.

Nathan Jones (Yeovil)

Where do we get these 'Branno loves the club', 'Greavsie is a Torquay supporter' stuff from? Seems to be nothing more than wishful thinking? I'm sure Branno is happy here - we pay his wages. And i fully expect Greavsie has a soft spot for us having led us to promotion. But he spent a lot of time at other clubs too. I really think we need to make this decision based on head rather than heart.

Leroys face at the end of the BSP play off final win at Wembley said it all. He was all smiles! Come on you Gulls!

I would love to see Greavsie here, but maybe not as manager..yet. If he could be teamed up, in some way, with an experieced manager, that would be ideal as far as I am concerned. Greavsie is still a Torquay supporter, which helps, plus I think he would have the respect of the players. Did you see the interviews that he did with TUFC players, before the play off final. They were in the dressing room and Branno gave Greavsie and Manse cups of tea. Branno then said "I dont know 550 (?) games under my belt, and I am making the tea" Greavsie simply said "Try 750 games" Poor Branno, for once, had nothing to see. It was priceless.

I think the dream package would be a young upandcoming manager with an experienced director of football, which appears to be what are board are trying to do. Rioch + Hargreaves/Russell/Branston please.

I suspect the board will go for the cheapest option, which will be either Hargreaves or, as player-coach, Branston. While I admire Hargreaves's many fine qualities, most of all his commitment, I doubt that he has the ruthlessness necessary for the job. Branston undoubtedly has, but - as far as I can see - he's no strategist.

Would love to be proved wrong!

Please not Peter Taylor! Take a look at his CV, he is really quite rubbish!

Ronnie Moore would be fantastic.

How about these names, all currently out of work.

Ian Sampson
Paul Ince
Simon Davey
Chris Sutton

Or these in jobs

Dean Saunders (Wrexham)
Mickey Mellon (Fleetwood Town) (maybe too soon)
Mark Cooper (Darlington)
Gary Mills (York)

Just having a look at out of work managers on the LMa website and possible people who might be interested from further away than the south west area.

Richard Money
Ronnie Moore
Kevin Dillon
Simon Davey
Jim Gannon
Martin Foyle
Paul Hart
Martin Ling
Sammy McIlroy
Geraint Williams
Peter Taylor
Ian McParland
Mark Stimson
Dave Penney
Paul Simpson

1 or 2 of those might be ok, a lot of them would be a 'gamble' shall we say.