Torquay United Fans Forum

There are nearly three weeks to go till window closes . My offer to help recruitment still stands i have numerous relationships with top agents who have the cream of the youth in the country contracted. Plus over the years have become friends with a lot of managers some who owe me a favour or two. If any staff read this please pass it on to the manager preferably or whoever they feel is in charge in the recruitment dept. I say again it is the fondness for torquay which has developed over the years that keeps me offering to help. I am a retired manager and thats how i will stay but giving advice and helping recruitment i think would benefit the manager in troubled times

The strikers are always the obvious players to berate when a team is goal less but its the mentality of the team you must change . In training emphasis must be hammered into your width players and fullbacks that they must cross the ball at every opportunity inside 25yds which enables the strikers to be on the move in the box and the width on the opposite side to be coming in back post.Statsare that 20 crosses is a goal over the season. Also 46"%of goals come from set pieces so hours of work should be done for and against Another stat is over the season 9 shots is a goal again emphasis too your players that must shoot 25 yds from goal Training should have huge emphasis and punishment for not crossing and shooting inside the distance allocated.When they score from a cross or shot or set piece that has been drilled into them on the training ground confidence will start returning at argyle we worked morning and afternoon on the offensive side of our play scoring 102 goals one season. Our two centrebacks were our top scorers but 6 0ther players got double figures. Its the work on the training field with the whole team on scoring goals that will change your season not blaming only the forwards .

There are many Premier League sides who are desperate to loan out some of there younger players, and are quite content to cover there wages. Plus some of the big agencies have good contacts and relationships with clubs enabling them to recommend what club they join.Iwhen Southend manager managed through my relationship with an agent to acquire the services of Assombalonga who notched near 20 goals.

Have received an email from the Head Coach who is Geoff Harrop thanking me for my offer and explaining to me the vast improvement in performance of the team and the short time he had been manager,thus must decline my offer, To cover some of the negative post is firstly i believe fans should be kept upto speed on all thats happening at there football club they are the life blood of all football clubs. Secondly my offer of help was offered to the club and manager to assist in anyway that they saw fit in no way was i doing it to undermine the manager. I have been reasonably successful in my 40 yr as a coach player and manager and have had bad times as well M y offer still stands i wish too help they have my contact numbers i wish the club and manager all the best.

As i have stated in the past i have a soft spot for torquay, i have been always made welcome,and after my short time involved i feel i could help the club and manager at a very difficult time. Recruitment is a key factor and must be addressed quickly .My 40yrs plus in the game has enabled me too have many contacts with agents coaches and managers which i believe would open doors for a better standard of player to come too the club.Plus i do feel being a striker in my playing days i could definitely help on the training ground working on scoring goals or anything the manager thinks needed worked on. I emailed the media man with my offer which he kindly replied stating that he had passed it on to the head coach i await his answer.I wish to help in difficult times to save a good english league club and help them get back too where they belong . Paul Sturrock

Sorry phil wrong person lol

Phil you must be a rich man will not hold you to your bet lol

I would like to use this post to apologise for the timing of my last post. But my belief that the fans are the most important part of a football club spurred me on to give the fans a small insight on which road the board and director of football had decided on.I wish gary all the best in his new challenge to make the club competitive again I am confident his experience will benefit the team onward and upwards. Paul Sturrock

May this post be an apology for the timimg of yesterdays post,my intention was to give a frustrated fan base some info . I believe that the fans are the most important people and deserve to be kept in the loop as far as news is concerned. I wish Gary all the best in his new job and hope he can steady the ship and bring Torquay back to the english div 2 the league i believe is there stomping ground. Paul Sturrock p.s. yes my grammer is shocking its because of a miss spent youth lol

I have found Torquay to be a very homely club, well run financially and competitive on the pitch backed by a fanbase proud of the clubs achievements over the years' It bugs me that when the poisoned chalice[yeovil] came along i took the security of a two year contract rather than the opportunity of adding another string to my bow as a so called director of football may i add on expenses only until the end of season with torquay. Having retired i still have followed local football and the pro clubs in the area, when the job came up i decided that i could help i my agent contacted the club secretary and was given Mr Harrops phone number who was in charge in liason with the owners of the appointment of a new manager. m y agent duly contacted Mr Harrop and offered me as manager or me as a mentor with a young manager from the national league who was a client of my agent.In discussion he told my agent there had been over one hundred applicants and that he didnt need my cv because he knew me from his time at yeovil head of youth and he would be in touch.Days passed no contact so my agent phoned to be told that he didnt think i could coach any longer and he was going to be director of football with a young coach/manager. I can only presume that he didnt think due to my illness i could coach any longer the illness i have had for twenty years 6 promotions 2 play off finals two cup finals in that time. People may feel that this is the ramblings of an old man trying too turn the clock back and in some ways you may be right but surely 40yrs of football experience should be taped into in some way. Just thought the fans needed a wee insight. If a manager is appointed today this is the ramblings of an old man lol. Paul Sturrock