Fair Play To Martin Ling

[hector]

I was unsure about him when he was appointed and then warmed to him a little but the awful run from Aug to Oct did make me wonder whether he was up to it. I never wanted him to fail or anything as by all accounts he is a very decent bloke but I was worried.

But I am really pleased to see the recent run of form and hope he can keep it going, especially this saturday.

[Southampton Gull]

Fair play for coming out and saying that, I'm glad he's starting to win over his doubters as like you say, he is a very decent bloke, unlike his predecessor.

[tufcbrett]

It is nice to see, hes working hard for our club and dont like to see him getting abused for it.

Just wonder what people now think about his transfer signings.
Obviously Bobby and Rene are the stand outs. But Saah is now finding his feet and playing well. Always thought people were a little harsh but thats football.

[Trojan 67]

Very gracious of you Hector to see Martin Ling in a different light and prepared to cut him a bit of slack.

The whole group has had to go through the barren run to experience how bad it can get when all are not on song singing from the same song sheet.

There's no doubt in my mind that so called consolidation is a smokescreen to lower expectations. What will stop us pushing on to chase the last play off spot is the lack of real strength in depth within the squad, especially when suspensions occur and/or injuries happen.

This is where those who are not regular starters can do themselves a big favour and turn in career changing performances. One only has to look at Lathrope to see how he has stepped up to the plate and taken his chance by the scruff of the neck.

[Southampton Gull]

Very gracious of you Hector to see Martin Ling in a different light and prepared to cut him a bit of slack.

The whole group has had to go through the barren run to experience how bad it can get when all are not on song singing from the same song sheet.

There's no doubt in my mind that so called consolidation is a smokescreen to lower expectations. What will stop us pushing on to chase the last play off spot is the lack of real strength in depth within the squad, especially when suspensions occur and/or injuries happen.

This is where those who are not regular starters can do themselves a big favour and turn in career changing performances. One only has to look at Lathrope to see how he has stepped up to the plate and taken his chance by the scruff of the neck.

You might call it a smokescreen but with debts mounting, a new grandstand to fund and the recession biting hard I think a season of consolidation was inevitable. That's not to say that we can't hope for success on the pitch but given our resources it's unlikely we'll be pushing for promotion, not impossible just unlikely. I'd say that's consolidation to be honest.

[Trojan 67]

You might call it a smokescreen but with debts mounting, a new grandstand to fund and the recession biting hard I think a season of consolidation was inevitable. That's not to say that we can't hope for success on the pitch but given our resources it's unlikely we'll be pushing for promotion, not impossible just unlikely. I'd say that's consolidation to be honest.

That's what I meant. We are lil' o' Torquay and the whole group can do their club and careers a big favour by giving it their all.


I'm not into this nonsense of "over achieving". The whole group puts in the blood, sweat and tears to ensure we achieve our FULL potential with the result we finish where we finish.

If we happen to finish in a play off spot, win promotion and come straight back down on whatever budget is set then so be it.

First though, the need to put 50pts on the board asap is the immediate priority.


Edit : like the Grandstand didn't come down and won't go up in one day, so 50pts aren't gained from one match. Each game as it comes and full application and effort to ensure we give ourselves the best chance of gaining the maximum points from each match.

[Southampton Gull]

I concur

[AustrianAndyGull]

Credit to Martin Ling?! Would i, one his fiercest critics during our barren run of winless games and a torquay fan despondant upon his appointment at my club give this man any sort of credit? Phaaaa! Yes - absolutely. The man has proved to me that he CAN get his players working, competing and playing some decent stuff whilst at the same time getting results. All managers go through bad spells as Martin did and i at times couldn't see where our next win was coming from. I was more bothered about the lack of determination, passion and positivity in those performances than the actual defeats themselves and never imagined we could play like we did today and at Crewe last week. Well he has got us playing like this and we should all remember this when we go through another bad spell ( which is inevitable). He is not as bad a manager as i was led to believe and has something about him anyway. I'm still not his biggest fan but next time we have a bad spell i won't be coming on here suggesting maybe he should go. WELL DONE ML!

[Dave]

Fair play to you Hector , some times i think us TUFC fans in gereral do not realise just what a tough job managing Torquay is, it has got to be among the hardest jobs in football.

Martin Ling is doing a fantastic job, i have heard some say why not have asquad of 15 and top up with loans, what a short term view that is , renting footballers to try and achieve a false position in the legaue, something Buckle did well.

Martin Ling is a proper football manager, put a squad together, and despite a poor run, he has put his trust in his squad, he is now being repayed by those players.

[Trojan 67]

What are you doing here ? Why aren't you down the road at work ?

[Dave]

What are you doing here ? Why aren't you down the road at work ?

Is that aimed at me Troj, if so the answer is in the building ..Sat/Sun usually r+r time.

[Trojan 67]

Is that aimed at me Troj, if so the answer is in the building ..Sat/Sun usually r+r time.

[Dave_Pougher]

It would have took a lot more defeats and negative performances for me to get on this managers case. Rich from me I know but after that day at buckles grave yard (Bristol Rovers) it was apparent ML knew what was important to the support, and I was grateful. (embarrassingly so if you ask my son)

I am certain he and the team will view the Argyle match in the same light. They will try and wind our players up for sure, it's vital we remain professional.

[Southampton Gull]

With you 100% there Dave. For me he's a breath of fresh air after all the underhand crap associated with Buckle.

[Trojan 67]

It's fair play to Martin Ling at the moment.

What if it all goes wrong, results wise, during the transfer window/first week in February ?

We can probably kiss goodbye to play-off hopes.

Push on towards 50pts and we'll stay up.

Then season 2011/12 is job done.