Can we Get to Wembley?.

hector · Post by **hector** » 18 Feb 2016, 11:08

I think it is unlikely that we will get to Wembley and the longer this remote possibility exists the greater the smokescreen regarding the disaster this season has been and in particular, the decision to appoint a novice who has only managed to acquire around 10 pts out of almost 60, and despite this persist with a set-up that condemns us to relegation.

Kidderminster Harriers, in the space of a week, managed to accumulate almost as many points as this unfortunate experiment at Plainmoor has gathered in 5 months. It's really farcical. The excuse-mongers only make things worse.

In the context of that, I do not give a monkeys whether we get to Wembley or not - it matters not, when we are playing in a regional league, losing to the likes of Weston-Super-Mare and Concord Rangers.

stefano · Post by **stefano** » 18 Feb 2016, 11:18

Absolutely right young Hector. Been going steadily downhill since Alan Knill was sacked, the last proper manager we had

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 18 Feb 2016, 11:40

stefano wrote:Absolutely right young Hector. Been going steadily downhill since Alan Knill was sacked, the last proper manager we had

Apart from the blip under Buckle we've been going steadily downhil since the decision was made not to make a go of staying in League One.

stefano · Post by **stefano** » 18 Feb 2016, 12:12

PhilGull wrote:
Apart from the blip under Buckle we've been going steadily downhil since the decision was made not to make a go of staying in League One.

Yes opinion as to when we actually started going downhill would vary from person to person. I was of course just teasing hector over his quite unreasonable obsession over Alan Knill. But many would say we started going downhill in 1971 after 6 years in what is now League 1 during which time we went close 3 times to getting promoted. Others may even say it was in 1957 when Ipswich Town pipped us to the Division 3(S) title on goal average, then the following season we finished in the bottom half of the table and so became members of the newly formed Division 4 the following season.

LesLawrencesAfro · Post by **LesLawrencesAfro** » 18 Feb 2016, 12:42

Can we get to Wembley? .... I think it's not a question of 'can' but a question of 'do we really want to?'

We've been there, done that and maybe some of us still have the t-shirts.... yes, it was good fun and it's always nice to have a day out in big London.

But... who on here would swap a trip to the over-hyped 'home of football' to finish one place above the drop zone? I would for sure.

Bloggy · Post by **Bloggy** » 18 Feb 2016, 13:41

I used to have the HE Rodney Jack Jack Jack from a while back...

hector · Post by **hector** » 18 Feb 2016, 15:40

PhilGull wrote:
Apart from the blip under Buckle we've been going steadily downhil since the decision was made not to make a go of staying in League One.

The Old Codger, Stefano, sort of neglects to mention that the moment the old board were won over by the gullible calling for Knill when Ling was ill, was the moment it all went wrong. It has been a disaster ever since - one bad appointment after another.

What is an even new level of stupidity is how the current board have stuck with a manager who cannot win, except for in a cup competition nobody cares about.

Two wins and ten points in five months!!! TWO POINTS A MONTH!!! Are people really ok with that?

Even if we are skint, that is simply unacceptable.

It puzzles me that there are still supporters, supportive of the people making such silly decisions and those supporters are part of the problem as well.

Sesimbra · Post by **Sesimbra** » 18 Feb 2016, 16:14

Good posting Hector - I entirely agree. Complacency in the Club appears to be the rule. What happened to ambition?

torq2u · Post by **torq2u** » 18 Feb 2016, 17:24

Yes, but, now that Nicho has got his own team in situ, it's all going to be different. You mark my words, young man, old bean

Post by **Dave** » 18 Feb 2016, 19:28

Got to get past Bognor first, and there's some good teams left in there, so who knows whether we'll make it or not. Got tickets for England v Holland, so I'm going anyway

if TUFC get there, I will be going for sure.

Sesimbra · Post by **Sesimbra** » 18 Feb 2016, 19:35

Who would have thought 3 years ago that Torquay's manager's ambition is to finish 5th from the bottom of the Conference.
That says is all.

Post by **Dave** » 18 Feb 2016, 20:35

A massive climb down in expectations that's for sure, but there has to be clear separation between the "old" and "current" board. The reasons why our expectations have gone down the plug hole are not the fault of the likes of Dave Phillips or Steve Breed, they're the people who came in and have had to fight tooth and nail to keep this club running, they've suffered the consequences of the actions of those who went before, Bill Phillips knew very well the academy would have to close, did a great job of engineering the blame on the new board in my view, spending money the club didn't have and turning to Thea every point and turn to cover the losses they were racking up.

Both Phillips and Breed have been on the wrong end of some real dogs abuse, and deserve the upmost praise for keeping their dignity in tact, when they could easily have gone public told the harsh truth, airing some pretty dirty washing along the way, fair play to them for keeping their powder dry, in the same situation I wouldn't have done.

Spending £200k on a training of which a large percentage is still not fit for purpose today is one of reasons why our club is where it is now, the new board have had no other choice but to bring the club back into a position where it lives off it's income, it no doubt will take years to recover, but if us fans stop crying, and start getting behind the club, we'll get there a damn sight quicker.

chunkygull · Post by **chunkygull** » 18 Feb 2016, 21:55

A double edged sword for me, I would love a trip to Wembley and a chance of a trophy, tin pot or not, but obviously as others state the league must be a priority. The worst part is that no doubt a cup run like that will paper over the cracks of the disastrous Nicholson tenure. It will give more ammo to those who continue to make excuses and look through the worst kind of rose tinted glasses.

I fear whatever happens in the league and we get to Wembley those that were bullshitted and misled into the maniacal, crazy, ill thought decision to employ Nicholson in the first place will do so again and give him another chance and another contract for next season.

But what if he keeps us up Chunky I hear you ask? Well unlike some I always believe there is hope and it isnt beyond the realms of possibility that we could accumulate enough points, it certainly isnt mathematically and if you look at the teams around us we still have to play them and although not like having points on the board we do have games in hand.

However, I do not believe we will do it with Nicholson in situ, not only does it present us with the problem of managerial inexperience and a seeming lack of tactical nous and according to some things you read online ( not my knowledge or opinion, just what I have read) a poor work ethic when it comes to scouting or researching the opposition, putting in extra work where needed during times when there is no game and a fitness schedule which could cause injuries or no proper recovery. Dont know how much of that last lot is true but no smoke without fire.

The worst part though that really irks me is the streak of vanity and ego which is driving this man on to continue to pick himself in the starting line up every week, and you say - "But Chunky we have a whole bunch of new players, we have changed personnel and added to the squad, starting on Saturday the new players who werent cup tied will play and Nicho can drop To the bench!" Aint gonna hold my breath folks, bet it doesnt happen, hope it does, but not hopeful.

I dont buy all that rubbish that "Nicho' changed the squad, we have to give him a chance with his own players, well most managers when they come into a club have to work with what they have and many have a positive impact and dont need to or get the chance to change so many personnel mid season. Who is to say yet that any of the new lot will be any good.Anyway did Nicho boot most of these players or did they just want to get the hell out of dodge because of him, it seems like anyone who he might have had any slight problems with got moved on, well does anybody remember a certain player that Alan Knill dropped and possibly didnt want, that player sulked like a teenager who's had their phone confiscated, tried to cause trouble and undermine Knills tenure (although he was shite anyway).

Look, dont get me wrong, its nothing personal, I dont know the bloke, I just want the best for TUFC and I really dont believe he was the best we could do or he is the right man for the job, I really want to be proved wrong but a big part of me is saying if we dont win the next two league games we are screwed and Nicholson needs to go, but I doubt that will happen because a lot of clubs would have done it by now and for some reason we havent. I doubt they would even if relegation gets confirmed, there seems to be some blind stubborn, bloody mindedness and unwilling to be proved wrong by sacking him that goes along with the same naiveity and against common sense willfullness that employed him in the first place. It absolutely stunk of jobs for the boys, old pals act, oh wow a legend, starstruck bullshit. I take it whoever made the ludicrous decision to appointment suffered with same "legend" delusion that those who were suckered in by Hargreaves did. Not legends, half decent players, yes Nicholson and Mansell served a fair bit of time here, but just because you are employed somewhere for a long length of time doesnt mean you are great, he was okay, he had his moments but not a legend, I think the problem with many supporters is that success, good football and good players has been so few and far between, not seen for a while so many have become easily pleased. At many clubs if they had the results we have been having, regardless of whats been going on off the field there would have been a lot more dissatisfaction, uprising and unrest. Too many have been content to accept what is being put out on the pitch and making excuses for it, well that is part of the problem, that is like the worst kind of enabling.

I do hope he proves me wrong but then if we do stay up by the skin of our teeth and get a Wembley day out that will likely mean he gets to stay on another season and God forbid he includes himself as a player again.

Glostergull · Post by **Glostergull** » 19 Feb 2016, 01:25

And what if we can achieve both? what will you say then. assuming g we are not trying to resuscitate you on the floor

Added in 1 second:
And what if we can achieve both? what will you say then. assuming g we are not trying to resuscitate you on the floor

chunkygull · Post by **chunkygull** » 19 Feb 2016, 02:15

I would be so unbelievably happy if that scenario happens, I want TUFC to succeed. However I dont feel we will stay up with Nicholson in charge and I was very vocal about that even before he was appointed when rumours were flying around.

If he proves me wrong then great and I will swallow humble pie and admit I was wrong. Does either staying up, winning the FA trophy or both automatically mean we should keep him on with out looking at other options though.

The worst thing about having him is the fact he insists on picking himself in the starting line up and doesnt look like deservedly sitting some games out anytime soon. I can understand it in the trophy where the squad doesnt have many options but there could be a much stronger line up in the league without him. You only have to look around the internet to see each week the supporters prefered line ups and Nicholson rarely features in any of them. To pick yourself and put yourself ahead of the teams real needs and to the detriment of the team is negligent, egotistical, vain, delusional, selfish and very poor.

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