Martin Ling

[Regiment]

Hi guys,

Orient fan here.

I am not going to comment on Lingy's time as Cambridge manager because I don't have any knowledge of what went on there. Equally don't listen to the Cambridge fans who have come on here and talked about his time at Orient. The idea that "everyone knows" Dean Smith was behind our success under Ling is a nonsense - I have never heard an Orient fan even suggest this. Ling and Smith were an excellent team - I do think it is important that Lingy has a character like Smith as his number 2, but to suggest that all the success was down to Deano is rubbish.

Ling was an excellent manager for us in League 2. I'd put him in the top three managers in my 22 years of supporting the club. He took over unquestionably the worst Orient side of all time - one that was bound for the Conference without a doubt - and in less than three years got us our first automatic promotion in 36 years. He spent very little money doing it and we played some fantastic football along the way.

Of course he made mistakes, of course he does things that frustrate the fans sometimes - what manager, particularly at this level, doesn't?

Lingy took us up, kept us up, and even had us top of League 1 for a while in the 07/08 season until we fell away after Christmas. It became apparent that he'd taken the club as far as he could and that's when he left but IMHO it's well worth a club like Torquay giving him a chance, whatever happened at Cambridge, and I think he could do very well for you.

thanks for taking the time to come on here and give us your views. we've had a few orient fans on, and you all seem to be saying the same things about Martin Ling, which i'm sure has raised the spirits of some of the doubters on here. as you can probably gather, his appointment was a surprise, but we'll all get behind him and give him the support he needs. we're not paying any attention to those from Cambridge, they're still pi**ed off with us for ensuring they'll spend the next 'x' number of years in the BSP.

like Chris, i'd like to know what sort of person/character is Dean Smith, i'm not sure i know who he is (is he the guy who was/is at walsall ?).

and one final question - completely hypothetically of course, if you'd been looking for a new manager now, and Ling's name came up, how would you have felt about that ?

cheers cjp.

[cjp116]

Thanks for that assessment cjp.

Out of interest, you say Ling probably needs a character like Dean Smith in his coaching team, what do you think the respective strengths of the two men were during their time at Orient?

In my opinion Smith is a 'big' character, a no-nonsense motivator... That is certainly the way he always comes across, even in his playing days. Ling was the tactical one, who set up the team and was responsible for our (very good) style of football. As has been noted elsewhere Ling is a very highly qualified coach and this definitely helped the overall play of the team. I believe that Smith was mainly responsible for the defensive side of the coaching (having been a defender himself).

Lingy likes to think things through and take time to quietly reflect on decisions. There's nothing wrong with this, although it can be frustrating when waiting for signings, and it worked very well for five years for us, but he does need an assistant who is good at the motivational side and keeping the players 'up for it' to compliment him.

I also noticed a comment earlier about Ling talking down young players? I find this very surprising. He was our Youth Team coach before managing us and I would have said one of his real strengths was bringing through and developing young players.

[cjp116]

thanks for taking the time to come on here and give us your views. we've had a few orient fans on, and you all seem to be saying the same things about Martin Ling, which i'm sure has raised the spirits of some of the doubters on here. as you can probably gather, his appointment was a surprise, but we'll all get behind him and give him the support he needs. we're not paying any attention to those from Cambridge, they're still pi**ed off with us for ensuring they'll spend the next 'x' number of years in the BSP.

like Chris, i'd like to know what sort of person/character is Dean Smith, i'm not sure i know who he is (is he the guy who was/is at walsall ?).

and one final question - completely hypothetically of course, if you'd been looking for a new manager now, and Ling's name came up, how would you have felt about that ?

cheers cjp.

No problem... Yes Dean Smith is the manager at Walsall now and did an excellent job keeping them up last season.

I can understand your fans having doubts looking at Ling's recent history, but I think he is far better suited to League 2 management than he was to the BSP.

The last question is a good one! I like to think (without getting delusions of grandeur!) that we are a relatively established League 1 side now and I really want to see us build on our success last season, much like yourselves I am sure. Ling, probably by his own admission, took us as far as he could in League 1 and wouldn't right be for us here and now. If we were back in League 2, however, I'd be more than happy to see him back. I honestly think he is a good appointment for any League 2 side working to a tight budget.

[Chris B]

Cheers cjp. The reason I ask is because our former player Alex Russell is being linked with a player/coach role. His ability and calmness on the pitch makes me think of him as more of a football thinker than a motivator. If Russell does return, time will tell if his attributes are too similar to those Ling has.

[Regiment]

No problem... Yes Dean Smith is the manager at Walsall now and did an excellent job keeping them up last season.

I can understand your fans having doubts looking at Ling's recent history, but I think he is far better suited to League 2 management than he was to the BSP.

The last question is a good one! I like to think (without getting delusions of grandeur!) that we are a relatively established League 1 side now and I really want to see us build on our success last season, much like yourselves I am sure. Ling, probably by his own admission, took us as far as he could in League 1 and wouldn't right be for us here and now. If we were back in League 2, however, I'd be more than happy to see him back. I honestly think he is a good appointment for any League 2 side working to a tight budget.

fair comments - nice one, much appreciated. :~D

[Regiment]

finally, but was it worth the wait ?? :-

http://www.torquayunited.com/page/Bench ... 41,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Twentington]

I ve never heard of Martin Ling
But his name I ll sing sing sing
Unless relegation he doth bring
Ding-a-ling-a-ding-a-ling-a-ding-ding-ding.

[Trojan 67]

No problem... Yes Dean Smith is the manager at Walsall now and did an excellent job keeping them up last season.

I can understand your fans having doubts looking at Ling's recent history, but I think he is far better suited to League 2 management than he was to the BSP.

The last question is a good one! I like to think (without getting delusions of grandeur!) that we are a relatively established League 1 side now and I really want to see us build on our success last season, much like yourselves I am sure. Ling, probably by his own admission, took us as far as he could in League 1 and wouldn't right be for us here and now. If we were back in League 2, however, I'd be more than happy to see him back. I honestly think he is a good appointment for any League 2 side working to a tight budget.

Welcome aboard cjp. With reference to the highlighted bit above, some of us o'farts on here remember when Leyton Orient were a real "League One" team (old Division 1, now called the Premiership).

[Trojan 67]

I ve never heard of Martin Ling
But his name I ll sing sing sing
Unless relegation he doth bring
Ding-a-ling-a-ding-a-ling-a-ding-ding-ding.

Fer cry sakes what are you doing !

Bartlett and his bell will see this as an open invitation !

Diamond Girl and Fiat lover will be pleased.

[mlw]

Having now come to terms with appointment of Martin Ling it struck me that perhaps the club was right after all to go for an experienced manager rather than a novice. As someone who was in the Nicky Forster camp this is a u turn for me - but then, if the goverment can do it why can't I. The deciding factor was the thought of Nicky Forster using Torquay as a stepping stone on to bigger things as Paul Buckle before him. There is every chance that Forster will develop into a decent manager in the next few years so we stood the risk of being treated the same way we were by the "Trouser Snake Kid".
Reflection makes me think that an experienced manager and hopefully a good player coach is the best way forward after all.

[Fonda]

Are we seriously suggesting we dodged a bullet by not employing a manager who might actually have a future higher up the pyramid? That is some curious logic. You can bet any manager that does a decent job at this level will strive to move higher. I'd rather have one that enjoyed that talent/potential than didn't (i'm not suggesting Ling doesn't).

[Twentington]

Fer cry sakes what are you doing !

Bartlett and his bell will see this as an open invitation !

Diamond Girl and Fiat lover will be pleased.

Eeek. Sorry, wasn't thinking. I'll do a drummer's remix. I like the drums.

*clears throat*

I ve never heard of Martin Ling
But his name I ll sing sing sing
Unless relegation he doth bring
Bangy-bangy-bangy-bang-bong-bang-bing.

[Trojan 67]

Eeek. Sorry, wasn't thinking. I'll do a drummer's remix. I like the drums.

*clears throat*

I ve never heard of Martin Ling
But his name I ll sing sing sing
Unless relegation he doth bring
Bangy-bangy-bangy-bang-bong-bang-bing.

Stop it Twentington, stop it right now !

You'll upset Wivel.

[ferrarilover]

Fer cry sakes what are you doing !

Bartlett and his bell will see this as an open invitation !

Diamond Girl and Fiat lover will be pleased.

It'll give the local constabulary something to do.

Matt.

[ferrarilover]

And sorry to go back to this, especially since my own mother has started a far more relevant thread, but SCOTTY, the level of achievement relative to my pre-season expectations are wholly irrelevant.
Achievement isn't measured against the expectation of the fans, or anyone else. The achievement of finishing 7th after 46 games is of equal merit regardless of any factor one can name, income, wages, size of squad etc.

Matt.

Thanks to the Orient fan for his views, good to have it confirmed, once again, that, given reasonable circumstances and not a bloody circus, Mr Ling is a decent manager at L2/1 level.