Martin Ling

[Fonda]

Looking at released players, these would go a long way to solving problems...
(based on performances against us)

Jaimez Ruiz - good keeper
Patrick Ada - quick central defender
Kevin Ellison - physical attacking midfield/forward with goal threat
Marvin Morgan - lanky striker with scoring ability

Hadn't noticed Patrick Ada was available. He hardly gave Benyon a kick in the game at Plainmoor last season, and not mant CB's can say that in the previous 18 months. His performance was excellent, and that was in a game we tore them to shreds. Without him, we'd have got double figures.

[CP Gull]

Missed the boat on most of them guys ....

Ben Harding has now joined Wycombe
Kevin Ellison has signed for Morecambe
Patrick Ada is expected to sign for Kilmarnock
Marvin Morgan has a host of clubs chasing his signature
I doubt we could afford Calvin Zola - or that he would move this far down in all honesty
.... which leaves Jaimez- Ruiz !

[jocktheknife]

He hardly gave Benyon a kick in the game at Plainmoor last season, and not mant CB's can say that in the previous 18 months.

Fonda......their was so many of them, they're queing right up Marnham road, holding up placards proclaiming "I did"

[Fonda]

Fonda......their was so many of them, they're queing right up Marnham road, holding up placards proclaiming "I did"

Harsh. :na: Sounds as though the League 1 defenders had more success though.

[brucie]

I don't see the point of reeling off loads of players that we are not going to sign.
i am concerned if as has been reported Ling is trying to sign Stevens and Oastler. If they both sign then that presumably is two out of the six or seven players he says he needs.
Stevens has gone backwards as far as I am concerned and I would not be offering him a new contract. With all due respect to either player - are they capable of holding down a regular first team place? - I would say the answer is no.
Worryingly that is the same as some of the players that we have already have signed on ie Rowe-Turner,Macklin, Lathrope and Halpin. If you add the two aforementioned players to that lot we look like we are struggling big time.
Lets hope Ling has a bit more ammunition up his sleeve because we are going to need some serious team strengthinig - with what we have already we will do well to finish bottom!

[Behind-the-Gulls]

Yes-we didn't really have a retained list this time due to the managerial change-is this the first time we've not officially released any players?

[JamieE]

There is certainly a place in the squad for Oastler. He's a good man to have in a three man midfield, offers cover in defence and midfield, and we probably haven't seen the best of him yet. With the re-introduction of Mansell to midfield, the emergence of O'Kane as a central midfielder, Lathrope and Oastler, we'd have good depth and flexibilty.

Regarding Stevens, we've seen what he can do, and it is not consistent enough. I would rather we kept Zebs on the right, signed a left winger, and had Macklin and Halpin as options from the bench. There is always rooms for loans, nobody would have guessed the starting line-up we had in the playoff final last August. It would not be a disaster to have those three plus one as our wingers come the start of the season. Who knows how good Halpin is? Stevens would be a waste of a squad place, I don't think there is any improvement to come and he'll never be a regular starter.

This post assumes we are keeping O'Kane and Zebs, everything crossed :-|

[happytorq]

Maybe a change of manager would do Stevens some good? I mean, I think we can all agree that he has some level of ability - he's shown us that in the past - put in the past year or 18 months hes really stagnated.

It's possible that Buckle's style of management was not helpful when Stevens was not playing well (not a dig at PB, just saying it's possible) so a new man at the helm could help him find his good form.

[Dave]

And perhaps move Danny Stevens into a more central role,were our opponents can not double up on him,and he might just be a littlle more dangerous.

[cambgull]

Either that or he's just rubbish in L2. I'd like to see him given a chance but I think I'd rather have a better player ahead of him, really don't want to have to rely on him at any point this season.

[Dave]

Agreed,Martin Ling has hinted however on a 22 man squad,and whilst i do not know accually how many players we have contracted the signing of Stevens and Oastler would not bring our squad up to any thing near that.

Martin ling also hinted at the need for some senior Pro's,i take that to mean a little more experience,so as yet i think there is no need to panic on possible relegation battle's,lets wait in see what the final make up of our squad is,and if i start to panic,then panic

[Fonda]

In many ways Stevens is a lazy signing, but it s also an understandable move. The manager doesn t know him and, reasonably perhaps, doesn t want to show a player that s been here for 3 years the door without having seen him play. Unfortunately he isn t good enough to affect games at this level, so it effectively represents a wasted position in the squad. In fairness to Danny, Lloyd Macklin was awarded a 3 year deal last season I believe? If that can be justified, DS will consider himself well worthy of some kind of deal.

Of more importance to me is how Saul Halpin progresses next season. If he has as much potential as has been hinted at, he ought to be moving ahead of Stevens in the coming season. If he s unable to find a way past him, it would suggest to me he doesn t have the necessary quality either.

[Plymouth Gull]

I still think Stevens can give something. He was never really given the full support from Buckle and/or the fans, which is bound to make things a tad more difficult.

[CP Gull]

One concern that I do have with Martin Ling is his lack of knowledge of League 2 and it's players.

When you consider that it's a long time since he last managed at this level (2005-6 season) having spent 3 seasons in League 1 followed by 2 seasons in the Conference, he will be at a disadvantage to some of the other Managers at this level. By way of an example, when you look at Paul Buckle, he has signed a number of players already that he knows can do a job at this level with the likes of Harrald, Stanley, Carayol and Bevan all having played in L2 last year - he has a good idea of the standard required.

I just hope that when he brings in a number 2, that the new guy may have some more recent experience at League 2 level ideally.

[Jeff]

One concern that I do have with Martin Ling is his lack of knowledge of League 2 and it's players.

When you consider that it's a long time since he last managed at this level (2005-6 season) having spent 3 seasons in League 1 followed by 2 seasons in the Conference, he will be at a disadvantage to some of the other Managers at this level. By way of an example, when you look at Paul Buckle, he has signed a number of players already that he knows can do a job at this level with the likes of Harrald, Stanley, Carayol and Bevan all having played in L2 last year - he has a good idea of the standard required.

I just hope that when he brings in a number 2, that the new guy may have some more recent experience at League 2 level ideally.

I would have thought that, with the conference and L2 being so close in standard now, that he'd still have a pretty good idea of who could do a job at this level.