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Think we need to be patient and stop worrying quite as much to be honest. Dont forget Ling was hired to set up a scouting network in England for Hibs. Along with his past experience in league one and conference im sure he has a bloody good knowledge of players in and around league 1, 2, and conference.

He was doing some scouting for walsall when he left cambridge so im sure he would have seen a fair few players.

Just had a read of some of the nonsense in here about Ling etc. So much of it reactionary without any real knowledge of Ling, his way of working. I hope that after a fairly encouraging pre-season so far some on here are prepared to say they are wrong, or at least offer him a bit of time!

I have been impressed with his way of going about things, his signings seem solid rather than spectacular. I think he will do well for us if give time and backing.

"I have been impressed with his way of going about things, his signings seem solid rather than spectacular. I think he will do well for us if give time and backing"

I remember saying exactly the same thing 12 months ago.

We'll see......

Thing is TCP, we've just seen two games of quality passing football and clean sheets against higher league opposition.

I think Martin ling will get a bit more of a chance here at Torquay than he had with you. There was something rotten at Cambridge last year and if you think that was purely down to the manager you're in cloud cuckoo land.

We'll all see soon I guess but there's no pressure on him here for instant success and you'd be suprised what people can do when given a bit of support and the freedom to express themselves.

COYY!!!

Anyone hazard a guess how many more players (if any) Ling will add to the squad before the season starts? I would be surprised if there were any more new players coming in now.

I would day that's his lot, a squad to start the season with to see how we stand up against the opposition and then dipping into the loan market as required. I'd imagine he'd also pick up some promising youngster or two from a higher league club once they submit their squads.

Yeah i agree Tq2Yellow. Would have liked to have seen a knuckledragging neanderthal midfield meathead in the mould of Branston / Neil Ruddock though to beef up the mid. I quite like those sorts of players simple but effective and can get players around them motivated. In no way am i insinuating that Branno or Ruddock have long arms, primitive communication skills or heads constructed of animal muscle may i add! They just look like that!

Give the Gaffer time, as far as I'm aware season hasn't started yet (well competitively anyway) I think IMHO that Olejink is a fantastic signing and is poss better than Bevan!!

Nice post Masha...that would be the Gulls defence in an arty imagery fashion then?

as Monty Python would say SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM........

I rather feel that it is the midfield that Masha is alluding to in pictorial form rather than the defence. He's taking up Andygullagain's comment

Would have liked to have seen a knuckledragging neanderthal midfield meathead in the mould of Branston / Neil Ruddock

The solid rock basis surely represents the Branston/Ruddock type on which the midfield relies, with the trailing ivy signifying the artistic beauty of Eunan O'Kane & how the two qualities complement each other.

If your English isn't too strong sometimes a picture is better than a thousand words, & I feel Masha has illustrated what we should be striving for in our midfield in an interesting & novel way.

Oh Kingsgull, that is very shallow

kingsgull wrote:as Monty Python would say SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM........

...in this single image, Masha, after hours of contemplation has clearly encapsulated the very heart of the Gulls and has opened up a nice debate around whether the image refers to the defence or midfield. Top post I say!

andygullagain wrote:Would have liked to have seen a knuckledragging neanderthal midfield meathead in the mould of Branston / Neil Ruddock though to beef up the mid. I quite like those sorts of players simple but effective and can get players around them motivated.

Every team needs one or three, to stop any nonsense from the opposition.

It's called winning the battle, then when the opposition get the drift, the "meatheads" can show their other skills.

Professional discipline, know how (and why), skill factor.

There were one or two players against Burnley who showed a slight deficiency in "attitude". Yellow and red cards are avoidable with a wholesome professional attitude.

I think it is worth some people re-reading pages 1-5 of this thread and see if they still feel the same as they did then.

I know the season hasn't started yet and we could still have a bad one (hopefully not) but to read some of those people you would think we had appointed some bloke who'd never managed a team before and that the end of the world was nigh...