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I realy hope the next season isn't as bad as the dross we put up with last season.
Honestly, I have never seen a bunch of players (which Ling bought in) put on a no-show week in week out. I follow United home and away and have never been so close to packing it all in until last year. The Abbey became a place of depression under Ling. He got his top 8 budget and look where we ended up. It wasn't so much the results, it was the way the team played and how Ling had no tactical knowledge what so ever.
During the appointment of Ling 2 years ago we were all very excited. Lings downfall was the 'Three Year Plan' which over a year and a half had no evidence of even starting or progressing. He loves his excuses and I give it a month until you've had enough of his sayings such as 'Passing with purpose' or 'When I was at Orient...' Worst manager I have seen up there for ages (and trust me there have been a few).
I like seeing clubs from non-league do well, apart from Stevenage who make me feel sick to the stomache... so I do honestly hope he doesn't send you into an ambitionless state of mind and turn you away from the sport and club you love like he did to so many life-long supporters of CUFC. Last season, football became a chore to watch rather than enjoyment. Don't fall for his chatter.
Good luck with the season and hopefully see you in league two soon - A play off rematch is due!
PS i am sure you have all got the wembley win recorded somewhere.. when your team is celebrating with the fans on the pitch after, you will notice a small gorup of about 10 u's fans stayed behind to the right hand side of the goal (looking from your end) we were completed destraught.. I was one of them! haha

Southampton Gull wrote:Except that Trollope is still drawing money from Rovers..............................

No he is the coach at Birmingham City now so we aren't paying him currently.

Gashead1979 wrote:
That isn't strictly true.

Paul Trollope took Bristol Rovers from the bottom of L2 to midtable in L1 and was found to be a poor manager. He may be a decent coach but a manager is a different animal.

Lennie Lawrence his assistant is thought to be the the main reason for anything good that happened, much the same as Orient are saying about Ling and their assistant. Trollope collapsed when Lawrence left and he couldnt hack it on his own.

Very similar circumstances really, although Trollope hasn't gone on to manage another club since whereas Ling has.

Totally irrelevant.

Simply because one man did one thing with one team, it doesn't mean that a totally different man will do a similar thing with a totally different team.

That is akin to suggesting that because one man had a fatal car accident, ALL men should be banned from driving for reasons of public safety.

Matt.

A coach at Brum? Interesting that such a useless person has found such a decent job. Obviously coaching is different to managing but someone seems to recognise he has ability.

Southampton Gull wrote:A coach at Brum? Interesting that such a useless person has found such a decent job. Obviously coaching is different to managing but someone seems to recognise he has ability.

The Bristol Rovers fan? He seems to indicate that he's quite a good coach, and therefore it shouldn't be a suprise he's found a good coaching role.
His point is that as a manager, he was found out.

Similar, I imagine, to most posters views on here about Leroy. Good coach, poor manager (not my view I hastened to add, as I think he'd have blossomed under out current regime)

Southampton Gull wrote:A coach at Brum? Interesting that such a useless person has found such a decent job. Obviously coaching is different to managing but someone seems to recognise he has ability.

Like you said coaching is different to managing. He may have been a decent coach and he ended up getting a job to match that, but when it comes to tactics and motivating he is severely lacking.

He's already had a bust up with their keeper who criticised him then went on loan to West Brom, so his man management skills havent improved, but I suspect his garden has.

ferrarilover wrote:

Totally irrelevant.

Simply because one man did one thing with one team, it doesn't mean that a totally different man will do a similar thing with a totally different team.

That is akin to suggesting that because one man had a fatal car accident, ALL men should be banned from driving for reasons of public safety.

Matt.

I agree, but I was just pointing out to you just because a guy takes a team from lower reaches of L2 to midtable or L1 doesnt make him a good manager which you initially indicated it does.

Eerm, I think it does.

Matt.

I agree Matt but sadly that means we have to concede that Buckle was a good manager too.

andygullagain wrote:I agree Matt but sadly that means we have to concede that Buckle was a good manager too.

Dammit Andy!
In the rules of evidence in criminal law, there are two different standards. The prosecution (the Crown Prosecution Service) must disclose everything they find, whether they seek to rely upon it or not. The defence, on the other hand, are under no such obligation, and, provided they do not mislead the Court, may withhold any piece of evidence they so wish.

In this case, jolly well withhold that crazy admission!

Yes, Bucks is a talented manager and he did take a club on its arse to within the thickness of the crossbar of L1. Would we have survived in L1, who knows, and now we'll never know. But, as interesting as this is, it doesn't change the facts of what Dinger has done in the past and that I can evidence the fact that ML wasn't the cause, or, at very least, wasn't a significantly contributory cause, of the present and recent woes at CUFC.

Matt.

ferrarilover wrote:Eerm, I think it does.

Matt.

Ok heres another 2 examples; Ray Graydon and Dave Penney.

I'd argue at anyone who calls either one a good manager.

Because of the number of teams that go up, and potentially the last placed play off team, it does make it easier to get promoted.

When Rovers got promoted from L2 in 2006/7 were were absolutely woeful until after xmas and sneaked the play offs.

I take each manager on their own merit but to say every manager who takes a club from lower L2 to mid L1 a 'good' manager is a very broad and incorrect statement.

Hes a good example, Paul Buckle got us from the BSP to a playoff final in League 2. Now he has signed loads of decent players for Rovers. Rovers fans think hes a good manager. Doesnt mean he will do a good job for you because he did with us. But its football and the start hes made, i see why your confident. The same as Ling made a good start for us and has got a side promoted and we are fairly confident.

Sir Alex nearly got sacked in his first season because his side was awful, now look hes regarded as one of the greatest managers ever.

Roy Hodgson took Fulham to the Europa League final which is very impressive. He had a bad time at Liverpool then went to West Brom and turned there losing spell into a winning side and kept them up in the Prem. Just because he had the a massive budget at liverpool and didnt do well doesnt mean hes a rubbish manager.

Back to Ling, I appreciate he had a good time at Orient and a less impressive time at Cambridge. It doesnt mean hes going to have a bad time at us because he did at CUFC. He has a equal chance to lead us to League 1 like he did with LOFC.
You may not rate him at at CUFC fans and thats your choice and views (your welcome to believe that) BUT hes gone now and he our manager. I would rather form my own opinion on the guy from what i see at Torquay than any history with any other club. So far he has impressed everyone with strong signings and played decent football in Pre season. Im for one hopes it carrys on.

Gashead1979 wrote:
Ok heres another 2 examples; Ray Graydon and Dave Penney.

I'd argue at anyone who calls either one a good manager.

Because of the number of teams that go up, and potentially the last placed play off team, it does make it easier to get promoted.

When Rovers got promoted from L2 in 2006/7 were were absolutely woeful until after xmas and sneaked the play offs.

I take each manager on their own merit but to say every manager who takes a club from lower L2 to mid L1 a 'good' manager is a very broad and incorrect statement.

You can offer all the alternative names you like, but until you can provide evidential proof to counteract my argument SPECIFIC TO MARTIN LING, your protestations will continue to be mere irrelevancies.

Matt.

Come on own up, which one are you? Ling's wife/brother/sister/uncle/best friend or Ling himself?

Christ alive, Martin Ling was rubbish at Cambridge. We get it!!

Fact is he ain't managing Cambridge United anymore, he is managing Torquay United and what we, Torquay United fans, have seen so far we approve of and we, Torquay united fans, are not going to change our opinion based on what Cambridge United fans say about his time at Cambridge United, because he is now managing Torquay United.
You get this different clubs thing I'm getting at?...
IF 2 months in to his tenure we are passing the ball regularly into the wreckage of the old grandstand while O'kane is loaned out to Exeter because of a falling out with Ling, then yes we will change our opinion of him and call him a crap manager. Thats the thing isn't it, opinions of players/managers must be built on their record for your club, in this case Torquay United, because we are Torquay United fans.

Sorry to be so obtuse, it's just this thread made me actually sign in rather than just lurk. You've no idea...

Roy Hogdson has been mentioned previously and he's the perfect example. Brilliant at Fulham on a limited budget and working with dedicated pros. Rubbish at Liverpool, but working with backroom turmoil and players who seemed unwilling to put in the hard graft. So Hodgson was able to work brilliantly in a stable environment but unable to work well when it wasn't, and Hodgson definetly contributed to the sense of doom around Anfield. So there you go, 2 different clubs with 2 different situations and a manger who was only good enough for one. Hodgson has now proven he is a good manager buy returning to a stable club without prima-donnas (West Brom) and doing an excellent job again.