Torquay in crisis?

[Gulliball]

With gates of 2000 we should be able to afford a decent Conference side. The backroom staff are the only employees signed during the league days, so hopefully these are legitimate 'cuts', although it's hard to see how it will save money. Things are obviously going to get worse before (if ever) they get better.

 

[Luke Imp]

Is the budget a Kiddy type cut i.e. 50%?

 

[Sparrow]

Conference South isn't a bad division.

 

[DT-the-gull]

I do not see part-time football at all, said it in previous post, I had more than a funny feeling Hargreaves would go, closing of the academy, and cut backs made in other areas will save the money, if my belief in CH's replacement is right, I don't see this as a problem at all.

 

[Gulliball]

Paul Cox heavily rumoured to be coming in.

 

[yellow]

Is it wrong to feel a bit disappointed with Greavsie and co for not accepting a cut? Obviously we don't (and likely never will) know what the cut % offered was, but even so, the money they earn now is nowhere near in line the sort of wages we ought to be paying for a club in our position.

Hoping whoever comes in plays football the right way, which is unlikely if it is indeed Paul Cox..

edit: where are these Paul Cox rumours Gulli?

 

[DT-the-gull]

I think us Torquay fans have got to look passed this, they were offered reduced contracts. If we took over a football club and wanted to change the manager, to be seen in a "professional" manner, rather than walking in through the door and saying you're fired, wouldn't we offer the said manager a contract on terms reduced to the point you know he will not accept.

As for Paul Cox, it must be understood his name is purely a rumour, but if it is him, he's got 3 promotions on his CV and knows his way around the non-league, that's what we, as a football club are now, and our club needs a manager who understands what's needed at this level, especially on a reduced budget, we can't work of football league budgets anymore, that's the way it is.

 

[Gulliball]

It's impossible to say without knowing what's really happening. We know that at least one of the ten are opposed to Hargreaves as manager. If, as a group, they want him out, then that's up to them. If they wanted him, but couldn't afford his current contract then that's a different concern. I hope it's the former, just because that's slightly better for us.

Paul Cox, and the training ground and academy rumours, are from a few sources - the same ones that said Hargreaves was on his way out, which leads me to believe they're credible.

 

[yellow]

Fair. If the figures for CH and LH are what I understand them to be (and, like you, I have no reason to believe they are incorrect), it is no surprise that they have gone. The job they have done over the last 18 months is nowhere near deserving that kind of money.

I guess I wouldn't be too disappointed with Cox - he is a good non-league manager which is what we need. For me now though, we need stability. We've not really had it since Buckle left - no manager since has been given a chance to truly make the team their own (rightly or wrongly).

I'd take survival on a highly reduced budget. Of the pros we still have here, I think Young, Bowman and Courtney Richards are fine for this level, as is Angus MacDonald. Briscoe needs to lose some weight which will hopefully come off, especially if Cox does reunite with him and help him to recapture his form in Mansfields promotion year. Who else is signed on?

 

[Gladders]

As for Paul Cox, it must be understood his name is purely a rumour, but if it is him, he's got 3 promotions on his CV and knows his way around the non-league, that's what we, as a football club are now, and our club needs a manager who understands what's needed at this level, especially on a reduced budget, we can't work of football league budgets anymore, that's the way it is.

Paul Cox and a reduced budget don't go together, he has 3 promotions because of money bags clubs.

 

[DT-the-gull]

Yes, I fully understand that. But to reiterate, Paul Cox is only rumour, however, if it does turn out to be him, maybe it's case of an out of work manager wanting to get back into work, knowing that even if he could get TUFC up towards the play-off places it would be seen as an over achievement in our current situation, any finish in the top half would be seen as that.

 

[DT-the-gull]

If their was someone who knew last week that CH was on his way out, and it turns out they were right, that would suggest the decision was already made, there fore the new owners never had any intention of keeping CH, again leading me to conclude that they offered him a reduced contract knowing full well he wouldn't sign it, so I'd suggest the loss of CH is not a money saving ploy.

 

[yellow]

Cox now being linked to the job in the local paper. Expecting announcements regarding the new chairman and manager today.

 

[Luke Imp]

It'll be interesting to see how he does because his success has been down to a big budget (admittedly you've still got to do the business with that budget), but on the other hand, it's probably easier to put together a team on a lower budget (relative to what he's previously had) who can play the way his teams do.

 

[yellow]

Press Conference key points:

- David Phillips new chairman
- Dean Edwards Director of Football
- Steve Breed replaces Andrew Candy as chief executive
- Board will meet with the Supporters Trust this week
- New manager in by the end of this week (Cox, Kev Nicholson (no thank you), and Matt Elliott rumoured)
- We will look at players all over the world - scouting will be increased ten fold
- Youth academy to be watered down
- Decisions to be made on the Seale Hayne training ground fiasco

Can't say I know anything about David Phillips, but as long as he's an improvement on his namesake Bill...

 

[Chris FGR]

So your going to spend a lot more money scouting all over the world, but water down your youth academy. Makes sense.

 

[DT-the-gull]

Well Paul Cox is either going to be one of those "worst kept secrets" or his name is some sort of smoke screen, as rumours and forum PM inbox's are lighting up suggesting his name as our new manager.

Not sure as to why you're so anti Paul Cox, yellow. Yes Cox is known to employ an "anti" style of football, and we've been used to see TUFC teams at least try to play the game the right way, however cast your mind back to the league 2 play off final, when our team spent 90 minutes knocking the ball around in neat triangles, while Stevenage humped and hoofed it long, won and got promoted, our style of play apart from two play-off success's and one automatic in the last 50 years, has seen us win nothing.

I fully understand that Paul Cox has gained success in the past off big budgets, but the point is any manager can have all the tea in China, still got to know what type of player, what style, what type of training programmes, and man manage them to gain success. It's clear with 3 promotions to his name, Paul Cox knows how, will he be able to do it off the budgets at TUFC, now, that really does remain to be seen.

 

[DT-the-gull]

So your going to spend a lot more money scouting all over the world, but water down your youth academy. Makes sense.

I get where you're coming from, investing in youth is the way forward. However, we've currently got a cat 3 youth set-up, stating the obvious, now as a non-league club we lose all the funding ( FL clubs enjoy ) so the club will now have to find the full cost around £300,000 per year, we're not going to be spending that kind of money on scouting.

 

[yellow]

I'm not really against Cox - I want it to be someone not previously related to the club - we've made that mistake too many times in the past. Fans calling for Nicho, Russell, Ling & Leroy… no thank you. Get a clean break, which, if it is Cox, will hopefully happen.

 

[Chris FGR]

I get where you're coming from, investing in youth is the way forward. However, we've currently got a cat 3 youth set-up, stating the obvious, now as a non-league club we lose all the funding ( FL clubs enjoy ) so the club will now have to find the full cost around £300,000 per year, we're not going to be spending that kind of money on scouting.

Ok fair enough, always a shame when it's the youth set-up taking the hit though.

For me the rules on funding are ridiculous, it should be based on what category academy a club has, not what division the first team are in. The FA make a lot of noise about improving grass roots football/youth development yet are seemingly happy to see clubs who drop out of the league forced to scale back or close down their academies.

 

[yellow]

http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co....Dean-Edwards/story-26699543-detail/story.html

An interesting outlook.

 

[Harrier94]

Nicholson could come in as a coach or assistant but I don't think he's ready for management yet

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Shame for Hargreaves, a good bloke and good professional. For Torquay fans, has he been hard done by or is the change fair enough?

"While I have been here I have felt like Jamie Oliver in a restaurant working in the cloak room and never being asked to go and cook a meal."
Wow - rates himself highly then!!

Football isn't the same these days, players aren't the same. Can't help feeling this isn't a good start...but at least new ownership should secure the financial future if nothing else.

 

[Seventyseven]

Shame for Hargreaves, a good bloke and good professional. For Torquay fans, has he been hard done by or is the change fair enough?

Of course he hasn't. Football is a results business. When a full-time club is battered 1-5 at home by a part-time team, then the writing is on the wall... and it was only a matter of time. I honestly though the new board would stay with him for a while and see how he got on.... how wrong I was.... so good to see the new consortium have the balls to make a clean sweep.

New Owners. New Manager. New Team. Just what the doctor ordered.

Regarding his 'Jamie Oliver' quip.... if you can't f**king cook, stay out of the kitchen mate!

 

[WH_Stag]

Paul Cox will sort your club out, He'll sign about 30 players and fall out with 5 or 6 but they'll be players you wouldnt want playing against you, a strange tactic of his. Your team wont be allowed to pass it, just lump it forward as much as possible. He wont move much on the touchline, just stand with his arms folded looking confused. You'll also probably sign a quality winger and play him out of position. Also expect to play with 5 at the back, and no not with wingbacks because they wont be allowed to get forward. You'll most likely play a formation of 7-0-3, 3 centre backs, a left back and right back, two defensive mids sat in front of that lot, no one in midfield (the ball would go over them anyway) with a big man up front with two strikers looking for knock downs. It sounds bad and will get found out in the league but should do you fine in the conference. Not sure who you'd sign because all the players he knows play for Lincoln

 

[yellow]

…and there goes the youth academy. Sad, but not unexpected.

 

[Shotsfan1993]

Paul Cox will sort your club out, He'll sign about 30 players and fall out with 5 or 6 but they'll be players you wouldnt want playing against you, a strange tactic of his. Your team wont be allowed to pass it, just lump it forward as much as possible. He wont move much on the touchline, just stand with his arms folded looking confused. You'll also probably sign a quality winger and play him out of position. Also expect to play with 5 at the back, and no not with wingbacks because they wont be allowed to get forward. You'll most likely play a formation of 7-0-3, 3 centre backs, a left back and right back, two defensive mids sat in front of that lot, no one in midfield (the ball would go over them anyway) with a big man up front with two strikers looking for knock downs. It sounds bad and will get found out in the league but should do you fine in the conference. Not sure who you'd sign because all the players he knows play for Lincoln

Didnt he get you promoted though???

 

[LlayDragon]

Didnt he get you promoted though???

Whilst spunking away a playing budget Torquay can only dream of.

Bloody hell I'm glad he didn't get the Wrexham job.

 

[DT-the-gull]

That's a fair comment above. However, what I will say, again Paul Cox as yet is not the manager of TUFC, who ever does get the job will have to do it of a realistic budget that our club can sustain, and us fans will judge the new manager on that.

The new owners have been pretty clear TUFC will now live with in it's means, most of us fans are expecting a bottom half finish next season, possibly a relegation scrape, anything above that will be an over achievement, so if Paul Cox does get the job and achieves that, us fans will be more than happy.

 

[DT-the-gull]

Ok fair enough, always a shame when it's the youth set-up taking the hit though.

For me the rules on funding are ridiculous, it should be based on what category academy a club has, not what division the first team are in. The FA make a lot of noise about improving grass roots football/youth development yet are seemingly happy to see clubs who drop out of the league forced to scale back or close down their academies.

Totally agree, premier league clubs could fund most lower league academies from their spare change, as more and more academies close, less opportunities for the best young players in the country to develop, and there are talented young players even in the most remote places, some will be lost to football forever.