Torquay in crisis?

[Gulliball]

Now confirmed that he has resigned. Club statement says that he has acknowledged that with us having no money, a director of football is a wage we cannot afford.

On the face of it, that is true, but with so much to take in recently it's hard to know where to stand any more. Employing a director of football whilst having a manager on a non-contract was an incredible situation, and one we can hopefully now reverse.

 

[DT-the-gull]

Chairman speaks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34314087

 

[genesimmons]

Wonder if the club may appoint from within like assistant manager or put a senior player in charge like welling did last season. Would save a bit coin

 

[yellow]

Cox has today released his statement. Basically he was being paid expenses only, and this deal was given a renegotiation point at the end of September/October time. I imagine it would have been based on how we were doing both on the field and gate-wise. As recent gates have fallen a fair whack, and performances on the pitch not being the best, I make the assumption that the board couldn't offer him a substantial enough deal, without putting the club in even more danger of going bust.

Since Edwards resigned on Sunday night, we have freed up his wages. This is again another assumption but one I imagine is correct. The club then returned to speak to Cox (perhaps causing his 24 hour delay), but he again felt a deal can't be achieved. In some respects, I am glad as the football was incredibly dire to watch. However, it does mean that we are right back at square one. I'd like to think performances cannot get any worse than Saturday - by far the worst I've seen in my lifetime.

Chris Hargreaves and Lee Hodges are still being paid so there is obviously a few fans saying they should be offered the chance to return - I wonder if they reject this then the club can stop paying gardening leave as they are refusing to work? Not too sure though. Other names include Shaun North and Kevin Nicholson. Ideally I wouldn't want either. I'm not really sure who I want to take over.

And then today we've announced two more signings - Durrell Berry is back at the club which strengthens us well, and Harry Hickford has joined on loan from MK Dons.

On the whole, it's still a precarious and confusing situation, and this weekend has been one of the most dramatic that I can remember in quite some time. Absolutely praying for 3 points tonight in front of a slightly bolstered attendance. Also praying for a dream third-round FA Cup tie but that is wishful thinking!

 

[Harrier94]

Hands up who applied with their Football Manager record?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34333813

 

[McMark]

It doesn't paint a pretty picture down there at Torquay at the minute, also looks like Kidderminster are in a bit of a pickle themselves!
Hope they both find a way of surviving in the long term as the pattern forming is all too familiar to our past plight!!!

 

[AFCB_Mark]

I see Joe Quigley has returned to Bournemouth, but I understand Josh Carmichael is staying, for the time being at least?

Is that to free up space for other loans? I understand you're struggling to fill a sub bench?

All the best.

 

[FGRJC]

They need Dave hockaday

 

[Gulliball]

I see Joe Quigley has returned to Bournemouth, but I understand Josh Carmichael is staying, for the time being at least?

Is that to free up space for other loans? I understand you're struggling to fill a sub bench?

All the best.

It's been worded that Quigley was 'recalled'. Both started the season in the side but Quigley has been on the bench recently whereas Carmichael has stayed in the side. That might be why one is staying but not the other. I don't know how much of the wages we are paying, but if we are contributing to Quigley's wages then it might make sense to end the loan if he's not going to play every week. Losing our manager, having the old assistant as caretaker and with a new manager appointed in the next 10 days, it's hard to know what is going on or who is making these decisions. Quigley has been ok by most accounts but has only scored once so far.

It would only be a money issue, if we feel we can use it slightly better elsewhere. We signed two players yesterday and two left today, so that might well be it.

We've never failed to fill the bench and there's only 5 subs in this league so we shouldn't have any issues there in the near future as our squad is more than 16 deep.

 

[GodsGift]

Kevin Nicholson appointed as player-manager.

 

[EnglishRed]

A cheap option if ever there was one.

Good luck to him.

 

[Ollie.TUFC]

What a brilliant idea, let's employ a former player with no managerial experience because surely that won't fail!? Oh wait... But in all seriousness I will be behind him the whole way but really can't see us staying up now. Lack of managerial experience + the worst squad = doom. Please prove me wrong Nicho

 

[Chris FGR]

Good luck to him. Did well for us and is a top lad to boot.

Needs an experienced assistant though.

 

[CrazyImp]

I'd start getting the prayer mats out Torquay fans. I really like your club but if Saturday is anything to go by, Conference South probably awaits. Offered nothing whatsoever in an offensive sense.

As alluded to, experienced assistant needed.

 

[Gulliball]

There might be a manager inside there somewhere, but this is not the right scenario for either side. We need someone to organise and motivate a young and dispirited squad. Nicho won't be able to make the squad his own, and will tarnish his reputation both with our fans and as a young coach/manager.

I suppose beggars can't be choosers but I just can't believe he was the best choice out of 129. I can see it going the same way as Chris Hargreaves, who we have just paid off in order to appoint someone with even less experience. They were both club legends here too, totally misused.

 

[DT-the-gull]

Trouble is, how many of those 129 applicants were time wasters, probably well over half of them. How many of the serious candidates when the found out wages, play budgets and the financial position of the club ran a mile.

Kevin Nicholson, may well have been the only real choice. As said, he's going to be cheap, he still lives in Torquay, and as long as an experienced coach comes in, on board with him, don't see the problem. Shaun North would be good shout.

 

[Luke Imp]

The issue is also that you have to pay for experience, just like quality, which is why you've now got a young manager with no experience at first team level(?) and a young squad.

 

[DT-the-gull]

Indeed, right now we're facing a battle for survival. If Nicho does well and keeps us up, we've got a chance, if not the clubs gone anyway, as C.E.O Steve Breed has said, he will not write cheques that will either bounce or financially finish the club off.

 

[Andy Harrier]

I'm a huge fan of Nicho and hope he succeeds (not at our expense though) but this will be a huge challenge for a new manager. He was effectively a player coach with us last year and on several occasions led training sessions for our academy team. I believe he may have taken charge of a friendly with them as well.

 

[yellow]

Hmm.

 

[yellow]

His TV interview with bbc last night was quite refreshing and a bit of a confidence booster. The whole 'no excuses' idea is the right line to go down. I am personally sick of managers using all sorts of excuses over the last couple of years - moreso Hargreaves and Knill than Cox. I must say I wasn't Nicho's biggest fan as a player, I thought he was very one-dimensional over the last couple of years but on the whole he served us very well since he first arrived.

I really hope it works out for us, and if I was offered survival on the final day then I would bite your hand off. We need stability as we've been shit since April 2012. Looking forwards, I'm desperately hoping this is rock bottom - if Nicho can get string a couple of wins together over the next couple of weeks then the situation will look a damn sight better.

 

[genesimmons]

Never say never. Welling appointed a player as manager near end of last season and he kept them up. Gateshead recruited from within and that was a failure, club nearly got relegated. Im guessing torquay think a experienced managers wage demands may place a bigger financial burden on them and could still result in relegation

 

[GEORGE]

Is Luke Young still with you ?

 

[DT-the-gull]

Yes, he picked a cruciate ligament injury in pre-season, out for the entire season.

 

[yellow]

Top scorer James Hurst has been suspended by the club after allegedly getting arrested for assault on Saturday night. Also rumoured to have been seen on Friday night, the day before our supposed match with Wrexham.

Nicho must be pulling his hair out

 

[yellow]

...And now we've stopped using a training ground that we have spent over £200,000 on in the last 6 years.

No youth system, no training facilities, and struggling both on and off the pitch.

Horrible time to be a Gull.

 

[Davidimp]

Read somewhere you guys have 9 out injured plus one banned.
You're in a right mess.

 

[Kim Mitten]

...And now we've stopped using a training ground that we have spent over £200,000 on in the last 6 years.

No youth system, no training facilities, and struggling both on and off the pitch.

Horrible time to be a Gull.

so where are the player training currently? at the stadium, or are local parks coming into play? Do you think Torquay might go part time at some point?

 

[Gulliball]

3G pitches at two local schools. Our training ground is always underwater at this time of the year anyway, for about six months. Hundreds of thousands wasted on it, for nothing. We don't even have a lease, just a 'gentleman's agreement' with the farmer who owns the land. We've paid £200k + to level and drain a field that's so bad we can't even use it.

With our location, part time football at a decent level would be tough. There's no local non-league scene to speak of, or pool to draw players from. If we don't survive this year then I don't know what the future will hold.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

That's desperately sad to hear.
What's the deal with the training ground, it's unable for months on end yet Plymouth are going to take it on?