A Message to Gary Johnson

[lucy6lucy]

I agree with Dawlishmatt - we have no chance of promotion but thats hardly Johnsons fault There are teams spending a fortune.

Unfortunately the chance of promotion was last season, and due to some ill luck as much as anything else it didn't happen. I would be more worried about relegation this year.

It wasn't great against Woking but as well as poor performances everything else is going against us. Chiori Johnsons booking was ludicrous - it asn't even a foul. Lets hope we can turn it around.

Our golden chance of promotion was indeed last season, we through injuries lost that opportunity. And that hurts. This season is already looking dodgy. With a salary cap in place from next season. There will be some worried owners come May.

[notnow]

FGS give GJ a chance! He deserves that at the very least. Absolutely sure 100% that no one is more disappointed than him that things haven’t quite clicked yet. He said he will turn it around and he will. If it wasn’t for that bloody cheating ref at Ashton gate GJ would have had another promotion under his belt. That’s football I hear you scream, but he did do it.

[Dave]

Lets get one thing clear , nothing in football is ever won, or lost after three games, it is far, far too early in the season for anyone to be pressing the panic button. In Gary Johnson we have an experienced manager who's been in these positions before, and we have to trust can fix it.

Gary Johnson is without doubt the best manager we've ever had in our recent history, he's brought back to the club it's first ever league title, and last seasons play-off final , have seen the good times back at club, that most of us thought had gone forever, we've seen fans return, passion, belief, unity on the terraces, fans with the smiles back on there faces, but that does not make Gary Johnson above reproach, beyond the point of being questioned.

There is a positive here, Notts County away there was clearly plenty of character, fight and passion in the team as they brought back considering the circumstances an amazing point, but I just can't get the first two home games out of my head, for those who didn't go to those games, if you want something to underline just how bad it was, then check the statistics from a Torquay United, being the home team point of view, they weren't poor, not even bad, they are simply, and totally horrific.

And whilst I brought up season 08/09 with the group I stood with, I know many others have as well, so all my not be lost, however being honest I have no confidence that feat can or will be repeated this season.

I'm beginning to think I'm one of a small few who's noticing certain things, maybe one of a small few who's now prepared to question what is going on ?

For a start why did we sign up a squad of 20 odd players if we're not going to trust some of those players to fulfil a first team starting place, we just as well have signed 15 players and waited for the loan market to open.

No one seems to want to question the fitness and performances of certain players, preferring to make Armani Little the commander in chief of the scapegoat army, I'd be the first to say in my belief, Little is playing with no confidence right now, is lacking consistency in the quality of his set pieces, crossing and passing (I'm sure he knows that) But I'm not going to stand by and let anyone question his work rate, he's been one a small bunch of players who've got around the pitch, not hiding from the ball, and tried to make things happen.

No body but me questioned Connor Evans part in the build up to the first goal, now it's there on the match video, no one seems to want to question the shambolic defending in front of Halstead again preferring to blame him, is there any wonder the goalkeeper is all over the place and so indecisive, so sadly looks like he's going to be Little second in command of the scapegoat army.

Why is no one questioning the lack fitness and ongoing injuries, all of last season, half the season before, and here we are game three of the new season and half our team are either carrying knocks, or simply are not fit, bad luck doesn't run that far or for that long.

Ben Wynter; Obvious from his performance Monday, either carrying an injury or not fit, selected to play why ?

Asa Hall; Now this one was embarrassing, Dowson must have laughed his socks off, lacking in so much fitness, match sharpness, couldn't run 5 yards, selected to play, why ?

Connor Evans; withdrawn at half time, Cleary not full fit, selected to play, why ?

Tom Lapslie; Now here's your ball winning, work horse midfield general, sat on the bench for 90 minutes, does he have a slight knock, not fit, not selected to play, why?

Jake Andrews: Well here we go again, is he going to be the latest player, where I feel the need to tie a yellow ribbon to an old oak tree, whilst singing the chorus to we'll meet again.

Why sign a squad as said if you don't trust half your players, you simple have to start with 11 players who are fit for 90 minutes. One thing that Gary Johnson said after the Woking game, which got alarm bells ringing in my head, should have got them going in all of our heads.

' I will turn this group around' now that bit spot on, exactly what's needed, and suggests Gary Johnson still has confidence in his own ability and the players he signed.

Then he followed that up with 'and if I can't, I'll turn around another group' This is the bit that should have us all worried, so maybe GJ doesn't have confidence in his own ability, or the players he signed.

We can't keep signing signing players then ditching them, because the boss got it wrong, with the resources TUFC has, we've got to start getting it right first time.

Look yes I know, supported the club enough, we're not a big spending club, and they're clubs in this league who dwarf us, but we should be fighting for a play-off place, and don't get me we still could, and not many will celebrate as loud as me, should that and promotion happen.

But on very early evidence, my concern is growing that's me just being honest on what I've seen so far.

[SBP]

Well GJ cant be that concerned he gave the squad Tuesday and Wednesday off!!

[CourtierGull]

I’ve been to all 3 games so far, I’ll be missing this Saturday as my football season kicks back off… (luckily)

Although, I have to agree with forever here, half the players just look unfit. I also agree that the little bashing is getting ridiculous, he’s probably the only player on Monday that ran himself into the ground and wasn’t scared to get the ball even with no options to pass too, and the amount of groans/shit he was getting it must be so hard to perform when he’s clearly already lacking a lot of confidence.

I still believe that our squad is as good as last season, and that’s without any loans yet, individually we know how good wynter/asa/lemonheigh evans etc all are, but they aren’t performing. Lolos has got bags of quality, O’Connell has shown a couple times he can be dangerous and Rogers can score from anywhere. Lapslie was incredible away too Notts. There is a very good team here but something really isn’t clicking, is it the formation? Is it our fitness? Is it because we’re relying on kids to play against men? I don’t know yet and looking at the interviews, I’m not sure Gary does yet either.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Our golden chance of promotion was indeed last season, we through injuries lost that opportunity. And that hurts. This season is already looking dodgy. With a salary cap in place from next season. There will be some worried owners come May.

Make it even more galling that we missed out now, especially with the money being spent by four of the Our Friends in the North teams.
However, there are at least two of those teams that will be disappointed.
Would like to remind everyone, that we are Torquay United FC, not Real Madrid.

[Jpr]

I ask only one question, why did so many players leave in the summer? (What has changed) Think about it we were a team making it to a play off final also showing ambition for promotion for this season, we had a group of players + add a couple of other Quality players to that squad and they could have made a name for themselves here at Torquay and would have got more money may be bigger clubs come in for them or stayed with us in the next league up.and on a roll for this season. But we lost them for free no money no thanks and only reasons that we can think up. Something has gone on in are club for so many players to leave

[SuperNickyWroe]

I ask only one question, why did so many players leave in the summer? (What has changed) Think about it we were a team making it to a play off final also showing ambition for promotion for this season, we had a group of players + add a couple of other Quality players to that squad and they could have made a name for themselves here at Torquay and would have got more money may be bigger clubs come in for them or stayed with us in the next league up.and on a roll for this season. But we lost them for free no money no thanks and only reasons that we can think up. Something has gone on in are club for so many players to leave

To keep it simple, its called end of player contracts.

[CourtierGull]

And most weren’t offered deals to stay anyway as they were deemed not good enough (Waters, buse, umerah etc etc)

[desperado]

Why should there be anything 'going on' ?
Stop stirring.
Our better players left because they were offered much improved wages and preferred to move back up north.
Regarding the two days off , the team had a long away trip, played two games in two days with 10 men for most of the game. They looked leggy during the game v Woking so God knows how they felt after it.

[happytorq]

I ask only one question, why did so many players leave in the summer? (What has changed)

They left for one of three reasons;

1. Because they were told they weren't wanted (Buse, Umerah, Waters, etc)
2. Because they were offered better deals elsewhere (Cameron, Covolan, Whitfield etc).
3. Because they were never our players (Sherring, Randell)

the first group was because TUFC decided they would not help us this season.

Nobody really begrudges the second group moving for better money either (although it is a bit galling that 3 of them went to direct rivals). Covolan is playing in the League (always his ambition) and Nemane/Cameron/Whitfield all went to clubs who are gambling on promotion and are therefore offering more money than league clubs would. You can question their ambition - I'm sure that both Whitfield and Cameron had offers from league clubs - but they were always going to make a financial decision.

That's really it. There's nothing nefarious happening here. The players that made the decision to leave did so because their contracts had expired, and they were therefore under no obligation to stay. We possibly made them improved offers, although probably not as improved as they would have been had we been promoted.

You could maybe ask why we hadn't locked players down to longer contracts, but we haven't offered more than a 2 year deal to anybody in the past few years, because being stuck with a player you don't want/need can be damaging. Also, if it were up to me, I'd offer extended, improved contracts to Lewis and CLE on the understanding that if we don't go up we won't stand in their way when a half-decent offer comes in.

[portugull]

Guys I started this topic because I thought the 3 quotes I read were so apt in relation to Torquay United.

I am a huge fan of Gary Johnson but I repeat I do see us making the same mistakes over and over again.

Corners and free kicks should be scoring opportunities but a high percentage are completely wasted by us through by poor delivery and lack of imagination.

I know we are going to improve, we have to, but, and this is imperative we need all the squad to be match fit and they are not. Second to every ball against Woking.

Who is in charge of conditioning is it Gary or Aaron? It is so important.