Torquay Utd v Worthing 12/8/2023 15:00

[Keithsson]

...we were embarrassed by Collage Academy Players, part time players and a coaching team paid per hour.

Sorry, I simply can't just let that hang in the wind.

I appreciate the sentiment you are trying to convey with that remark (ie it was meant as a jibe towards Torquay not Worthing) but living so close to the 'enemy' your reconnaissance should be waaay better than that.

There were no "Academy players" on the pitch. There were former Academy players who have been brought through the age groups schooled in the system and tempo we play that runs right the club . The set-up has taken years to bear fruit and with players brought through from our Academy now playing in every league from the Championship down its the envy of most clubs at this level, and above... it should not be glibly tossed about as a jibe.

Yes we have some part time players but you could also say we are semi-pro. A group does train in the week as we enter year two of our three year plan to go fully pro. Again, to suggest we're a 'bunch of amateurs' is disingenuous.

Coaches. One that I know of, two that might be
PPH, on the specialism side, but the main coaching core are contracted full time professionals.

So yes, I get your yellow focused aim with that but no, to a greater or lesser degree all of that is wrong. We are a club doing well but its taken over five years of hard graft to get us where we are now so comparisons with some sort of thrown together pub team are massively wide of the mark.

Its an interesting dilemma innit... were you to embrace the same organic growth model/ethos and build from an Academy with a single focus of producing and developing your own players playing an attractive, attacking and passing game it would undoubtedly yield fruit...

...but could your club, your fans, be patient enough to stomach a five year+ project?

I suspect the answer is empatically no. Because from the outside you appear to still be in a football league mindset, a mindset that requires almost instant gratification. Its born out for me by your pre-season, every one an EFL club.

You're not in the league though, you'd have been better served spending the summer properly understanding the level you are at, not the level you aspire to. You have now fallen to regional non-league football, what is your plan for getting out of it? More ex EFL players, more EFL loanees?

Some hard truths need to be learnt at Plainmoor and some hard choices need to be made, getting out of this league either ain't cheap or ain't easy. Either spend a fortune (Ebbsfleet) or understand where you are and work bloody hard.

Its not just gonna happen... and its not simply about changing a manager. Changing your mindset and getting everyone on board with it, that's the challenge I feel. I really don't envy it.

[Gullsandbeyond121]

Can we please have a wrestler at centre half with man handling, bear hugging and shirt pulling?

Well we don’t want the return of Ross Marshall , things are bad enough as they are.

[culmstockgull]

I did not waste my energy calling for Johnsons head after yesterday, although along with many others it would have been justified, whats the point, we are saddled with him for bad or even worse. How many times have we said on here that you can only play three at the back under two circumstances, one, the back three, are experienced and mobile, the wing backs should be just that wing backs with the certificate to prove it, not some inside forward or out and out wingers that we try and shoe horn into those positions. Johnson on past seasons will brook no arguement that his tactics are in anyway defective, its the players, the ref, the wind, the rain, but not me. So listening to his post match comments when he said we all had a frank talk and everyone had their say, wow betide anymore who has the balls to call out Johnson for his inept tactics, we will never see them again.
On paper we have a squad of 20, take away lovett, then take away dawson,lapslie, kraske who was strapped up last night, Moxey who definetely did his knee again and we have 15 available, will jenkins davies in the middle was the sacrificial lamb yesterday and will take months for the mauling he received to become a bad memory, crowe and marshall will only see the first eleven if hell freezes over, and if they play tuesday night you know the barrel has been well and truly scraped, can they be any worse than donnellan and Tomlinson, doubtful, but on past showings I am sure they will prove me wrong.
A crowd 2700 yesterday was more that I hoped for but showed that our resilient fans still believe in the club , new beginnings and all that, maybe Dover was a first day bump in the road, come tuesday and I doubt 1700 will make it to the game, tuesdays always have a reduced appeal but that is roughly 15000 pounds in lost revenue, that loss of the bottom line is the only way the club will sanction getting rid of Johnson.

[RodneyJacksRightFoot]

Some loan signings urgently needed as well as a change of formation based on our first 2 games. 1 CB, 1CM and 1 striker as a minimum.

Saturday wasn't an unlucky 1-0 defeat, and being the 1st home game of the season was a shop window for future ticket sales.

Hard to believe we'd actually welcome the return of someone like Omar, Ellis or even Niate, at least they showed some form of ability at the back.

[Cheddargull]

Its an interesting dilemma innit... were you to embrace the same organic growth model/ethos and build from an Academy with a single focus of producing and developing your own players playing an attractive, attacking and passing game it would undoubtedly yield fruit...

...but could your club, your fans, be patient enough to stomach a five year+ project?

I suspect the answer is empatically no. Because from the outside you appear to still be in a football league mindset, a mindset that requires almost instant gratification. Its born out for me by your pre-season, every one an EFL club.

You're not in the league though, you'd have been better served spending the summer properly understanding the level you are at, not the level you aspire to. You have now fallen to regional non-league football, what is your plan for getting out of it? More ex EFL players, more EFL loanees?

Some hard truths need to be learnt at Plainmoor and some hard choices need to be made, getting out of this league either ain't cheap or ain't easy. Either spend a fortune (Ebbsfleet) or understand where you are and work bloody hard.

Its not just gonna happen... and its not simply about changing a manager. Changing your mindset and getting everyone on board with it, that's the challenge I feel. I really don't envy it.

Absolutely bang on the nail. My fear is that Torquay are a club living on past glories (well past memories, we haven't has much glory) and set ups like Worthing represent a new breed of clubs coming up to supplant us and the likes of Oldham and Rochdale.
I don't think our current owners have any interest in building a proper infrastructure whereby we can emulate the likes of Worthing or even locally Exeter.

[DB57]

I agree, several players not good enough. Poor decisions to offer them good contracts.
I am serious, and hope it turns round quickly. Need to remember we are two games in, forty four left. Far too early to panic.
Didn't want to mention this but I now feel compelled, I'm an ex-pro who now holds coaching badges so I think I have a reasonable understanding of how teams work. Happy to accept a change is needed if this doesn't turn round in a few games, but at the moment we should all get behind the club.
As I said, I'll be there on Tuesday and will be right behind the lads. I hope everybody follows suit........

Our management team are ex pros and have coaching badges - a fat lot of good that's doing us.
I've got a first aid certificate but it doesn't make me a doctor.
It's not critisim after two games, the decline has been over two years. We are at an all time low and still falling.
Enjoy the game on Tuesday

[kevgull]

The constant hoofball to Jarvis is not working.
We need to get the ball on the grass ASAP and use our footballing skills. We need the ball wide and feed our strikers.

Although Halstead got MOTM he is the major contributor to our hoofballing tactics.

[Louis]

Thanks for the predictions all, another poor week on scores, good to see more names joining the league. Still plenty of time to join in if you haven't already with great TUFC merch up for grabs at the end of the season for the top-of-the-table winners.

This weeks prediction league update… Last game vs: Worthing LOSS 0-3

Username ----------------- Prediction ----------------- Overall Points
Hornblower ----------------- 3-2 ----------------- 1
Minneapolisgull ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 1
Nick Potkins ----------------- 1-2 ----------------- 1
Wolborough ----------------- 2-2 ----------------- 1
Admiral ----------------- 2-2 ----------------- 0
AdrianC ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
Brewers boy ----------------- 4-2 ----------------- 0
budegull1954 ----------------- 1-0 ----------------- 0
Cheddargull ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
Chelston TUFC ----------------- DNP ----------------- 0
Cruisinho ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
Dave_Pougher ----------------- DNP ----------------- 0
DerekDawkinsJnr ----------------- 1-1 ----------------- 0
DevonBee ----------------- DNP ----------------- 0
Dgulls ----------------- 4-2 ----------------- 0
Eirik ----------------- 3-1 ----------------- 0
Gullsandbeyond121 ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
gullsgullsgulls ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
happytorq ----------------- 4-1 ----------------- 0
Hereford Gull66 ----------------- 3-1 ----------------- 0
Incredigull ----------------- 3-2 ----------------- 0
Louis ----------------- 2-0 ----------------- 0
Midlandgull ----------------- DNP ----------------- 0
Mr Tea808 ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
North Curry House ----------------- 3-1 ----------------- 0
portugull ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
RodneyJacksRightFoot ----------------- 2-0 ----------------- 0
SDYellow ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
Sesimbra ----------------- 3-2 ----------------- 0
Southampton Gull ----------------- 2-0 ----------------- 0
SuperNickyWroe ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
Swindon gull ----------------- 1-1 ----------------- 0
torregull ----------------- 2-0 ----------------- 0
tufcyellowarmy ----------------- 3-0 ----------------- 0
United62 ----------------- 3-0 ----------------- 0
Wubble U ----------------- DNP ----------------- 0
UnitedinDevon ----------------- 3-0 ----------------- 0
MellowYellow ----------------- 3-1 ----------------- 0
SWgull ----------------- 2-1 ----------------- 0
dawlishmatt ----------------- 3-1 ----------------- 0
Willhtq ----------------- 4-2 ----------------- 0
Forest gull ----------------- 3-1 ----------------- 0
leetufc ----------------- 3-2 ----------------- 0
Kingsgull83 ----------------- 3-1 ----------------- 0
Knightmaregull ----------------- 4-0 ----------------- 0
markypoos77 ----------------- 4-1 ----------------- 0

[WestLondonYellow]

In no way I am defending two poor performances, but the whole 'sack 'em all' attitude is ridiculous. So easy to sit behind a keyboard and find fault with everything/everyone. Two weeks ago the consensus was that Johnson should take us up, with a few exceptions. After two games he has apparently become a dinosaur and doesn't have a clue what he's doing. As I said, if we are nowhere when the season has taken shape then a change may be necessary, but at the moment we should all get behind the team/management/staff and help turn things round. They haven't all become useless overnight, hopefully it's just a poor start that will soon be corrected.
I will be there on Tuesday.....

No quite right, they were useless all last season as well.

[WestLondonYellow]

Absolutely bang on the nail. My fear is that Torquay are a club living on past glories (well past memories, we haven't has much glory) and set ups like Worthing represent a new breed of clubs coming up to supplant us and the likes of Oldham and Rochdale.
I don't think our current owners have any interest in building a proper infrastructure whereby we can emulate the likes of Worthing or even locally Exeter.

we need a renaissance in the same vein as what Exeter have achieved over time, if only. Fan ownership, well organised, building for the future, excellent academy and bringing player through to the first team. Well drawn up contracts with sell on clauses and no piss take offers accepted, I hate to say it but we should be looking at Exeter as our example to try to follow. First we need to get rid of the rot, which I fear, we cannot do, because the rot's motivation for owning TUFC is nothing to do with Football or Torquay.

[MellowYellow]

Thanks for the predictions all,

What we learn from our predictions is peering into the future still remains an imperfect science

[SuperNickyWroe]

Well, were do we start, deliberately gave myself time to calm down, not post in an angry state. I aired in my opinion that 3-5-2 doesn't work with the players we've got during pre-season, also stated I thought an injury and a suspension to a couple of key players and we'd be an ordinary team, well no Lapslie even in the squad today, so I'm guessing he's only managed 1 game before injury, and boy did it show.

What's more embarrassing than that pathetic, spineless performance that saw us barely string two passes together all game , and personally I don't remember a shot on target prior to the 85th minute, or the fact that Gary Johnson didn't do what any man, with any honour would have done after that game and announce his resignation, for the sanity of us all, maybe even the future of our club, someone grow a pair and get rid of this , arrogant, stubborn man, and he's coward as as well, doesn't he just love to run and hide leaving Downes and players to face the flack.

We're playing with three centre backs, one who should be in midfield, and two youngsters, playing three at the back and flooding numbers forward when you have no pace in midfield, suicide, Stobbs and Collins two potent and dangerous wide forward players being used as wing backs , Hall who probably cost a huge chunk of the budget should have retired, or been released, and no back up striker, this is all down to GJ, am I the only who can see the stupidity of all this, at least give a fighting chance by putting out a balanced , organised team, with the players we have available I'd be looking at 4-2-3-1, not saying that would work, however Stobbs, Collins would have more freedom, and the two deep laying midfielders can give some protection to our weak back four. Today I felt truly sorry for Halstead, he stopped this from being a total massacre, and the only player who should be having the day off tomorrow.

To our new found friends from Worthing, I really do think you took a lot of the pre-match posting out of context, however, feel a great sense of pride in your team and manager, came with areal plan executed it very well, your passing and movement off the ball was first class, add a little more quality and take our keeper out of today equation and you'd have won by a much bigger margin.

Sums it up nicely Dave.
Stood with you and Martin in disbelief.
Spent 8hrs and 300 miles in the car to then watch that dross.
We could see their first goal coming 10mins before it was scored!
Thank god for Mark Halstead for keeping it down to three!
Applauded the Worthing players off at the end as I was down by the corner flag and they responded in kind. Well played to them.
Met Aaron Jarvis after the game (we are in the background of GJ's interview )
He apologised on behalf of the team....

[MellowYellow]

Spent 8hrs and 300 miles in the car to then watch that dross... Applauded the Worthing players off at the end as I was down by the corner flag and they responded in kind. Well played to them.

You Sir are to be applauded for unwavering support ... 8hrs and 300 miles in the car ... Aaron Jarvis apologised to you on behalf of the team - the manager and players owe you more than a apology for having to watch that dross.

[North Curry House]

Prediction for Tuesday night. After the first two matches I will use my head noot my heart.

Torquay 1 Chippenham 2.

The way we are playing it could be any score. Great idea to have a score prediction league. Disappointing that nearly everyone is on ZERO.
I have enterred the Sky super six for three seasons and have done better year on year.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Prediction for Tuesday night. After the first two matches I will use my head noot my heart.

Torquay 1 Chippenham 2.

The way we are playing it could be any score. Great idea to have a score prediction league. Disappointing that nearly everyone is on ZERO.
I have enterred the Sky super six for three seasons and have done better year on year.

Wrong thread pal....