A Message for Ross Marshall

[portugull]

When I was filing out of Plainmoor yesterday I did not see the altercation between Ross Marshall and some of the Pop Side attendees.

Ross if you read this, unlikely I guess, I want you to know that as a Professional Football Player it is UNPROFESSIONAL to slag off the guys and gals who pay your wages by attending Plainmoor.

Ask Club Captain Asa Hall and former Premier League Player Dean Moxey for some good advice and I suggest you listen carefully to what they say.

I have no doubt you gave it your all but what you should should take note of is that a Full Time Professional Team played a Part Time Team with the lowest Budget in the League and who attracted just 190 fans to Bolitho Park Plymouth last Saturday and lost 1 nil before the biggest crowd of the season over 3,700.

What we witnessed yesterday was a very poor display by our Team and there can be no excuses.

The whole team needs to work much harder on the basics. I have watched Pro Football at Plainmoor and in Europe for over 70 years and I have seen many great players.

The only way to improve it to work harder and believe me it is worth it as winning in Professional Sport is everything.

Harry Kane is a great striker because for years he spent every minute god gave him working on his finishing. Ronaldo spent all his time practising because he wanted to be the best.

As a lower League Player you could improve a lot but have you got the desire? Only you know that.

Yesterday you let yourself down and your Manager and the Club.

Concentrate on one thing and that is playing to the very best of your ability.

Finally we do not expect the Team to win every game but 10 defeats at this level before December is gone is not good enough for a Full Time Team in a largely part time League.

[UnitedinDevon]

Not sure how much you can air a view on this when you didn't witness it

I took the general boo towards the inept manager we still are employing

Marshall certainly wasn't the worst player out there (they were all poor) and being asked to play firstly RB and then ST - neither his position - thought he put the effort in

Think thats why he took it to heart - you could see him tap the TQ badge when confronting people clearly trying to say he did what he could yesterday

Once he bit and started mouthing back it descended into those scenes

I thought it was poor from the other players and Downes for not seeing clearly where that situation was heading and take him away earlier

[Taelee73]

Portugull.
Football and society have changed a lot over 70 years, but the last 5 have seen the largest change in attitudes in what is and isn't acceptable to say or do in a century.

I certainly don't agree with a lot of the changes, we have self entitlement, arrogance, lack of respect and the belief we can do whatever we like.

It isn't the 70s, 80s or even the 90s anymore where you can shout what you like with no consequences. If they were giving him abuse, I feel he is entitled to give it back. How many would say whatever they said if it was just them and him, and not from the safety of a crowd?

[Dave]

My reply is NOT connected to Ross Marshall but football and fans and life in general.

Although I'm aware from some who did witness this, no abuse was directed at Marshall in isolation fans were reacting to a poor team performance and Marshall seems to have been offended by this, my point is about personal abuse. We've seen it at Torquay, we see it up and down the country at football grounds and it does get my goat.

I, for the life of me do not understand why some fans think, because they've brought a ticket it gives the divine right to direct abuse at Players, like some how because they've paid their entrance fee means as fans we own the players, then what's more pathetic, when the players, who are after all a human being with feelings like all of us reacts, it only seems to heighten the anger amongst the abuse giver.

No player goes over the white line to make mistakes, play poorly and lose a football match, sometimes things just don't go as planned, we don't live in a perfect world.

It's not just football though, hardly a week goes by without hearing of an emergency worker abused and assaulted whilst trying to save life's, NHS staff, railways, retail shop, refuse workers all getting abused and assaulted more often than not by the very people they're working to provide a service for, it is society, morons having children then raising them to be even worse morons.

I wont critize Ross Marshall, but if does read these pages my message to him is; Be be bigger and better than those who shout and spit vile from the side-lines.

[brucie]

If Marshall was being abused and gave it back good on him thats what I say. As stated wasnt the worst player on the pitch.Seems like he is being made a scapegoat when there are other players like Tomlinson who are vastly overrated.

Far from letting the manager down the manager has been letting the fans down and taking them for a ride for a couple of seasons now. Yes Asa Hall - great player but a contract to far from the buffoon we have in charge. As much use to us a chocolate fireguard as are Johnson and Clownsey.

Waste of a thread - pity people dont start where real problem is ie Johnson.

[culmstockgull]

portugull I disagree with you on this one, regardless of our opinion of marshall as a player I have never seen him give anything less than 100 per cent, yes he has a short fuse but in the absence of anything better he would be on the team sheet for his effort alone over some others in the squad who missed the week on tackling during their education, would not head a ball if their career depended on it, and several of our squad who believe that football owes them a living because they have come through a recognised academy.
The bear baiters of the pop side are alcohol fuelled by the second half, boxing day I saw the long walk to the smell of the bar started after less than 25 minutes ,football to these hundreds is a peripheral issue. So he bit back, so what, at least it shows commitment, it is very easy to be hard when you have 50 around you, one on one and my money would be on marshall .

[SuperNickyWroe]

portugull I disagree with you on this one, regardless of our opinion of marshall as a player I have never seen him give anything less than 100 per cent, yes he has a short fuse but in the absence of anything better he would be on the team sheet for his effort alone over some others in the squad who missed the week on tackling during their education, would not head a ball if their career depended on it, and several of our squad who believe that football owes them a living because they have come through a recognised academy.
The bear baiters of the pop side are alcohol fuelled by the second half, boxing day I saw the long walk to the smell of the bar started after less than 25 minutes ,football to these hundreds is a peripheral issue. So he bit back, so what, at least it shows commitment, it is very easy to be hard when you have 50 around you, one on one and my money would be on marshall .

Totally with Ross Marshall on this one.
Absolute no need to give him grief - even if he took the di*kheads on the Popside's "fans" abuse...
None of the have probably never ever been close to being a decent amateur footballer - never mind close to being a pro one...
He is one of our players who gives 100% in every game, so the bells on the Pop need to pipe down.

[WainwrightGull]

Totally with Ross Marshall on this one.
Absolute no need to give him grief - even if he took the di*kheads on the Popside's "fans" abuse...
None of the have probably never ever been close to being a decent amateur footballer - never mind close to being a pro one...
He is one of our players who gives 100% in every game, so the bells on the Pop need to pipe down.

I disagree Marshall in hindsight would have been better off walking down the tunnel and avoiding any confrontation, like our Manager.
Not the first time Marshall has been involved in a situation like this, lets not forget this.

[SuperNickyWroe]

I disagree Marshall in hindsight would have been better off walking down the tunnel and avoiding any confrontation, like our Manager.
Not the first time Marshall has been involved in a situation like this, lets not forget this.

Not saying it's not the first time - but at least he shows desire and gives 100%.
He went over to thank the fans and got abuse - the guy can't win...
If he'd have just f*cked off down the tunnel, he'd have got abuse on social media for not thanking the fans for their support...

[Skillsy]

Ross, I hope you read this..........

I totally agree with you........you give absolutely everything for the team and nobody can ask for more. If you didn't give everything abuse is justified but quite simply, you do. You had every right to give a bit back to the idiots who scream nonsense.

On another point, I totally disagree with the idea that when supporters pay their money that gives them the right to abuse players. Utter rubbish. When I go to Tesco I don't have the right to say what I like to the checkout girl just because I've bought a few cans of baked beans.

Also, do any fans really think abusing players does any good? I fully understand emotions are running high after defeat and a poor performance, but abusing players from your own team is unacceptable. We need to stick together, especially when we have an injury crisis like I've not seen before.

Forza Torquay.

[WainwrightGull]

Not saying it's not the first time - but at least he shows desire and gives 100%.
He went over to thank the fans and got abuse - the guy can't win...
If he'd have just f*cked off down the tunnel, he'd have got abuse on social media for not thanking the fans for their support...

Sadly his desire and 100% is not good enough as proved last season on numerous occasions. Sendings off, tugging shirts and that was in the pre season friendlies I attended when he was often caught out of position and in trouble.
Eyesite problems and losing the ball in the Dorking floodlights , unable to jump or mark his man resulting in 2 goals in a 6 pointer that we lost.
No disrespect he is not good enough for this level and I appreciate he is now being played out of position.
The Johnson way sadly, who dropped him from the side last season.
Marshall will not go down as a Gulls great that’s for sure, but remembered for the above and part of the not good enough squad that got us relegated.

[Wolborough]

The most annoying factor regarding standards in the pitch should be attributed to GJ for failing to recruit, train, develop and motivate players to the standard one should expect from a full time cohort. No doubt there are some talented footballers in the squad but they have never really been assisted to exhibit their skills through being out with injury, being played out of position, being part of a team that is constantly chopped and changed. We need consistency and confidence which is currently not the case.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Sadly his desire and 100% is not good enough as proved last season on numerous occasions. Sendings off, tugging shirts and that was in the pre season friendlies I attended when he was often caught out of position and in trouble.
Eyesite problems and losing the ball in the Dorking floodlights , unable to jump or mark his man resulting in 2 goals in a 6 pointer that we lost.
No disrespect he is not good enough for this level and I appreciate he is now being played out of position.
The Johnson way sadly, who dropped him from the side last season.
Marshall will not go down as a Gulls great that’s for sure, but remembered for the above and part of the not good enough squad that got us relegated.

I didn't say he was John Stones and end up playing for Man City.
He gives 100% and wears the shirt with pride. As you point out, he's also being played out of position - that's not his fault...
Its also not actually his fault if you don't think he's good enough.
He is what we have got - simple as that. Can't see many CB's queueing up to join us at the moment, can you?
Other people in the club need to take responsibility for that.

[culmstockgull]

Wainwrightgull, your comments if taken in isolation may have some merit but his work ethic makes up for any shortfall in class, an undiagnosed eyesight issue has been rectified, but that cannot be said for the numerous players in our current squad that carry long term and recurrring injuries that can only be rectified by giving up football, it is unfair to single out one player amongst many that have underperformed being required to play out of position because even our role specific right back, crowe cannot be relied upon. I understand that williams will now in all probability return to fleetwood where at least he will get first class professional treatment for his hamstring issue, perhaps craske, hall ,dawson, jarvis and ash can join him on the treatment table up there for a couple of weeks .So i fully expect Marshall will be asked to play up front again in the short term where undoubtedly people will moan at his lack of striking ability.

[portugull]

As I started this thread I would like to respond to some of the comments made.

I am very strongly against abusing any player in a Torquay United shirt. True fans and there are many of them do not abuse their own team.

I agree 100% with Dave that abuse in Society today is sickening. Abuse of NHS Staff and the Fire Brigade in particular at any level in my book is unacceptable in any form.

I disagree with brucie that this thread is a waste of a thread. Ross Marshall was wrong to react and it would not have happened if Aaron Downes had intervened more quickly.
Remember it is a slippery slope if just 1% of the fans at the game abuse the players and provoke a reaction from the players which is their aim.

Marshall should have ignored the abuse but he has a temperament whereby he wears his heart on his sleeve and he could not resist a response.

culmstockgull can I point out that in my post I said to Ross Marshall "I have no doubt that you gave it your all" I did not criticise his performance only his reaction after the game.

Skillsy can I say that I most definitely did NOT say by paying their money gives the fans the right to abuse the players. I am 100% against abuse.I never understand why it makes sense to abuse your own players but I realise that some fans are in a frame of mind that means they are not thinking.

Lets hope we get our best players fit and we can go on to enjoy a happier 2nd half to the season.