Expectations 2017 / 2018 Season

Rob  

If this run of defeats and bottom place was happening in January or February, then I'd be considering relegation more seriously than I am currently, at the end of August. And if at start of season I'd been told that after 6 games we'd be one point behind Hartlepool and five points behind Tranmere, I'd probably have guessed that we were at least mid-table and possibly in the top half.

Plenty of time to at least get ourselves safe....although any lingering thoughts of a tilt at promotion appear to be lodged in fantasyland at the moment.

With injuries to a number of the better players in the squad, and confidence taking a knock due to the two poor performances and poor results against Gateshead and Boreham Wood, to then leave the players 'devastated' (to quote the club captain) by use of the itchy trigger finger a week and a few days into the new season, has, predictably, shattered the squads morale on top of the existing problems we already faced.

Whoever the incoming guy turns out to be, he'll need some time to realise the lottery winning situation that can be his, as it's clear that for the moment the players look as if they've just had a winning lottery ticket taken away from them, with King Kev being shown the door before his full strength side could play together, let alone gel.

With Geoff Harrop's ears ringing with demands for experience, will it be a case of pacifying fans by finding the oldest guy to apply and handing him the reins ? What's the criteria ?...is it a new man who will accept the winning lottery ticket left for him by Kev....or will he demand that G.I make the money available for him to go out and buy a different ticket of his own ?

Certainly the optimism of the Opening day draw with Tranmere has dropped by several cogs. The bleak view that Florida currently has from the States is also quite understandable, and maybe I was 'lucky' that illness prevented me from travelling to Plainmoor today.....although I don't think I've ever seen a goalkeeper score from booting it downfield before, so in some ways I would have liked to witness that rarity.

Great to see decisive action, but for the moment all it's done is rip the heart out of Kev's players and exacerbate our difficulties. Let's assume our decision makers are confident of an improved re-build, given their haste to smash things up in the season's second week. I think my expectations were for an 'eventful' season....and I don't foresee a lack of talking points in the coming months  .

Rob 


Haha, no you most certainly do not, Rob  .  And I'd imagine that my current exasperation is firmly shared by Mr.Osborne. Let's go back to source and recognise that it's the council's faffing about and delaying as far as giving the go-ahead for the Osborne Arena, that is guiding the current club policy....ably assisted by those other well known opposers of progress, the TUST, who in their distant last newsletter (do they come back from holiday in September or October ?) told us 'TUST has never claimed that a Community Share Issue would be successful'. To which any sane person would surely answer 'Has there ever been anyone who seriously claimed it would be successful...particularly given there is now the evidence of the pre-share fiasco ?'

To secure that council agreement, continued courting of fans approval makes sense....even if it means short term business madness. 'Keep Kev and give him an increased budget'....overwhelmingly indicated by the Kiddies site poll at the end of last season. One week...yes one week into the season.....Saturday to Saturday and after the defeat at Gateshead.....had not the tide already turned in favour of sacking Kev ?  Pay him off....pay to bring in a new bloke.......all easy requests, many made from 'fans' often living in different parts of the country who rarely hand over any cash at the Plainmoor turnstiles. And enough for a businessman such as Clarke Osborne to want to tear his hair out, but knowing that providing the funds to follow popular opinion is what will play best with the council and supporters as we await the new stadium decision.

Pragmatically, Osborne will dance to the Council and the majority of the supporters tune in order to get the permission needed for the new stadium. I don't blame him, but it means we're squandering funds, making 'window dressing' 'charm offensive' 'whatever the flavour of the week is' type decisions, all with an eye on that council decision, while longer term decisions based on sustainable success have to wait.

The new owners have never appointed a new Manager up to now, and I do have some confidence that they'll make a good and sensible decision. But the sooner they're able to concentrate fully on the business, implement a proper long term strategy, build a sustainable future.....and can abandon  the necessity of following what is currently little more than decisions based on fans opinion polls or perceived supporters preference of the moment, which will surely endure up to this drawn out decision on the Osborne Arena being made.....then the better off ourselves, Clarke Osborne, and the club will be.

Exasperation yes, but aimed at the bureaucratic, anti business, costly delaying hoops that have to be jumped through....madness that has already forced us to take two steps back...and still hasn't given the permission for us to take that one desperately important step forward.

 

It has been suggested on another forum that GIs exit strategy is to rebuild the footballing infrastructure of the club (ie youth teams etc) and sell the club as a capital investment.
This I would presume is the best possible outcome for the club.

What a disaster shame for him still he will learn a lot from legend nicos talented squad poor bugger a 3 0 hammering i fear tomorrow

What an utter, shower TUFC have become. If you like a bunch of lossers follow this team. GI, Osborne invest in the club now. TUFC Management earn your friggin wages, Harrop you've got the applications for a new manager on your desk, act on that now!!No to selling Plainmoor, if GI's plan is run the club into the ground but the land from the council develop it for housing flog it for a profit, there's risks in that. Develop the club as a going entity flog it for a profit, well there is more profit in a National League Team or Football League Team. Get a grip you bunch of Muppets. Torquay Supporters have gone through the turnstiles at Plainmoor in their thousands down the year's their loyalty should be rewarded. Kevin Foster are you aware of this do you care because thousands of voters do care.

In fairness, the reason that the council is "faffing about" in giving the go-ahead for a new stadium is that GI have not put forward any proposals for a new stadium.

It is difficult to give the go-ahead for plans that have not been submitted.

What has alarmed many fans has been GI's clumsy grab for Plainmoor's freehold without producing any such plans. Only the kind of fool so brilliantly parodied on here by Alpine Joe would think that was a good idea!

Permission from the council isn't holding back the Swindon Speedway Stadium. It was granted ten years ago. The "enabling" development has all taken place, but no sign of the stadium.

Joe, do you think that Mr Osborne is lying when he says we will be in a new stadium in three years' time or do you think he really thinks it is possible?

Chelston says he will buy you a curry if we start the 2020/21 season in a new stadium and you can buy him one if we start it at Plainmoor, in a ground share or go bust before then.

I think TUST summed it up quite nicely in their August newsletter sent out on August 8:

TUST is not opposed to any change that serves the long term interests of the Club but we make no apology for challenging unsubstantiated promises that have the potential to threaten the very existence of Torquay United.

Surely only the kind of of fool so brilliantly parodied on here by Alpine Joe could argue with that!

There is clear evidence that Community Share Issues can succeed - just look at Newport County and Bath City. Of course, they both had Chairmen who were honest with fans about the situation their clubs were in.

We had Dave Phillips, whilst pimping the Plainmoor freehold around property developers, telling us not to rock the boat as the finances were fine and he had a queue of benevolent wealthy owners lining up. He subsequently cried to the Sunday Independent that what fans did not understand was that the finances were in a mess and there was never likely to be a benevolent wealthy owner.