TT BLOG

Clive Hayward – @Byehorse

Clive blogs about Paul Wotton’s latest presser

Another week has gone by, and Paul Wotton held his second press conference of the season yesterday afternoon. It was another insight into his thought processes, and a fairly relaxed affair after the Gulls’ excellent first day victory over Enfield Town last Saturday.

MAIDSTONE

As we know, Torquay’s record against the Kent side has left much to be desired over the years, but Paul is not giving houseroom to any notion that they are United’s bogey team. He refuses to believe in them.

“if I believed in them I wouldn’t buy a lottery ticket every week would I, because I haven’t won it yet. You just keep on going don’t you? I don’t pay any attention to playing on a plastic pitch, playing against a team you haven’t beaten for a while. I think it’s foolish to think like that.”

He hinted that he may change the set-up for the away game this Saturday:

“There’s a few things whirring about in my head. maybe a different set up not sure yet.”

CODY COOKE

It doesn’t sound as though there is any concern about Cody, and the only injuries at present are the medium-term ones to Callum Dolan (torn quad) and Sonny Fish, who is recovering from his cartilage op. On Cody’s cheek bone, Paul said this:

“He had a precautionary X-ray on it. He’s tough. He’s got a black eye that makes him look rough and ready. He’s all good.”

MATT WORTHINGTON

It was just cramp last Saturday. Matt has trained all week. Paul was very pleased with his performance.

“This is going to sound harsh, but it was what I expected. It was lovely to see a central midfield player doing what a central midfield player should do, if that makes sense.”

JAMES HAMON

I don’t know whether it’s fair to describe “Hammy” as the joker in the Torquay squad. He certainly enjoys dishing out banter, and he appears to be a willing recipient too. The manager certainly appears to have that sort of relationship with him, having now employed him longer than the entire duration of World War Two.

Re: Saturday:

“He played very well, especially 2nd half. Made 2 or 3 really good saves. He’s training more full time with us this year and it’s the benefit of that especially working full time with the goalie coach Kenny (Griffiths). Kenny’s getting real good work into him. Physically he looks better and and he’s maturing all the time, which isn’t something you’ll often hear anyone say about Hammy!”

There was more stick for the Channel Islander later on. Discussing the new anti-timewasting rule, Richard Hughes said Hamon had regularly been bang on the 8 seconds now allowed before keepers have to get rid of the ball.

Wotton:

“I didn’t realise he could count to eight”

NO KNOCKS ON THE DOOR YET

Dave Thomas asked whether there had been any disappointment from players not getting into the side. Paul said it’s a bit early for that, and joked what when he does have players knocking on his door he tries to hide under the table!

ALL THE FOOTBALL

Paul has been out and about this week, taking in a game at Bournemouth on Monday (it seems like an awfully long way for Huddersfield to travel for an U21s match) and back to his old stomping ground on Wednesday for Truro v Southampton in the much-maligned National League Cup.

Tuesday was much closer to home, with Plymouth Parkway playing host to our preseason victims Weymouth. Given that Matty Carson had joined the Dorset outfit on a 28-day loan I thought I would go and have a look. Paul was there to keep an eye on our left back, and he spotted me. He gave me a bit of intel on the comings and goings at Maidstone over the summer. Matty did himself no harm, cracking home a tidy finish after 9 minutes to help set up a 2-0 win. He had been Player of the Match in Weymouth’s opening day defeat to Evesham too. As Paul pointed out in the Presser, that is 2 lots of 90 minutes Matty wouldn’t have had if he had remained at Torquay, and the arrangement seems to suit all parties. A fit, confident Carson will be a welcome addition to our squad when he returns.

I kept to the Torquay Talk tradition of doing the slightly left-field question. I asked Paul about the first half multiball ruckus last Saturday. He explained that he has no problem with multiball- he likes it- but the problem on Saturday had been an Enfield player abusing the system. It hasn’t taken long, has it?

In the boss’s words:

“Enfield’s biggest threat on the day was a long throw and when you take it 10 yards from where the ball went out that makes a big difference. On Saturday I was in the dugout and the ball came out of play right by my feet, and it stayed there. The Enfield player picked up the ball from the multiball (cone) and took the throw from there. It ended up in our box and if he’d taken it from the right place it wouldn’t have….we’ve already had our first apology (from officials) this season!”