Fans must be patient
FORMER Greens hot-shot Sean McCarthy has called on Plymouth
Argyle fans to be patient with boss Paul Sturrock's evolving
-
team.
Sturrock has repeatedly voiced his frustration over the
club's failure to land player targets during the off
season.
Argyle's pre-season matches have also not been encouraging,
with defeats at home to Sturrock's former club Dundee United
and away at Yeovil.
But McCarthy (pictured right), who is himself
launching a new managerial career with Southern League club
Truro City, said he was convinced Scotsman Sturrock was the man
to turn the team around.
McCarthy said: “A lot of players have left for various
reasons – Sylvan Ebanks-Blake had a clause in his contract,
David Norris wanted to go and Paul Connolly's contract was
up.
“Paul Sturrock's hands were tied and now he has got to work
hard to build up a team again, which I don't think is going to
happen overnight.
“The supporters have got to be patient – Argyle finished in
the top half of the table last season and for them to do that
is some achievement.
“Paul has got to build a squad that he wants and I think he
will get there. He's very shrewd in the transfer market and
knows he has to bring in quality players for less money.”
McCarthy, also a former Welsh international, said he had
seen Argyle three times in pre-season matches – including his
team Truro City's 1-0 defeat by the Pilgrims.
He said: “He (Sturrock) is experimenting and I am sure the
team that he puts out on Saturday (in Argyle's first
Championship game against Wolves at Home Park) will be very
different.
“I think the team is not yet a finished article, but I also
think that he will get it right.”
Some sections of Argyle supporters have already written off
their team's chances of even staying in the Championship.
Argyle are struggling to attract so-called top-flight
players to Home Park because they either cannot not afford the
player's transfer fees, or their wages, or both.
But McCarthy, who made 175 appearances for the Pilgrims in
two stints at Home Park and scored 47 goals, said it was too
early to be negative about Argyle's Championship hopes.
He said: “It's not the time to be negative – people should
be getting behind the club.
“It's not going to be an easy season, but Paul Sturrock is
rebuilding the side and if anybody can do it, he can. Results
from pre-season games are not something that bother me too
much, to be honest, because the main aim is to get the lads
fit.
“Managers want to get it right for the start of the season,
but they are also worried about players giving 100 per cent in
case they get injured. Deep down, I suspect Paul knows his
strongest side for Saturday.”
Queens Park Rangers midfielder Simon Walton, 20, is having a
medical with Argyle today with a view to a £750,000
transfer.
Walton has already agreed personal terms with the Pilgrims
and is set to become Sturrock's sixth summer signing.
23 Comments
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by Smurf, Plymouth
Wednesday, August 06 2008, 2:56PM
“When Saturday comes..most of us will be keeping the £26 for food,petrol,gas + electric and kids clothes etc..it`s a sorry state of affairs i know,but leisure has to play second fiddle sometimes.And until football is returned as the common mans game,and not just a playtime activity for the rich the situation is only going to get worse.”
by Peter, Plymstock
Wednesday, August 06 2008, 7:07AM
“When Saturday comes it will be all about the people who are INSIDE the stadium and not about the wannabee's who stay at Home. I will try to be as vocal as ever and cheer on the Greens. I am sick and tired of the moaners and i just wish everyone on here would do as i do and get behind the boys. I dont mind the extra cost, i just do without other things because i'm a football fan. Good comments Ed, i agree and look forward to Saturday.”
by John Grundy, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, August 06 2008, 12:28AM
“The directors of Argyle are charged with bringing success. If they can't do it then the owners must get another group in place. If they are doing the job they are paid for the fans will follow and Home Park will be full. All we hear are excuses and promises about a bright future. That's garbage talk and is reflected in the low crowd statistics. You can't fool too many people these days.”
by Steven, Plymouth
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 9:53PM
“How about buy 1 or 2 decent strikers from elsewhere within Europe, (as you do not have to go looking for strikers purely within England). English players are far too fussy about where they want to move to. And as we all know, being fussy, can cost us time and will probably cost us relegation too. Let's resolve this now! Sign some decent strikers to keep us up in this division or even better, let's show some ambition and give the fans hope that we can make promotion this time around. Goals do not score themselves. And we cannot afford to have a goal drought this season, as it is expected to be our toughest Championship season yet.”
by Butler, Plymouth
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 9:53PM
“How about buy 1 or 2 decent strikers from elsewhere within Europe, (as you do not have to go looking for strikers purely within England). English players are far too fussy about where they want to move to. And as we all know, being fussy, can cost us time and will probably cost us relegation too. Let's resolve this now! Sign some decent strikers to keep us up in this division or even better, let's show some ambition and give the fans hope that we can make promotion this time around. Goals do not score themselves. And we cannot afford to have a goal drought this season, as it is expected to be our toughest Championship season yet.”
by nick, plymouth
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 8:58PM
“well said ED from plymouth, probably the first real fan with a brain to comment on this site for a long time !! i agree totaly with everything you say , unfortunately plymouth is full of miserable spoilt people who want something for nothing ! if heaven forbid this does turn out to be a poor season and we do get relegated the fans will have finaly got what they deserve. if they want a prem or even a championship team then support it. if not we will slide back to the oblivion of league 2. its not the boards fault , sturrocks fault or even holloways for leaving i mean who would want to work for a club with supporters who are never happy . the better players leave because we cant afford to compete wages wise and why is that well because of the pathetic support offered by so called plymouth fans . unless we get u multi millionair who comes along to use argyle as a play thing ploughing money in(very unlikely) then we will always be a champ/league 1 side because thats our level of support. stop bleating on about players sold for millions and replacements bought for peanuts because thats how it will always be so we can balance the books and make up for the shortfall from low attendances. its time to support what the manager is doing and as he got us here in the first place he more than anyone else in this clubs history deserves our support and time to do his job!
get behind your team next sat and maybe the players will respond!”
by alex, plymouth
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 7:47PM
“argyle will get pasted by wolves on saturday. their fans (3000 of them in fact) will make far more noise than ours because we're all on bad morale and are not happy with things at the moment. can you remember last season when argyle drew 1-1 with wolves and we were playe off the park for the whole game and somehow held out for a draw. let's just hope and i mean hope SEB doesn't stick the ball in the onion bag and we can pull out a good result against wolves.”
by alex, plymouth
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 7:42PM
“argyle will get pasted by wolves on saturday. their fans (3000 of them in fact) will make far more noise than ours will because we are just moaning and have a low morale at the moment. can you remember last season where we drew 1-1 and argyle were absolutely played off the park for the whole game and somehow held on for a draw. Wolves are a quality team and will probably be pushing for promotion this season. let's just hope SEB doesn't stick the ball in the onion bag on saturday and hope and i mean hope argyle can pull out a good result against wolves.”
by Mark, PLUTO
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 7:14PM
“FORMER Greens hot-shot Sean McCarthy....YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME...!!!”
by Jon, Plymouth
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 6:29PM
“Walton must be having the longest medical in history!!!!!!!
The other player joining soon is supposed to Glenn Whelan from Stoke!!!!! Watch this space”