With The Bryn Consortium naming Football Advisor Neil Warnock and First-Team Manager Paul Wotton as the men to lead Torquay United into a new era, both men have outlined their visions for the future.
With the Consortium formally introducing Warnock and Wotton at a Press Conference held at Torquay’s Livermead Cliff Hotel on Tuesday afternoon, both men spoke about their plans and ambitions for the season ahead.
Warnock, of course, is no stranger to Plainmoor, having overseen United’s 1992/93 escape from Football League relegation, before resuming his legendary managerial career at the likes of Huddersfield, Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield United and Cardiff City amongst others. Having achieved so much in the game, Neil explained why, at 75, he was looking forward to taking on a whole new challenge with The Gulls.
“It’s really strange, and you can’t really explain it to anybody, even members of your family,” began Warnock.
“You can’t explain, but when you’ve had 43 years full-time in an industry like football, and all the ups and downs that it comes with, it’s very hard to switch off and not have anything. I can’t begin to tell you how difficult I’ve found it. I just felt that I can’t carry on doing it at my age, but I thought there must be a way I can put something back into it, and use my experience to help a club.
“It’s a special place for me, and why not? I love football, I’ve always brought my teams down to play Bodmin, Tavistock and all the clubs which get neglected. I think it’s a part of the country that, a lot of times, I think people think when you get to Bristol, that’s the end of the world. I love the West Country, and Torquay, and I’m really looking forward to not just coming to the football, but the hotels here bring back memories to me when I played, and it’s going to be nice to help.”
Although Warnock’s enthusiasm shone through in front of the assembled Press on Torquay’s seafront, the Consortium’s nominated Football Advisor was at pains to stress that there was plenty of work to do to ensure United will be in a competitive state for 2024/25.
“Let me make it clear, it’s not going to be straightforward for Paul, I think we’ve got one player signed, so don’t get carried away.
“Yeah, we’re a big club, but we were a big club last year, and we nearly got relegated. The process is in process now to get the players signed that Paul thinks will make a good go of it, and that’s what we’ve got to do. Usually, a lot of your players have already galloped up by now, they’re already scooped up, so it won’t be straightforward.
“I said to Paul that the crowds that we get, nobody will want to come here, and that’s how we’ve got to make it. Like I say, it’s not going to be straightforward, but I have every confidence that Paul will get the right players, and I can help him get some of those players, and that’s what we’re going to do.
“We just want to get on with the job now, and put the pride back in the club, because it’s definitely there, it’s a special club.”
Having sought to identify a new manager to restore Torquay to their former glories, Neil went on to explain about the qualities that make Paul Wotton the ideal man for the job.
“I think he’s a level-headed lad. I think the art of management as well is not getting too high when you’re winning, and not getting too low when you’re losing.
“It’s a difficult league, there’s no ‘give-yous’ in football in England, and I felt, for me, it’s got to be someone that knows the area. At the moment, I think Paul fits all the criteria, and I think the club fits the criteria that Paul is looking for, so I think it’s a mutual thing between the parties.”
Former Truro City boss Wotton, who spent part of his early career playing under Warnock during their successful time at Home Park together, echoed those sentiments, before taking a moment to address any concerns of any additional pressure hampering United’s progress next term.
“For me, it’s the perfect step for me, from the club I managed previously,” said Paul.
“I managed against Torquay on Boxing Day, and there were nearly 4,000 people at the game. The atmosphere was great, and I feel I’m ready for that challenge, and I feel it’s the next logical step for me, as a young manager.
“I think there’s pressure in everything you do. Pressure is what you allow it to be. I don’t think I’ll be under any more pressure than the pressure I put on myself under anyway. Having a career in football, I’ve been very lucky when I’ve left school, to have been involved in football. There’s pressure to win games, pressure to get promoted, pressure to not get relegated, pressure to get another contract. Then you go into coaching, and there’s pressure to stay in football. Every game has got pressure, whether you’re at the top of the league, the middle of the league, or at the bottom.
“You’ve got to manage expectation, yes, there’ll be expectations on us, of course there will, but if you haven’t got pressure in football, what’s the point?
“I’ve always been quite fortunate to deal with pressure quite well in football, and if you can’t deal with pressure, you’re going to struggle. It’s just an everyday occurrence, I think.”
With 2023/24 having concluded some four weeks ago, and a rejuvenated Yellow Army now eagerly anticipating the make-up of the 2024/25 playing squad, Bryn’s manager-elect addressed any concerns regarding a near-blank canvas, before reassuring those in the room that everything is very much under control.
“It’s going to be a busy time, but what I will say, is every off-season for every manager is busy.
“People say you’re on holiday, but you’re never on holiday because your phone’s going non-stop anyway. I’ve got to get busy and get some players signed, and those players have obviously got to fit the criteria that I want – not just the ability, but the character. Character is going to be huge. Every successful team that I’ve been in – whether that’s as a player, as an assistant, or as a manager, has had a tremendous work ethic, a tremendous will to win, and a tremendous togetherness, so I need to sign the right characters, that’s for sure, definitely.
“I need to sign the right players that will give everything on a Saturday for Torquay United, and that’s pretty much the only promise I can make – I’m not going to sit here and say what we’re going to do, because I don’t know, but I can promise you that the eleven players on the pitch on a Saturday will give everything that they’ve got for Torquay United, else they won’t be playing.
“I want to get going, it’s an exciting time. The reality of having to sign players and stuff, that’s fine – it’s part of football. We’ll get moving and get players in. There will always be football players available, that’s for sure.”
Before getting started on his recruitment drive though, Wotton left Torquay’s long-suffering supporters with a promise that also served as a significant statement of intent.
“I never make predictions. I’m not going to sit here and say ‘I’m going to do this’ or ‘I’m going to do that’, I’ve got my aims that I want to achieve with Torquay United, absolutely. The board are ambitious, and I’m ambitious.
“I’ll make one promise to the Torquay United fans – the team that plays on a Saturday with a Torquay United shirt on, will leave nothing on the pitch. They will run themselves into the ground, and on any given Saturday, we will win, lose or draw – I can’t control that – the only thing I can control is how hard those players work, and they will work themselves into the ground.
“I can absolutely promise you that.”
The last words of note – delivered in his own typical charismatic style – came from Warnock.
“We’ll have some fun as well, I want everybody to have a bit of fun.”
