PSF: Torquay United v West Brom 7:30pm 1 August 16

Only a friendly - but a very enjoyable one.

Crowd over 3,000.

Both of our goals absolute screamers from Callum Hall (a teenage trialist just released by Argyle) and from Brett Williams.

The only man to play 90 minutes for us was Paraguayan international centre back Ronald Huth. He has been training with Bath but they can't afford him. I wish we could. Looked quality.

Same squashed 4-4-2 / 4-3-3 as Friday with Duke in the Richards wide right/ tucking in role and Chaney in Young's central with license to get forward role. Second half more conventional 4-4-2.

First half:

Moore

Verma
Gerring
Huth
Nicholson

Duke
Lathrope
Chaney
Sparkes

Blissett
Reid


Second half:

Robba

Hancox
Huth
McGinty
Hall

Scrivens
Richards
Young
Kelly (Mitchell)

Williams
Chamberlain

Let's hope so. On last night's performance, he looks far too good for our level - it would be wonderful if we could sign him but if MacDonald is going to the Championship, then Huth could surely operate comfortably at League 1 level.

All things seem to point towards Huth being most unlikely to commit to TUFC as potentially he may be looking for alternative options that would make it easier to adhere to, rather than be based in good old Torquay. Perhaps KN has other possibilities lined up? Wonder if any new move will happen before the big kick off?

Indeed it would be a crying shame. Rumours are that the deals off for £1,000 moving expenses.

Hooooooooooooooooooooooth

Huth turns Torquay offer down:
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36984696

I wasn't at Plainmoor on Monday night, but don't doubt how well Huth played, or that he's a very talented footballer. I couldn't help recalling how good Chris Hargreaves also looked in pre-season back in the Buckle days, when he played at the centre of defence. Hargreaves instant control and accuracy of passing was far superior to the seemingly clumsy fellow defenders around about him. He brought the ball out of defence like Beckenbauer before dispatching a well weighted pass. But that was all in the relatively non aggressive, non frantic, ball mainly on the ground style games of pre-season. When the 100 mile an hour stuff of English non league started a few weeks later, Chris looked an entirely diffent kettle of fish in the middle of defence.

Huth, of course, might be very different, and continue to look like a world beater who could waltz through national league games, just as he appeared to have Premier League strikers in his pocket for 90 minutes. What I do find extremely odd, is why such a player should ever be in a position to have to consider joining a club that avoided relegation from the Vanarama League by the skin of it's teeth, and why he's not sifting through a mountain of offers from clubs willing to pay him 4 or 5 times what we could afford.

The £1000 payment on a flat claim, if there is any truth in it, will require Nico to consider the knock-on effects. We all know what qualities and strengths Nico hopes to build an improved season on for us this term: togetherness, team before self, all pulling as one etc etc. If we think back to Nico's old facebook post, that he received so much criticism for, he pointed out that there were younger members of the squad struggling to find enough money to pay their rent on the meagre wages they were getting. Now if one member of the team turns up and immediately gets £1000 cash slapped in his hand, what does this do for the cohesion and morale of the group? We'll have recruited a number of new players during this Summer who weren't given a penny as a signing on fee. While thinking what we might gain by signing Huth under the conditions he demands,  it's worth remembering what we could be in danger of losing as well....and it's much more that £1000, it could be that all important squad morale that our hopes depend on. One exceptional player, and 10 disgruntled players isn't the basis for a happy or successful team.

Whether Huth would put £1000 towards a flat or spend it on a luxury holiday for his parents, I've no idea. I'm even sceptical as to whether this is really what any prospective deal rests on. Kev has worked incredibly hard on building the type of atmosphere and togetherness within the squad that he wanted, and it's that more than individual ability that might give us the edge to come out on top in some games this forthcoming season. It's vitally important that isn't jeopordised under any circumstances, even ,sadly, if it should mean no 'Huth 6' replica shirts on sale at Plainmoor.