Buckle rejects Colchester approaches
TORQUAY United boss Paul Buckle has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Colchester United manager's job.
TORQUAY United boss Paul Buckle has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Colchester United manager's job.
U's chief executive Robbie Cowling admitted on Saturday that he had spoken to another club about their manager and had been given permission to talk to him.
That has since emerged to be highly-rated League One manager Buckle, but today the former Colchester player told Gulls fans that he has rejected Cowling's advances.
“I want to stay at Torquay United and have agreed a new contract in principle,” Buckle told the club's official website. “I will be having a meeting with the chairman and the chief executive later this week just to revisit how we can take this club forward.
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“When I came to Torquay United we had a positive direction and a directive to get back into the Football League and we achieved that but before I sign a new deal I would like to have a clear understanding all round of where we are going.
“That isn't a criticism of anything, it is common sense, we had a situation of Colchester United speaking to Torquay United but the most important thing is that we move forward with fresh ideas.
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“I am very happy at Torquay, there was interest from Colchester and the two clubs spoke but I haven't been for an interview and I will be sorting out my new contract at Plainmoor.”
Chief Executive Colin Lee said: “Paul wants to know what the ambition of Torquay United is and before he commits himself to a longer term deal I think that is a fair question for him to ask. Any manager with the ambitions Paul has would ask the same and I see nothing wrong with that.
“We have offered Paul a new contract and I see this as a positive response to the offer we have given him. Paul is well within his rights to ask the people at the top of the club what their ambitions are for Torquay United because he sees his future being at this club.”
Discounting Buckle, Colchester interviewed five candidates for the job last week and are believed to now be very close to making announcement on their decision.
The new manager could well be in the stands for the club's away trip to Gillingham in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy tonight and almost certainly will take charge of Saturday's League One trip to Southampton.
