Torquay United manager Jimmy Ball is already thinking ahead—way ahead. Despite not yet knowing which league the Gulls will be playing in next season, Ball has kicked off the recruitment process for the 2026-27 campaign.

First things first: Torquay face Dorking Wanderers in the National League South play-off semi-finals this Saturday. A win would set up a showdown against either Hornchurch or Weston-super-Mare, with two coveted spots in the National League up for grabs. It's high-stakes football, and Ball knows the pressure is on.

"The recruitment process has already started for us," Ball told BBC Sport. "We've already got targets, we're already speaking to different people."

Ball is only six weeks into his tenure at Plainmoor, having taken over from the sacked Paul Wotton last month. The former AFC Totton boss has had to balance immediate playoff preparation with long-term planning—a delicate act that defines football management at this level.

"It's very difficult because you've got players here," Ball explained. "I said when I came, 'We're concentrating on football. I know some of you are out of contract, but we're concentrating on football because if we lose focus on the objective, we won't achieve it.'"

The manager's first priority will be speaking to out-of-contract players, but he's already scouting beyond that. "My first conversations will be with the out-of-contract players, and then we will continue and solidify some of our recruitment targets. You never stop recruiting—that's football. It's always on your mind."

Ball acknowledged the fierce competition in the transfer market, especially from clubs whose seasons have already ended. "There are other clubs out there who are finished who are trying to sign players I want. It's just the nature of the beast. You've got to be proactive."

For now, though, Ball is keeping his squad locked in on the task at hand. "I don't want any of our players thinking about anything other than Dorking Wanderers on Saturday. But I have to think past Saturday—and that's my job. I get all day to do it."