Administrators ‘tout’ Vale players to other clubs
The Sentinel claims that Port Vale players are “not happy” about “being touted to rival clubs” by an agent employed by the club’s administrators.
According to the newspaper, Ben Mansford, of the Wasserman Media Group, has been instructed to learn whether there is interest in members of Micky Adams’s squad.
Vale player Adam Yates told the newspaper: “Three or four players voiced concern about another agent putting their names about.
“We let the gaffer know what was going on. He had no idea.
“The administrator told us and Micky Adams in the same meeting that football matters would be left to the manager, but evidently they are not. We’re not happy about that.
“We had to voice our concerns to the manager and he fully backs us.
“It doesn’t help a dressing room when there is a sense that players are being pushed out of the door, and it seems that’s the way things are going. It’s unsettling.”
Mansford’s report will identify clubs who are interested in Vale players and estimate what the club can expect to receive for them.
The administrators will then consult Adams and potential owners of the club to gauge their views, but ultimately it will be their decision whether players are moved on before next Thursday’s loan deadline.
If that happens, and the players involved are willing to move, Mansford will negotiate the deal, just as he did with Lee Collins’ switch to Barnsley.
Administrator Gerald Krasner defended the report saying: “Ben’s job is to sound out the market by asking clubs whether they would be interested in any Port Vale players if they became available.
“But we would rather incur more wage costs and avoid relegation, so we have to keep a minimum squad available.
“No decisions have been made at the moment, and we might do nothing at all.
“We have an open mind, but the end of the loan transfer window is next week, so we will be talking to potential bidders for the club about who they may want to give contracts to next season.
“We need an appraisal of the players and then we need to talk to Micky to get his views.
“But any final decision is ours because it is our neck on the blocks in terms of ensuring the club survives.
“We also have a money constraint because funds aren’t unlimited, but it would be foolish to ignore the manager. He is part of the process.”
Manager Micky Adams commented: “I have to be careful what I say because legally I’m obliged not to discuss the work of the administrator.
“A number of players have expressed their concerns to me, but I can’t tell them a great deal. They should speak to the administrator.
“But my phone has been ringing non-stop in the last 24 hours with calls from managers and agents because they’ve heard we’ve got players who are available. There’s been a massive amount of interest.”