Smurthwaite criticises Adams’ summer deals
Norman Smurthwaite has told BBC Radio Stoke that former manager Micky Adams “bought some players quickly” in the summer after his hopes of a Championship move were quashed.
Vale were hit by protracted contract negotiations with Adams during the summer with the former boss linked with a number of other clubs.
He was hoping for a Championship club offer and when he realised that wasn’t going to happen he went out and bought some players quickly. I’m not convinced that’s a way to build a good squad to get us into the play-offs…
Smurthwaite told the radio station that: “We’ve had the upheaval with Micky Adams leaving.
“He was hoping for a Championship club offer and when he realised that wasn’t going to happen he went out and bought some players quickly. I’m not convinced that’s a way to build a good squad to get us into the play-offs.
“And then Micky goes, Rob Page comes in and he’s hamstrung with the squad. There’s been some development players signed for their potential maybe next season but he’s been hamstrung.
“In an ideal situation he’d have said give me a clean piece of paper and I’ll build a squad that will get us into the play-offs.”