Make a quick appointment or make Brown caretaker till season’s end
OVF editor Rob Fielding says that uncertainty over the manager’s position could damage the club’s chances on the pitch.
Rob Fielding writes…
I can’t claim the original point as my own, it was made by user Jacko51 on the forum and I have merely expanded on the original point. However, I felt Jacko51 made such a compelling point that it deserved to be on the OVF front page.
Vale now potentially have some crucial business in the transfer market…
Following the heavy defeat to Huddersfield in the FA Cup, Vale now potentially have some crucial business in the transfer market. If key men Remie Streete and Jak Alnwick are ruled out for any period of time then Vale will need replacements for the pair in addition to wingers and forwards.
However, the Valiants may be hamstrung by uncertainty over Michael Brown’s position so it’s time to resolve it. The problem is that players may be reluctant to sign for a caretaker manager especially when other people such as Mixu Pataalainen and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink are linked with the role. Why sign for Brown if the permanent manager then turns out not to rate you?
If there is no such candidate I think it’s time to show some certainty and give Brown the role to the end of the season…
For me, I would rather take a calculated risk with Michael Brown who (despite criticism from some areas) has done well with the squad he has inherited to improve the defending and fitness. When Rob Page was appointed to replace Micky Adams he was swiftly appointed to the end of the season and he duly kept the club up – for me it makes sense to do the same with Brown. I think Brown can at least keep us up and by the end of the campaign we’ll have a much better idea whether he’s right for the job or not.
However, there is one caveat. If there is a manager interested who cannot be turned down (and sadly for him, I don’t think that person is Pataalainen) then he has to be considered. So, the flip side of the argument is – if there is a manager out there who is interested and would be a brilliant addition then he too needs to be appointed quickly so that he can get to work quickly in the January transfer window.
But if there is no such candidate I think it’s time to show some certainty and give Brown the role to the end of the season. We need new players to be confident about who’s in charge and pprocrastination won’t help anyone.