Honest Birchall says Brown will make a great boss but players are in limbo

Long-serving Chris Birchall has backed Michael Brown to be a manager one day but says that following his contract offer and even as a Vale fan “at times, you have to look elsewhere when offers are not what you’ve been expecting”

Birchall has joined colleague Anthony Grant who also praised Brown’s abilities by backing the veteran midfielder to be a success as a coach.

I’m a Vale fan, it’s the club I love and I feel like I’ve been loyal. But, at times, you have to look elsewhere when offers are not what you’ve been expecting…

Brown is the bookies’ favourite to be appointed the next Vale manager and Birchall told the BBC:  “He knows their abilities and knows what is needed to come in and interact, and get the players playing for him. But he’s still a great player himself. He still thinks he’s got a lot to offer on the playing side.

“The players knew he’d take the step to the other side sooner or later. He’s very professional and I’m sure he’ll take that step into management one day soon.”

However, Birchall says that he and the club’s other out-of-contract players face some difficult decisions adding: “It’s a weird situation that the retained list was put out by the manager and then he’s the first one to go. Pagey did well on a limited budget. He was always looking to move on and nobody would blame him for doing what he’s done.

“But it’s always unsettling when a manager leaves. Players are in limbo as to whether they’re going to be retained. My offer is as it sounds. The chairman was publicly saying that it was cuts to everyone. I took a cut last year and I’ve now been asked to take another cut.

“I’m a Vale fan, it’s the club I love and I feel like I’ve been loyal. But, at times, you have to look elsewhere when offers are not what you’ve been expecting.”