Don’t deserve to wear the shirt – five thoughts following Port Vale’s loss at Mansfield
Don’t deserve to wear the shirt: Rob Fielding shares his reaction to Port Vale’s defeat at Mansfield with five thoughts on the woeful performance…
Rob Fielding writes…
Agree or disagree? What’s your reaction to Port Vale’s defeat at Mansfield? Share your thoughts and post a comment at the end of the article.
Slow starting Vale and avoidable errors
Slow starting Vale and avoidable errorsSo, it took just 42 seconds for Port Vale’s 2021 to get off to the worst possible start. The Vale defence’s lack of attention in the opening minute was punished accordingly and the goal immediately put the visitors at a disadvantage. I feel for Scott Brown having to play behind that lot! Vale’s second-half got off to a similarly awful start when following a rejig of the side, Leon Legge was promptly sent-off, causing ahem… a rejig of the rejig. Both incidents could clearly have been avoided – Vale’s defence needed to be more switched on in the opening seconds while Legge needed to be aware he couldn’t dive in to a tackle when already on a yellow.
No happy New Year for Leon Legge
No happy New Year for Leon LeggeI have sympathy Leon Legge, who seems to be a lovely bloke, but who has to be ultimately judged by his performances on the pitch. The veteran has now been dismissed for two yellows twice this season. I hate to say it but after a stellar Port Vale career perhaps the years are catching up with the 35 year-old? The veteran’s slow reactions can cause his challenges to come too late and the subsequent bookings have cost both the player and the team dearly this season. The problem for the Valiants is that there are no long-term replacements for the likes of Legge and other veterans. Vale’s side is an ageing one and that is a worry.
It may have to be a busy January for John Askey
It may have to be a busy January for John AskeyThe pressure remains on the Port Vale manager as the team’s form continues to be dire. However, it looks like Port Vale owners are going to maintain faith in Askey to turn it around in the January transfer window. He will certainly need to do better than the summer. Of his seven additions at the start of the season, two are transfer listed and two (Mills and Whitehead) have yet to convince the fans. Worryingly for Askey, a summer of seeming to strengthen the squad appears to have done the opposite with arguably only reserve keeper Dino Visser and striker Devante Rodney improving the Valiants side. The January transfer window is notoriously a tough one but Askey needs to pull out all the stops to improve the side and put a stop to performances like Barrow and this one.
Well said Adam Yates! Some players don’t deserve to wear the shirt
Well said Adam Yates! Some players don’t deserve to wear the shirtBBC Radio Stoke summariser Adam Yates certainly told it ‘like it is’ in the closing stages of the game. I applaud him for his honesty and Yates obviously cares about the club. For those who missed it (perhaps you’d switched off by then) Yates said that several of the players were simply going through the motions and looked like they didn’t care. It was damning stuff by Yates and it needed to be said. It certainly resonated with me as a Vale fan. When I look back at players like Anthony Griffith, he was never the most gifted player, but you could guarantee he would put everything on the line for the club in every game. Griffith earnt my respect for that attitude. However, there are players in this Port Vale squad who are not doing that and don’t deserve to wear the shirt or earn the respect of the fans.
No positives
Since I’ve been writing these pieces I’ve always tried to find at least one positive note to feature. Not this time. That was just a woeful performance from Port Vale FC. The defence was dreadful and could have shipped more than four but Vale were second-best all across the pitch. The side had just two half-chances to show for ninety minutes’ work and things are starting to look really worrying. If this bleak form continues, the Valiants are going to face a battle to survive in League Two. It goes without saying that this was not the start to 2021 that we wanted.
Agree or disagree? What’s your reaction to Port Vale’s defeat at Mansfield? Share your thoughts and post a comment at the end of the article.
Philip Myatt
3rd January 2021 @ 9:57 am
Will always love the Vale but that yesterday was a disgrace of a performance. The players are like strangers 11 folk put on a field together but no unity ,no fight no desire ,no determination, I mean if they want the manager out do not take it out on the supporters yesterday you did, Barrow at home you did.
Yates was spot on they played like they couldn’t care less and it showed in the scoreline, it could and should have being much worse. No positives but I am positive about something and that is non-league we come if this is allowed to continue and it won’t be on the supporters it will be on the players because once you cross that white line we expect you give everything.
Do not try and kid us you were you weren’t and for that you be all transfer listed and put out of your misery as you cannot be trusted to make Vale the happy great club it deserves be .
Ian Clarke
3rd January 2021 @ 10:05 am
Adam Yates also said that its a privelege to be a professional footballer. Its not as if players are working 12 hour shifts in a care home for the minimum wage. As Ernie Moss once said ‘ we’re paid to keep fit and play football’. Many of our good players are now too old or too injured and too many of of our recent signings havn’t performed well enough. Can the present manager use the transfer window to dig us out of a hole? Where do we go if a John Askey led side loses at home to Grimsby next Saturday?
Ken
3rd January 2021 @ 10:05 am
To me I would make all of them walk back home from Mansfield. Do like Adams did put them all on the transfer list.
Brian Ankers
3rd January 2021 @ 10:34 am
The trouble started when Carol brought Frank Sinclair in. There is definitely a divide in the camp and either Askey or Sinclair have to go or both. Wikipedia says Frank Sinclair role is coach does this mean to all the squad?
Stephen
3rd January 2021 @ 11:51 am
It is all very worrying. Sinclair has to go, he has presided over a shocking decline in the youth team’s fortunes. If he were to take over the first team it would be a disaster.
Feel sorry for John Askey, he is clearly a bloke who thinks a lot of the club but for some reason a lot of the players are not performing as they should. There have been injuries to key players which hasn’t helped. The club’s biggest mistake was rejecting Jake Taylor, hopefully they get him back in January.
Ken Rigby
3rd January 2021 @ 1:37 pm
Quite simply an absolute disgrace. No leader on the field and the coaching staff needs a sorting out. Seems that Sinclair has created a toxic atmosphere.
Keith Dawson
3rd January 2021 @ 6:05 pm
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse it did. Vale started the game against Mansfield without any commitment or passion and that was to remain throughout this very painful 90 minutes. The first goal was poor but the second was equally so, the ball allowed to travel into our box with a couple of futile attempts to make a half hearted clearance before the ball was smashed into the Vale net Half time followed with 3 changes made, I immediately thought here comes the cavalry, my question of course was why weren’t these three players on the pitch at the start? The next disaster quickly followed, clumsy Legge showed his lack of pace as he fouled their attacker and the red card was duly produced, game over!!! It was apparent that a number of Port Vale’s players weren’t motivated, they need to be reminded that a footballers life is short but can become even shorter. This display was nothing short of a disgrace and each and every player needs to take a long look at themselves to ensure that they are in the right profession!!! I would suggest a rigorous training session on Monday, followed by let’s watch the video of the game so that we can see and agree how poor the performance was, once everyone has taken their criticism back out to the training ground to put things right. Vale’s game on Saturday against Grimsby is already a 6 pointer!!! Come on Vale for goodness sake get a grip!!!
Coojo
3rd January 2021 @ 6:06 pm
That was an absolute disgrace, no heart, no bottle, certain players going through the motions. We made Mansfield look like world beaters at times, they just worked for each other, shame on at least 7 of our so called players.The subs were our only positives, they at least worked. JA has to bring in some pace at the back, some steel in midfield, some guile in attack or we face non league football. This lot wouldn’t even compete then. Oh for a Brian Horton, Andy Porter, Ant Griff, Robbie Earle.
Ben
3rd January 2021 @ 7:06 pm
OK so the players haven’t been good enough but surely it’s time up now for John Askeu, its getting embarrassing now. I can’t see where our next win is going to come from, bring Micky Adams back till the end of the season, I’m sure he will get a response out of these players
Chris
3rd January 2021 @ 8:49 pm
Absolutely disgusting if I don’t do my job to the best of my abilities I would be sacked
Jim Hughes
3rd January 2021 @ 11:22 pm
As a long term supporter, I still find it very difficult to make comments from afar. However, as a now-retired fairly reasonable standard ex-player and overseas FA coach, it is what is or is not happening in the dressing room in my opinion. It all leads to what happens on the pitch on match days. Times are tough at the moment but a “backs to the wall” are called for. We have the best owners, any team could wish for.
May I suggest that discipline and squad motivation is the basic issue here? Red cards and Yellows for dissent etc. are not in a professionals itinerary. They have been at the Vale this season, unfortunately.
I am sure the manager has the coaching skills, knowledge and match basics “to shut up shop” in our defence on match days when required. It is not happening though!
I agree with others, it is now about who is worthy of wearing the Valiants Shirt? Players come and go but history tells us that at the Vale has many past players who have given Blood, Sweat and Tears to achieve success for Port Vale FC.
John
4th January 2021 @ 6:44 am
I’m going to stick up for John Askey. You don’t reach 8th place in the table , with a great run of results , for nothing. Vale narrowly miss out on the play-offs , and then start the season well. Why did that change so suddenly? Probably because there are those at the club who are trying to push Askey out . They stir up trouble with some players , and that’s all it takes for players to start sulking and not performing. Well, shame on the ones who started it, you know who you are, and shame on the players for buying into it, and dragging the club down . The team of 1954 wouldn’t give you the time of day, any of you. This needs to be dealt with now. Anyone who doesn’t have the interests of the club at heart should get out on Monday. So, step up Carol and make your mark .
Maurice
4th January 2021 @ 7:49 am
Let’s have a vote of confidence or no confidence
Kev Sherwin
4th January 2021 @ 10:30 am
I have to agree with John, Askey doesnt become a bad manager over night, he had this team working for each other, pressing teams high and that w got us to the verge of the playoffs, if there is a bad egg in the camp they need to be got rid of and the players need to be given some home truths about what it means to the fans when you put that shirt on, we will except getting beat by a better team, we wont except being outrun, out fought and giving up when things aren’t going our w. There is still some players with heart, the three who came on at least showed a bit of passion and as for Legge I think his decision to try to win a ball he was never getting to just about summed it up, it was like he didn’t want to be involved anymore, think the whole club need to sit down in a room and air there grievances and clear the air and get this club fighting back up the table
Phil Howell
4th January 2021 @ 2:14 pm
Get rid of most of the Squad. They are a disgrace to Port Vale FC
Daniel
4th January 2021 @ 2:17 pm
Agree wholeheartedly with Adam Yates’ sentiment – it’s simply not good enough. I sympathize with the manager (who’s brought in two very good signings in Visser and Rodney), but the squad overall lacks quality and leadership – and unfortunately, that’s the responsibility, primarily, of the manager. If Carol isn’t going to act, Askey needs to shake things up, get new bodies in and change up the first 11 because the 11 he’s using at the moment aren’t working!
Taylor would be a welcome addition (let’s get it done!), and would like to see more of Visser (have we lost a game when he’s started?). Montano back from injury will prove a big boost.
The Knapster
5th January 2021 @ 9:29 am
With no income from the turnstile this season the only objective for vale is to be in business come August ’21 and the start of next season. It has to be in League 2 obviously…so Carol needs a safe pair of hands like Mickys to steer a steady course for the next 5 months. Just sit the players down and remind them of the precipice they’re looking over and if they dont perform they’ll find themselves picking orders at Amazon : /