There’s been plenty of angry reaction following Port Vale’s awful defeat to Fleetwood Town – and rightly so. It seems, as widely predicted after a poor January transfer window, that the club is in real and present danger of being sucked into a relegation battle. We examine whether manager Andy Crosby and/or director of football David Flitcroft are in danger of being removed from their posts.
Rob Fielding writes…
Was Vale’s January business poor? Well, a poll on this site’s forum shows 86% think it was either poor or very poor. That’s a pretty conclusive result and damning for director of football David Flitcroft who oversees transfers.
Was Vale’s performance on Saturday poor? The verdict there is pretty conclusive too (it’s “yes” by the way) and that’s worrying for the manager as it means Andy Crosby’s role is also under the spotlight.
We look at the case for and against both of them…
The case for and against the manager
The case for Andy Crosby is that he can only work with the tools he has available. It’s tricky for any manager to produce goals from a side without any goals in it. Crosby had a good spell earlier in the season when he had arguably a better squad – however, critics will point out that he also had an awful spell with the same squad.
Criticisms levelled at Crosby are – lack of strikers apart – the style of play isn’t producing enough chances. As one fan put it – “another game where we dominated possession and created one chance.” That’s perhaps a bit extreme but it remains a fair point. His substitutions can be criticised too. On Saturday, I thought there was one particular change which didn’t make sense to me. That was withdrawing Jesse Debrah at half-time. The logic could only be either – Debrah was the worse performing defender which clearly wasn’t true with Alex Iacovitti being exposed multiple times in the first-half – or – he wasn’t fit to last the full ninety minutes, in which case why wasn’t loanee Kacper Lopata picked instead?
Having said that – while Crosby can be blamed for events on the pitch, he is not to blame for the January window business which has severely weakened his squad. The question Port Vale’s owners have to consider is – if they do opt to replace Crosby then can any replacement get more out of this imbalanced squad?
Speaking personally, I like Andy Crosby. I think he did brilliantly taking over in harrowing circumstances and seems a decent and honourable man. However, having seen the club act decisively in dismissing Darrell Clarke, Crosby should be understandably worried and the game on Tuesday night at Vale Park is understandably massive
Verdict: skating on thin ice and Tuesday night may be the last-chance saloon
Your view:
You can also post a comment at the end of this feature.
The case for and against the Director of Football
When Carol Shanahan appointed David Flitcroft, the logic made sense – she had no experience of the playing side so she needed a senior figure who did. The principle makes sense but for many fans the question is whether the club have the right person in place?
The argument for retaining Flitcroft is a long-term one, removing him could jeopardise what is a long-term and wide-ranging plan for the football side of the club. It’s a continuity issue therefore. Also on the credit side are transfer successes in 2021 which ultimately resulted in promotion and the appointment of promotion-winning boss Darrell Clarke.
However, on the other side is the farce of two awful January transfer windows. This is the second window in a row where the club have clearly needed some forward additions. Leaving it to the last moment last season produced an injured Matty Taylor, this year it hasn’t produced anyone at all. It seems a losing strategy. Not only does trying to sign a player earlier mean you have time to switch to an alternative if the move breaks down (something often not possible if you leave it to the final day) but you can also play the player through January too. During this season and the last one, the club have been down to the bare bones upfront at the start of the New Year window and the same when it finished.
If the blame for football matters ends at the top then the Director of Football’s position is in some jeopardy and he’s certainly earned the ire of fans.
Verdict: it may not please fans but the club seem to want continuity and with Flitcroft on the board his position seems less in danger
Your view:
You can also post a comment at the end of this feature.
What do you reckon? Should both, one or none be removed? You can share your views by adding a comment at the end of this feature.
It’s OK to say getting rid of management team will hinder long term plan…Well long term plan does not include getting relagated after moving up a division plus come on 2 transfer windows no strikers ..and on first window got rid of a striker or 2 before making sure you had cover with new ones ..something smacks of let’s get relagated..the running costs are lower ..
I’m not sure we can afford a DOF right now. Perhaps in the future iif we ever reach a higher league it may be needed but right now it seems an unneccessary spend, especially when the quality of signings brought in just hasn’t been good enough. And even if we do need a DOF I’m not sure wehave the right person. It’s all talk and no results.
Did DOF have something to do with Bury FC ?
Crosby’s tactics are in question but flitcroft is the man who buys and sells players getting rid of Conlon when two midfielders are injured and two more going back to their clubs is really stupid flitcroft is to focused on young players to the detriment to the first team bury comes to mind
Remove them both and hope and pray the robbie Williams buy out is true and very soon. The for some reason seems to be no money in the club despite high season ticket sales a good cup run selling young players for undisclosed fees and more. The current damage to the toilet felicity is a joke when you remember last seasons reason for changing home and away ends was in carols words to give home fans better felicity’s and a better match day experience even tho no one in the bycars I spoke to wanted to change ends. The dof is a waste of time and Crosby is a decent bloke but not a manager of a team in trouble
Maybe Tom Conlan wanted to leave. Maybe he was offered a better deal at Oldham than he was on at Vale.
Smurthwaite ,,,,,,,,,,all over again, no investment into the playing side, eventually we will get ripped off, national league here we come, ?????????? Prove me wrong Carol,,,,,, where’s the plan for the championship,
There seems to be no comments on the money available to actually improve the playing staff, if the DOF has no money to spend despite allegedly getting money for youth players, then we are where we are, with the loan and free market filled with most of the EFL clubs.A bit of honesty from people at the club would certainly help people understand some of the operating problems.
They both should have gone after Cheltenham game. Mini revival saved them but papered over the cracks. It was interesting that at fleetwood the fans chanting ollie arblaster name was the loudest. Only Ripley can say he tried yesterday. Something needs to happen now, we have drifted to long. Relegation is certain if we don’t change now
The game against fleetwood was poor no passion and no desire saying that it’s not Andy Crosby fault if u haven’t got the bricks you can’t build a house it’s the same he can only work with what he got and he ain’t got hundred of thousands to spend let’s be realistic Vale fans we were never going be anymore then a league 1 or league 2 side with the budget and players we have got keep the faith but by god Vale players show u earn the shirt and show passion as Andy Crosby does on the touch line
Ok Crosby could make better use of the players he has but we don’t want him to go
The owners have no idea, they have hit a brick wall, it’s like buying a car with no gearbox, they are going nowhere FAST, we pay good money to watch this rubbish, Flitcroft wage would get us a decent striker, there is no pride or bottle in Crosbys teams
DC should not have been sacked,flitcroft and crosby have done no better,or took us any further,i did not want crosby,in the first place,if we lose tuesday then they both should be shown the door
I feel sorry for Crosby as he’s got to work with the hand he’s been dealt,but he’s the manager and he can’t seem to motivate this crop of players,the buck stops with him……flitcroft is stealing a wage his recruitment is dire to say the least, he needs to go,his wage will partly pay for a striker ..UTV VTID
Having listened to the game it raises concerns that Connor Ripley also made a number of outstanding saves. Having watched all season it was clear the recruitment has been poor for whatever reason. To see players perform so poorly with no fight or spirit in itself causes concern as to what the manager’s leadership commands. Tuesday evening will be a crucial statement although I believe it will be to little to late.
Flitcroft has to go. How can someone spend so many hours on recruitment and actually take the team backwards. Would the team playing at Fleetwood yesterday beat the team who played in the play-off final 2 seasons ago?
Yes the striker situation has gone on now for 3 transfer windows he keeps saying we look at players months in advance so why have we not got a striker in the last 2 transfer windows
This so called process is only taking Vale one way and that is relegation with the DOF pulling the strings but is hiding in his ivory tower.
Team selection and substitutions were poor. Recruitment was shocking over the January window…..what actually does David Flitcroft do? We have some loanees but we can’t build a squad around these as they can be recalled any time. A mix of lower league youth with a few older key players with experience and temperament to control the games.
Crosby can’t build without a good team but his tactical decisions are weak. New manager maybe? Sack the director of football and put the wages on a decent striker
Recruitment has been a shambles,not just in the January window,but throughout the season,with the exception of Alfie,and Ollie.
Ok Crosby may be a decent coach, but as a manager, he leaves a lot to be desired, I have heard all the apologies and excuses before, it’s time you or Flitcroft said goodbye, then we will see who’s fault it is, and as for Carol you were warned about spending money on the ground and not the team, WHO GIVES A MANAGER A 5 year contract
Carol must take some of the blame, Crosby may be a decent coach, a manager he is not, he is indecisive,and that’s how his team is, back to Carol, WHO gives a manager a 5 year contract, as for my family we have had enough of this very poor Crosby football
Crosby has been made a scapegoat as for flitcroft your process isn’t working so shove it down your own throat and choke
Crosby has been made a scapegoat as for flitcroft your process isn’t working so shove it down your own throat and choke
Get them both out of our club now.before we are in league 2.
Get this man out of our club dof my backside we already have 2 people in the club who know more about recruitment of players than he will ever know.Give a job share to mr & mrs John Rudge 2 days a week remember his wife found Andy Jones that is more than Flitcroft could ever be capable of remember how he helped Bury drop through the leagues GET RID.
Yesterday was a shambles. The defenders we have are not ball playing footballers, they are all tacklers who win the ball a give it. If we play to their strengths the ball should quickly be in the opposition half (it ain’t rocket science to say the opposition ain’t scoring from there). It then allows any forward players to play / express themselves / take players on / attack / cross the ball / (maybe even) shoot!!! Because of what/how the players are told how to play, all of them are constantly under pressure. Let them play and enjoy, us idiots paying the money to watch might even enjoy it too.
I my apinion is the bace of the club working eg youth academy bringing through young talent yes young loan signings of a gteam ood standard yes main team when all fit will give teams a game is this down to df with what he’s put in place that’s a plus but can we attract good strikers with limited funds eg wages In my apinion you need a cash injection to push forward or wait until the youth bares fruit who will throw money at are level with no return so unless we find a fool it’s a slow build and to try to push on and we’re in a better place than the last 10 year’s so i think get to end of season take stock and go again also 2nd season in any league is the hardest
I am a life long vale fan and season ticket holder who now has Parkinson’s and I have now come to believe the effort that I put in just to get to the ground , far outweighs the current amount of effort put in by the playing staff and management who control what happens on the pitch
There would be no point sacking Crosby without also removing Flitcroft. A good strong manager does not require a director of football. Allow the person picking and coaching their team responsibility for assembling it in the first instance. I don’t recall John Rudge or Micky Adams having to deal with someone else telling them how their teams should play and subsequently bringing in unsuitable players.
They should both go
It’s not the managers fault we have no strikers, it’s all about money In the end, plus remember we have lost our top scorer, ok he is a midfielder but I ask the question if a striker scores ten or more goals at this time of the season clubs much bigger and richer than us queue up to buy him stay with the manager and the team until the season end,
Well Carol, I phone the club and ask what’s going on and I am given the Runaround, there will come a time when you need the fans but they will not be there, tell us what’s going on, I and my family have stopped giving you our hard earned money,Flitcroft needs getting rid of NOW, then we will see if Crosby is a capable manager, it looks like our family will have a decent holiday with the money saved from NOT going to see the dross, served up as football,at Vale park
Both should have been gone a long time ago No tactical awareness, no way of motivating the team and can’t seem to see that we are in a race to the bottom. Only Vale can sack DC and as he lost his way etc then give the job to one of his staff who was part of the management team of DC had and part responsible for us losing our way. We have no fight, no bottle and no plan B.
Banjaxed, they need money to sack these two, all feelings are there’s none in the pot to sack either, and money to attract a decent manager and players, what was once a dream of an encouraging future has turned into our worse nightmare, we only have hope and circumstances going in our favour for survival.
Untried manager at any level out of his depth in this league, should have gone in November.
Flitcroft bleeds money from the club his decisions regarding Conlon , Harrison, Worall very surprising.
The one plus point is the calibre of loan signings we have had, but not to strengthen the forward line is embarrassing
If the owners cannot see we are on the edge of an abyss they are sleepwalking backwards over the edge. They simply have not spent enough on the footballing side of the business to secure us in League One. Doing nothing is no longer an option. Clearly the manager and director of football have also failed the fans. A new manager may save us, but also a financial reset is vital.
Want about DF going!!!!
So this is Port Vale news, how about telling us Crosby has gone and the new manager is on his way
Having assisted in getting us promoted into League One, Crosby deserved his chance to lead Vale and the Q Final appearance will be a Vale record for many years I’d expect. Based on the very poor league run we’re on now however, that credit had gone. We simply couldn’t afford to waste our games in hand with him at the helm if we want to aid our survival hopes, so the club acted decisively after the weekend result.
Would love to see Ainsworth come in, he did a remarkable job at Wycombe and would aid the gates as a former fan favourite, though hope under him
we’d have more success than with some of our ex players!
For Flitcroft I’d love to hear why a striker wasn’t signed, it’s been clear that’s the priority area we needed strengthening. His recruitment did get us into League One and we stayed up last year, however he’s now had four transfer windows to help shape a League One squad. If we stay up again then I’d give him more time to continue building, but if we’re relegated then at the end of the season the blame would lie at his door that two managers couldn’t fix and so we’d need to appoint someone new.
Let’s back the Vale under new management as we’ll need that 12th man to help pull away from the bottom
4!