Opinion: why is inexperienced Will Ryder and not former manager David Flitcroft on the Port Vale bench?
Rob Fielding asks why the Valiants have opted for a managerial team with no experience for a must-win game when there is a Director of Football who has managed over 300 games available?
Rob Fielding writes…
- It’s a Tuesday night in February.
- You’re a struggling football club.
- You are lurching towards relegation.
- Your manager and coaching staff are all gone.
- You face a must-win game…
So, who would you want in charge?
a) Your academy manager who usually coaches teenagers and has no Football League management experience?
b) Your Director of Football who arguably is at least partially responsible for this mess and who has experience of managing football clubs on 312 previous occasions?
We’ve already had features on this website about whether David Flitcroft should remain at the club. The response from the fans to that question was mainly in the negative.
However, if the club are to keep faith with the Director of Football then why is he not stepping up to try and steer the club out of trouble?
Richard Cuthbertson
6th February 2024 @ 9:20 pm
Because he’s a bottle job who is scared of getting found out by his boss and is terrified that if he takes charge and loses this match then the whole of VP will swallow him up after seeing him for the fraud he is
Simon
6th February 2024 @ 9:51 pm
Absolute dereliction of responsibility. You’d never run a company like that and leave rookies out there to face the music. You’d roll your sleeves up and lead. Says everything to me. Very poor.
Jacko
6th February 2024 @ 9:54 pm
Flitcroft, you are the weakest link, goodbye!
Pete Scarratt
6th February 2024 @ 10:02 pm
All I can say is, the the dream of becoming the number one football club in Stoke-on-Trent has become a nightmare. Carol and Kevin, please think hard about the road you have been on since you bought the club, and think very hard about where you believe the wheels came off the cart, and please for the sake of every Vale supporter, please put the wheels back on.
Ni-Jo
6th February 2024 @ 10:26 pm
Carol has gone very quiet,she must realise the fans have had enough of Flitcroft.She must have money to waste on a joker who thinks he is gods gift to the vale.Please,please get rid and spend your cash on a proven experienced team manager.Use Rudgies experience to help if the new manager wants it.There is still time to get out of this mess,but with Flitcroft there then there is only going to be one outcome.
Mike
6th February 2024 @ 10:36 pm
Exactly. I feel for Andy Crosby. What more could he have done with the hand he’s been delt. The hugely disappointing signing of Loft is about all we have to show for transfer activity.
Why wasn’t Flitcroft fronting up tonight and standing by the mess of his own making? Shameful and cowardly. Instead we had the academy coaches steering a relegation battle.
I feel for Carol and this is nothing against her and I love where Port Vale is going off the pitch. But it’s on the pitch that fans care about and Flitcroft is a disaster.
Flitcroft out now!
(And get Robbie Williams to give Ainsworth a call).
Splodger
7th February 2024 @ 7:11 am
Why would flitcroft take charge when he can throw someone else under the bus and save his own skin,carol needs to get her head out of the sand and see that she’s been played like a fiddle,…do whats right and get rid of this charlatan… VTID.. UTV
Vale fan
7th February 2024 @ 8:21 am
Somebody please tell me what hold has Flitcroft got over Carol, she knows, I know, and you know, he should of been gone with Crosby
David Gater
7th February 2024 @ 9:45 am
When there was need to replace the manager and Mr flitcroft was interviewed I believe that the owners were convinced by him that they were not streetwise in the ways of running a football club and so needed him to guide the employment of a new manager and the running of the club from then on safe in the knowledge that they would be safe from blame if it went wrong. Now we are struggling with poor results and heading for a lower division it is clear that there is no one to blame but themselves for the situation but as long as they keep him in place it deflects blame away from themselves, so where do we go from here? The inevitable view is relegation and when that comes will we need a director of football or a competent manager, I think we all know the answer and we have to hope that owners do too.
Geoff Meadowcroft
7th February 2024 @ 9:51 am
Flitcroft you are a coward and a bully….you have lost the respect of the supporters of this Club….you must resign as you are not fulfilling the terms of your contract as described by Carol herself
Carol you are failing in your duty and responsibility to this our Club by continuing to employ someone who has spectacularly failed your high requirements of his contract of employment
In this case ,you are ,at present ,guilty and unless you examine the said failings ,then you as well should consider your position
Please do your duty Carol and dismiss this DoF and look to Mr John Rudge to assist your future decision making
Ken (fan since 53)
7th February 2024 @ 12:33 pm
Flitcroft is a coward and a charlatan. A DoF is not required at our club Carol you have all the experience and football knowledge that you need in a certain Mr. Rudge. Use his knowledge to help appoint our next manager.
Steve
7th February 2024 @ 8:21 pm
Get out Flitcroft before it’s too late
Get Ainsworth in, should have happened ages ago.
Anthony Cheetham
8th February 2024 @ 8:42 am
If supporters see him on the bench then it’s 90+ mins of stick, that’s why.
Stephen Swinnerton
8th February 2024 @ 11:20 am
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. In that situation a good leader gets in the trenches and leads from the front. Hey but that’s what good leaders do.
Samuel Brotherton
8th February 2024 @ 7:42 pm
This should have been sorted weeks ago when the rot set in it was obvious to everyone that Crosby hadn’t got a clue how to motivate his players the
Defence is a joke the attack and midfield are even bigger joke john
Rudge had the right idea two fast wingers,big lad up front Andy porter and Co in midfield,Swan glover sproston at the back come back
Rudge before it’s to late.
Dave Sant
10th February 2024 @ 3:05 pm
Vale have been terrible this season, no fight. We should of got Alex Neil in after he left the mighty potters!