Rob Fielding reflects on Port Vale’s latest loss including a worrying defensive display, concerns over contract lengths and an analysis of who he thinks is ultimately to blame…
Rob Fielding writes…
These are my latest thoughts after Port Vale’s disappointing 2-0 home loss to Oxford United at the weekend.
No case for the defence
Nathan Smith has been a favourite of mine for some years but I can’t defend his current form. He may have been a superb servant during nearly 400 appearances, but right now, he and his fellow stoppers are a liability. Both Smith and Debrah look to have at least a handful of errors apiece per game, the malaise has even spread to Connor Ripley who had a mad few moments on Saturday, while Dan Jones looks all at sea at left-back. With the defence in such a sorry state is it any wonder that most Vale fans think relegation is a done deal.
If it is then I need to bring up a theme which will crop up several times in this piece. The additional worry for me is that injury-prone duo Jones and Clark and error-prone duo Smith and Debrah are all contracted until the end of next season potentially giving Vale no room to manoeuvre in the summer window.
Vale may be regretting Cass loan
It’s worth remembering that in football terms sometimes absence inflates the value and skillsets of players. Lewis Cass was a member of an underperforming Vale team earlier this season after all.
However, as a clearly unfit Mitch Clark was taken off yesterday, I’m sure Vale would have welcomed the option of bringing on Cass. It’s a moot point though – EFL loans have no recall clause outside of windows so Cass is at Stockport until the end of the season.
It makes the decision to loan Cass out even more baffling. Cass is versatile and can play in a back three, a full-back or even a wingback. With Clark injured during the window and (presumed) Cass replacement Kasper Lopata a straightforward central defender, allowing Cass to leave without bringing in a like-for-like replacement has left the club short of options on the right of defence.
A shame for Gore a chance for Walters?
Another player unceremoniously hauled off on Saturday was Jason Lowe who looked all at sea. It’s therefore a worrying sign of Vale’s transfer tactics that the veteran is still contracted for another season.
It’s a pity right now that loanee Dan Gore is injured. We’ve barely seen anything of the young Man Utd man but surely he would have the potential to add more youthful vigour and energy in there? To be fair to Vale, this is one situation, an injury on debut, where they can’t really be blamed.
Perhaps with Gore out and Lowe out of sorts, it’s a chance for youth team product Rhys Walters to have a chance? After all, it perhaps makes more sense to give a Vale youngster gametime rather than another club’s. There seems to be no update on Walters and the club agreeing a professional contract but perhaps a run in the first-team may help Port Vale’s midfield regain some energy and maybe prompt Walters to put pen to paper?
What does the future hold for Ryan Loft
Back to the subject of contracts and Ryan Loft is contracted until the end of next season too. However, it’s a sign of his standing right now that youngster Baylee Dipepa was brought on ahead of Loft while the teenager also looked more likely to score. It’s now nineteen League games without a goal for Loft, a record that must be up there as among the worst starts for any Port Vale striker.
The player looks bereft of confidence and probably a move away would suit both parties. But is it really likely to happen? Loft’s form is hardly likely to prompt a flood of offers is it? Loft’s contract length means he is most likely to remain at Vale Park like several other of his underperforming teammates.
Who’s to blame?
So who’s to blame for this shambles? Let’s look at the three people most in the spotlight…
Manager Darren Moore has yet to win. Some fans have questioned whether Moore is actually an upgrade on Andy Crosby but like many of the players, his contract (a whopping five and a half years) means the club have no real option but to keep the faith in him.
I personally think Moore has a free pass right now. I doubt if even Klopp or Guardiola would be able to sort out this out of form, mismatched and under performing squad. Moore should be judged if and when he is allowed to bring in his players, not right now.
Chair Carol Shanahan has received considerable flak for her open letter in support of David Flitcroft, and for a perceived skew towards corporate and community matters over things on the pitch. A recent post-match video of her calling the club “little Port Vale” and the players “brilliant” hasn’t helped. However, I firmly believe that like me, the majority of fans are still firmly behind Shanahan, who has certainly improved many aspects of the club since taking over.
By her own admission, she didn’t know enough about the football side and that is why she appointed Director of Football David Flitcroft. This is where the key criticism comes in… if Flitcroft is responsible for all things football, and that side is massively underperforming, why is he still in position?
And now onto the figure that most fans think is the prime culprit. A recent poll on this website showed that 83% of fans who responded thought Director of Football David Flitcroft should go. Why is that?
There are multiple reasons – failures (particularly in terms of adding a striker) in three transfer windows, overlong contracts (see above), a fixation on a rigid three at the back formation, being ultimately responsible for all football matters at the club… to many Vale fans it’s obvious where the change needs to occur. It’s just that the chair sees it differently and should the impasse continue there is a worry that nothing will change this summer.
My beloved club is in total free fall thanks to David Flitcroft and his Staff I always thought that Carol was in charge she should have the guts to get rid of him But she won’t. Players not interested no pride in wearing the shirt if they want to play for Vale gone if not get out of our club and go and play in non league because let’s face it that’s all some of you are worth
Carol, please read as this is not opinion. It’s the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth however unpalatable it maybe to you.
It just shows how well the previous management team did with the resources they had. Why is there no mention of Carlo Nash being let go? We had perfectly good assets in place but they were undermined by Flitcroft and we are all paying the price with the lack of good coaching and poor transfers.
Probably the most ludicrous decision ever seen in football to award Darren Moore a five and a half year contract. On the strength of what? He got all the plaudits for one match “the miracle of Hillsborough” but in reality he even failed there because they should have not even needed to be in the play offs. His head was called for many times by the fans that season and he then went to Huddersfield and failed miserably. Nice guy absolutely but no football manager.
I find your state of affairs very sad with little signs of enough to change matters on the pitch. We (Exeter) played a poor Burton team yesterday, with 10 men for the second half. Roll back 12 weeks and we were in dire trouble with 1 win and 4 points from 13 games and no goal of the month (Nov + Dec) because we only scored one goal. There are strikers out there in Academys and from up and coming non league. Something is better than nothing. Surely the question to Flitcroft is “What is your plan on and off the pitch? and how are you measuring your own performance as DofF?”
We stuck with Cauldwell against the wishes of many fans but the Trust and Club chairmen were down at the training ground every day watching and interviewing players and staff, asking how do we put this right. I genuinely feel sorry for Carole as her heart and money is in the right place but surely there is someone somewhere that can replace Flitcroft. That decision is hers so your future is now in her hands. I hope she makes the right decision soon as games and times are running out.
As a lifelong Manchester United fan being from Tunstall but Vale being my ‘second’ team. I was curious and pleased when they signed Dan Gore on loan, as I was advocating for him to have more minutes at our own club due to our ‘troubles’ this season. I really rate him and I know he’s injured, which is a pity. But I read reports that Vale would be the right choice for him because of the good football they played and a coaching plan throughout the age levels at the club, which sounded promising for the future of the club.
But they have plummeted like the proverbial stone, so where is the evidence of this ‘progressive’ style of football!? Seems to me that the decision making at a club who’s results I look for second only to my own beloved club are completely to the detriment of Port Vale!
Absolutely pathetic Vale you have no passion well it’s safe say we are a league 2 club now get rid of DF he has ruined our club
I first started watching The Vale 1958/59. It is now a complete shambles and for the owners to give total control to one man is insane.We have lost some great people and how.long will it before Flitcroft decides to put John Rudge out to pasture.
It’s not Darren Moores fault he inherited a team of w******s
Despite the weak squad Moore inherited affecting the impact of his new manager “bounce”, it’s still surprising that he’s only gained 2 points out of possible 24. Concerns may be further raised if his brief Huddersfield tenure is considered, where he won only 3 out of 23 matches. So, that amounts to just 3 wins in his last 31 matches as a Manager. That all said, his overall manager career win rate is still a competitive 44%, which stands up well compared to many managers. With supporter morale at a very low over results this year, there will likely be questions about Moore’s long term appointment and impact. Based on his overall management career stats, he’s still very likely to lead the club towards a play off challenge next season, albeit in League 2.
When no one else can understand you, because everything you have done is wrong, you don’t give us hope or understanding, there is no strength to carry on, BUT you are always there with your head in the sand , and you don’t have a clue in anything you do, Dopey Flitcroft how do we get shut of you, As for you Carol when are you going to talk to fans, you know the few that are left.
We are definitely down that’s for sure further evidence of that was the awful display against Oxford. Lowe and Clarke taken off after 30mins one wasn’t even fit and Lowe because he is totally lost in midfield.
What a joke we are and all the while we’ve got DF somewhere in the stand watching his poor attempt at creating a competitive team in league 1.
Personally Crosby should never have gone. People were more than happy at the start of the season when Vale surprisingly rose to the dizzy heights of 2nd in the league. Crosby achieved all this basically with no fit forwards, and it wasn’t until Crosby lost Ojo, Garrity, Arblaster then finally Devine (his entire midfield) that the wheels totally came off. Even then we run riot against Blackpool, were very unlucky not to beat Charlton and pushed Barnsley right to the wire with a wonderful second half comeback. Carol’s decision to replace Crosby due to his unacceptable run of results with a manager with a similar or even worse record beggars belief. Whilst certain fan who were quick to call for Crosbys head, there seems to be more of a lenient outlook on Moores disastrous run of results, “what can anyone do with these players” “it’s not his team” “ give him time to bring in his own players “ luxuries not forthcoming to Crosby. While Carol’s open letter was her attempt to persuade supporters of the excellent job Flitcroft was doing by highlighting certain targets which had been met by the DofF. Winning promotion ahead of schedule, keeping the club in league one, having a cup run. Am I mistaken, but didn’t Crosby play a major part in achieving all these targets, yet Carol’s reward to Crosby was to sack him. Carol deserves everything she’s got coming to her for her blind one sided loyalty to the man who has caused all this. The fans at the moment are calling for Flitcroft to go, but this could soon change. All the money the Shanahan have put into the club has gone to waste with the merry go around of managers and coaches and a return to league two. Championship ready or should that be National League ready !
Director of Football no.
Funeral Director yes.
He has already directed Bury’s and is now well on the way with Vale’s.
Agree with all that’s said above , my worry is yes we will certainly go down but with flitcroft still there he has the running of the club identifying players when this should be done by the management and his team then passed on to the above to get them and there terms sorted . With him still there how long will Moore put up with this and of course us fans !!
I just noticed we have announced a partnership with a luxury watch brand it would have been nice to see an announcement of a partnership with a free agent goalscorer and congratulations to Baylee on his call up maybe he will start on Saturday
Flitcroft as to go as we are going all the way to the Nationwide League .Carol and Kevin have fallen hook line and sinker to an absolute conman. All of our previous legends are thinking what on earth’s going on.