Four thoughts after Vale’s loss to Shrewsbury – relegation seems certain, so surely it’s best to start the autopsy now?
Rob Fielding shares his thoughts after the loss to Shrewsbury Town and urges the club to make a positive out of a negative by starting a root and branch review of the football side now, so the club is in a better place for the crucial summer transfer window.
Rob Fielding writes…
Passionate Debrah stands out
There’s been praise for the skill and class of James Wilson during this match, but another player who stood out for me was defender Jesse Debrah. Regularly turning to the crowd to gee them up, Debrah seemed the exception in this sorry Vale side – a player with passion. He may still be learning and he may have the odd error in him, but Debrah, still only 22, certainly has the right attitude.
Dipepa’s goal bodes well for the future
There’s been an understandable concern among Vale fans that playing 17 year-old striker Baylee Dipepa may result in burn out and possibly ruin his career before it has really started. However, Vale’s acute dearth of striking options has seen Dipepa played, often ahead of the more experienced Ryan Loft. It was therefore great to see Dipepa find the target with a finish which will probably do his confidence the world of good. It’s worth noting that the local teenager, a product of the youth team, has a better strike rate than both Loft and Uche Ikpeazu.
Moore is no miracle worker
Many Vale fans are pretty angry and disappointed right now. Some of their ire has even been directed at manager Darren Moore, yet to win since joining the club. While it’s been pointed out by some that Andy Crosby produced similar results, it’s worth remembering that Crosby had the services of Ollie Arblaster and Alfie Devine during the side’s early run of form. For me, I don’t think Moore is the new Messiah – rather the jury is still out and my reason for that is I feel Moore has inherited such a poor team, such a disjointed side that it’s difficult to make any sort of judgement. For me, it’s the first ten games of next season which will determine if he’s the right man for the job. Sadly, those matches look increasingly likely to be played in League Two.
With relegation all but assured, the post mortem needs to start now
And now, as they say, to the key point of this article. And just like BBC sitcoms, it’s pretty much a repeat of previous columns. For me, relegation is pretty much sealed and with that in mind, there’s no time like the present to get on with a root and branch review of the football side of the business. Hopefully, last week’s meeting will have left the club’s owners with no doubt about the overwhelming view from fans that David Flitcroft cannot remain in his role as Director of Football. So for me, the club now has to make a positive out of a negative. If we are going down then that at least gives us added time to plan for what will be a crucial summer. There’s no little point in waiting until the summer to decide the following:
- If the football side of the business has been a disaster this season then is it time for the person “responsible for all things football” (i.e. David Flitcroft) to go?
- Who was responsible for the recruitment during the last three windows and what, if any, reasons are there for them to stay? This may be the same person as point one.
- Who will be responsible for the summer recruitment plans? In most fans’ eyes this shouldn’t be the same person as point one.
- How is the club going to sort out the contract mess which means that the vast majority of this squad are under contract until the end of next season?
There’s no guarantees in football but sort out the above and it will probably go a long way to repairing the disconnect between fans and boardroom as well as putting Port Vale in a better place.
What do you think? Sensible comments or a load of rubbish? Please feel free to post a comment with your views…
Darren
10th March 2024 @ 2:30 pm
Good article Rob. Although for me gesticulating to fans was all Debrah did right. For me he’s a liability whilst accepting his attitude seems decent.
Peter Brown
10th March 2024 @ 2:50 pm
Debrah might have the right attitude but he makes too many mistakes,can get turned too easily,and just simply isn’t good enough for L2,let alone L1
Allen Eardley
10th March 2024 @ 3:30 pm
we r not down yet still have two game in hand over every one
Boslem Lad
10th March 2024 @ 5:45 pm
Who hasn’t got a mistake in them at the entire club?
It is hardly the fault of one 22 year old defender that we are in such a state.
Give the lad a chance
Raveninblack
10th March 2024 @ 6:20 pm
a very poignant article saying what all the fans feel but I worry about Carol’ opinions of Flitcroft who is clearly the route of the problem
Put smith on the transfer list along with Ojo and give th awful loft a free transfer but I understand contract law may not allow it and Massy’s contract is up and release tge god awful Jones to non league but he wouldn’t get in Leek town’s side
bring Cass back immediately and we won’t see ikpaezo again sadly
and Wilson may leave and I worry that may happen to Gareth and Ripley who could both play in tge championship
John Stevens
10th March 2024 @ 6:51 pm
It’s the manager who should say who he wants , not flitcroft , !!!!!!!!! Flitcroft should only negotiate wages and contract length
Eddie
10th March 2024 @ 7:31 pm
Vale are doomed this season league 2 next season. If flitcroft still there then I can see non league happening flitcroft needs to go and Carol can’t see it .
David Moore
10th March 2024 @ 7:55 pm
Well at the end of the day,the buck starts from the top,Carol has made two incorrect major judgments ,and we all know what they are,firstly Dave Flitcroft, and Andy Crosby being his scapegoat. Going forward I am not sure where to start, but it’s clear we need a blank canvas, and totally look at a plan required to get this club back to a even keel.
David Walklate
10th March 2024 @ 8:27 pm
Excellent article… 100% agree
David Brown
10th March 2024 @ 9:38 pm
Against majority supporter wishes, I expect the club to stand by Flitcroft but change the recruitment process. That will mean Moore taking the lead to finalize the end of season retained list, and also identifying new players for Flitcroft to organize signings and contracts. It’s difficult right now with emotions simmering over, but after the expected relegation is confirmed the temperature will cool down as Moore prepares the club’s bounce back. That said, it’s a galling situation after the club’s success only two years ago.
Matthew cliff
10th March 2024 @ 9:54 pm
Flitcroft as got too go before it’s too late or the vale will be in non league football and that’s a joke
Wayne brotherton
10th March 2024 @ 10:47 pm
People who think debrah is good clearly don’t know anything about football he’s absolutely terrible along with smith and Jones. The main problem at the club is flitcroft he’s clueless and Carol needs to stop hiding behind this idiot becasue he’s getting a wage for doing nothing
Boslem Lad
11th March 2024 @ 7:57 am
So Nathan has gone from being “one of our own” to terrible?
He is a good and reliable defender, as he has shown many times over the years but is clearly struggling as a leader. It was clearly not the best decision to make him captain.
But when I look at the squad there no longer appears to be any obvious leaders anywhere?
Jeff Forrester
11th March 2024 @ 8:25 am
David flitcroft needs to be gone before the start of the season, we don’t need a D O F
At port vale ,let’s go back to the old days when the manager or scouts scoured the length of great Britain and beyond. We keep flitcroft I’m certain we will become another BURY FOR SURE..
Anthony Cheetham
11th March 2024 @ 9:17 am
Flitcroft has got to go, with what he is being paid a top class striker can be brought into the club, that’s if Moore can get anyone to come here.
Carol ask Robble to buy the club a top class striker that’s pocket money in his £222m.
Peter Cartlidge
11th March 2024 @ 9:52 am
Excellent article Rob. I fear the club is in a tailspin and unlikely to recover as I’m sure the ‘real’ reason is being ignored.
We will lose Ripley and Chislett for sure in the summer. The Prem Lge 2 loan theory will be bust. We have poor players under contract, many of these are not even League 2 level imo, particularly attitude wise. I still struggle to believe it has come to this under the Shanahan’s.
Christopher Lawton
11th March 2024 @ 2:26 pm
I need someone to tell my why everyone loves Ripley his kicking is awful his goals against rate is one of the worst in the league he’s doesn’t command his area he’s to slow in his distribution constantly falls out with the defence. I know the defence is in a bad way and not all is on Ripley but he had a different defence last season at morcombe where he constantly conceded goal too
ML
11th March 2024 @ 5:25 pm
I think the players have lost confidence, but having said that they need to grow a pair and put some hard work in. I agree the recruitment has been rubbish, this needs to change, the manager should have the say in who is recruited. The club isn’t big enough to have a DOF.
The players need to wake up and play for the badge. I think Darren Moore is the man to sortvthe situation out, I believe we are lucky to have him. As for Flitcroft his future is not our business that’s down to Carol & Kevin.
Gary
11th March 2024 @ 7:18 pm
Mr Fielding certainly has a point when stating that issues need to be addressed prior to the Summer. His concerns may be deemed “negative” but there is positivity in their realism. As a Shrews supporter, following this result, our immediate future may be slightly more secure but it would be no surprise if we were in a similar position again next season..
Ian Mountford
11th March 2024 @ 9:20 pm
Where do we start. To me if Carol is unable to see what a hash of a job Flitcroft has made of the job by now, what chance is there for the club. Any money he has generated for the club has been more than swallowed up in sacking 3 managers, 2 of which he in person chose, plus a dozen or so coaches. We had a groundsman whose job he advertised behind his back while he was still here, leaving the club with more financial burdens. His misguided decision not to sign any decent forwards left the club signing the unattached and unfit Ikpeazu who hadn’t played in 9 months.we signed a unproven injury prone Debrah,as cover for the injured Lacovitti the madness went on and on. Flitcroft’s boasts of his popularity and contacts within football which helped the club secure the best Loanees out there, other than Devine and Arblaster I’m struggling to remember many more world beaters. When Crosby was dismissed and the club was desperate for an experienced leader so he throws 2 academy coaches under the bus instead of leading by example and taking control. He has forced young academy kids to be constantly thrown in at the deep end without taking any responsibility for his failings. He has failed on so many issues it’s mind boggling. As for Carols cup run that was mainly down to the charmed draws. 4 times we drew the lowest ranked team only to be knocked out by Middlesbrough reserves. Crosby to me did a decent job as it wasn’t until Garrity and Ojo got injured the bigger problems started, then to loose Arblaster then later Devine that’s when the wheels really came off. Carol’s quote “he’s the only man I wanted” when we selected Moore to be our next manager left me banging my head on the wall. He had just won 3 in 23 games a record similar to a manager we had just sacked for being ”unacceptable”. Moore a so called championship manager, and a defender at that, only needed to come in stop the alarming results and build from that. We are conceding as many goals now if not more than ever under Moore. As Shrewsbury’s first goal showed, again there were 2 players left unmarked at the far post, the second goal players left with time and space on the edge of the box from set pieces. It’s easy to keep blaming the players, but if everything is down to them why do we need a manager? Moore didn’t need to come in and turn us into Manchester City he just had to make us harder to beat against the Fleetwood’s and Cheltenham’s of this world by organising the defence, but he has failed miserably. Flitcroft and Moore need to go NOW. But with Carol content to keep her head firmly buried in the sand and her pathetic attempt to win fans over with a free cup of tea, shows she is unable or unwilling to grasp the seriousness of the situation.
Mr Andrew Gray
12th March 2024 @ 9:59 am
Thank you for a great article. We are definitely going down, Flitcroft has to go now or else we will be in the same predicament next season. I don’t understand why Carol has left us fans in the dark when previously she has always got something to say. ‘Championship ready’ wasn’t one of her best quotes because it’s made her look foolish and very naive about football.
RON
12th March 2024 @ 12:38 pm
I like the majority of Vale fans accept we are down everyone knows it is a mess the majority lay the blame at Flitcrofts door he has recruited he has let Lewis Cass go on loan when we are poor in defence let Mal Benning go when he is better than several players so I think all these things mean he is respi sible and unless something positive is done next seasons revenue will suffer both in season ticket sales matchday support by none season ticket holders and maybe shop revenue they owners need to get it sorted before next season