Port Vale’s potential path to bouncing back – nine areas for the football club to correct

I’ve already explored some of the reasons for relegation, that pointed out what went wrong, I now move on to how the club can correct its mistakes and move forward.

Football front and centre

There have been lots of improvements at the club since the Shanahans took over. However, surely the item at the top of the agenda for Port Vale Football Club (and the club is in those last two words) is the product on the pitch. I don’t want to decry the club’s efforts in the community, for example, but, to be blunt, it should always be football first at Vale Park. I also think that get the football side right and it allows you the time to look at things away from the pitch.

There have been complaints about the closure of the ticket office, the delays to rebuilding the Railway Paddock toilet block. These are important considerations and the club needs to listen to the fans, but frankly the fans will cope with them if they are watching an exciting, successful football team.

That’s the first thing for the club to get right.

Squad balance

So, now we know football should be the priority, it’s easy, right? Nope, it sure isn’t.

For starters Vale have to cope with a high proportion of the squad still under contract (but more on that in a moment) and then they have to recruit the right players plus (these are equally important) the right characters and have the right balance in the squad.

None of these are simple tasks. I agree with many fans that the side needs some vocal leaders in the spine – a towering, no nonsense centre-half would be a start as would a powerful, experienced character upfront. The squad also needs to be balanced with cover for each position. None of these things will come cheaply either.

Strength upfront

Some may be surprised that it’s taken until now to mention the elephant in the room… but here we go… it would ahem, help to have some experienced strikers who carry a goalthreat. At this point, I have to say all credit to teenager Baylee Dipepa who was thrown in at the deep end and has done a cracking job. However, it was a move not without risks. It could have destroyed the youngster’s confidence, perhaps even his career and right now he’d have been better served on loan at a lower level rather than being Vale’s relegation goal saviour.

The reliance on Dipepa shows the dearth of forward options at the club. Senior strikers Ryan Loft, Uche Ikpeazu and James Wilson have all been beset with the same issues – none of them are prolific and all of them can pick up injuries. And it’s not a new issue, Vale started the previous season with a lack of strikers. It’s something the club must address in the summer.

Remove the rigid formation

One of the other issues of the Flitcroft reign was the overarching reliance on and belief in the 3-5-2 formation. We play 50% of our games on Vale Park’s wide pitch – flexibility and the ability to add talent and pace on the flank is a must. At times this season Vale have had no recognised full-backs making any move away from three at the back a potential issue. The Valiants need to be more flexible, not play square pegs in round holes and also use the width of Vale Park to their own advantage.

Sensible contract lengths

It’s difficult to address this issue without naming players. I don’t want to single out individuals but I have to if I am to make this point. So, sorry to the players namechecked here. I struggled to find the logic in handing two-year contracts to the likes of Dan Jones and Conor Grant. Both have been plagued with injuries and to give them two-year contracts in the summer seemed overly generous.

Now a relegated Vale side still have Jones, Grant and over a dozen of their teammates on contracts that last until the end of the next season. Not only does this weaken Darren Moore’s hand in the transfer market (funds already allocated to their wages) but it also makes it difficult for him to move players on and undertake a clear-out. The worry now is either Vale will have to pay off the remaining months of contracts (an expensive task) or players that Moore doesn’t want will remain here under contract.

The solution seems obvious – the club need to be more intelligent when agreeing deals. Far too many players were handed two-year deals in the summer and now the club has gone down, far too many could remain. There needs to be a balance of shorter and longer term deals.

Listening and acting

And now to an issue that isn’t to do with the action on the pitch. A disconnect between club and fans appeared last season. The club has already said that it hasn’t communicated well, but that’s not necessarily the complete answer.

I think the club need to get the opinion of the fans more often (and to his credit, this is something CEO Matt Hancock is trying to do). It doesn’t just stop there though. Clearly all suggestions are not equal. Some won’t be sensible, some won’t be possible. So, the key here is to do three things – that is – 1) listen to the fans 2) evaluate what they are saying and work out what can/should be done 3) communicate that back to them.

This approach will possibly go some way to restoring link between fans and the boardroom.

Act decisively, at the right time

Arguably two of the reasons for Vale’s slump were the timings of the departures of director of football David Flitcroft and manager Andy Crosby. In Crosby’s case, removing him after the January window had closed made little sense. It would have been better to remove him before or at the start of the window, allowing the new manager to bring in some of his players. It’s the same with the Flitcroft departure. He really should have gone before the January window so that the club were not left to pick up the pieces after his transfer errors.

Loans to supplement not to build around

And while we’re on the subject of the Director of Football… there was good and bad elements of his desire to forge good relations with top clubs for loan signings. I would argue there’s no issue with Vale seeking to bring in elite young talent. However, it’s how that talent fits into the squad that’s key. Loan players can always be recalled and for that reason, it’s dangerous to make them too key a part of your squad. Loan players should supplement what you have not be a replacement for what you haven’t got.

Make Vale Park a fortress

As I’ve already mentioned, Vale Park could be an asset for the club and with 50% of the games being played here, if the club can make it so then it guarantees some level of success. This brings me full circle back to my first point. You can add the fanzone, the big scoreboard, the corporate suites but ultimately if you want to succeed it’s what your team does on the turf that really counts.

I wish Vale all the very best for next season.

What do you reckon? If I’ve missed something out or you disagree, please feel free to post a comment below