page out now

[Rampant Zebra]

While we are at it, why not rename the club Burslem Tigers and play in red. We could have an entirely new squad and backroom team and build a new ground somewhere else.

[valiant_593]

Bournemouth gave their job to a rookie when they were in deep brown stuff. He's done OK. Tranmere went for experience. Look where its got them.

 

I'm quite sure there's other examples that are completely opposite to that.

[Biddulph_PV]

I would says its talk of having Garry Johnson that's stupid, that would be a backwards step. My preference would be Dean Smith as I think Rosler may be out of our league, although I think Page will stay. He does worry me tactically though. It now feels like we almost stumbled on a winning formula when we had our decent run recently which coincided with Innis, a largely unknown Palace reserve, and Moore coming into the team. The team has a real lack of identity for me, and we are neither one thing or another at the mo. We are clearly trying to play better football than under Adams yet don't have the players with pace/ability on the ball to really trouble teams. We then go long, but we don't really have the strength or guile in midfield to win the ball back, so are always conceding possession. So we let teams play in front of us, but again don't have the pace or discipline to track runners. We can neither defend nor score from set pieces - when was the last time we scored off a corner??? When defending, we can neither stop the cross nor defend the back post, and when attacking how many times do we fail to beat the first man?? It seems really basic stuff to me, Page either chooses the formation to fit the players, or the players to fit the formation. Personally, I would choose the latter, as I think that in the games I've seen, teams are playing more tactically, even Rochdale gave us the run around.

[Howjy04]

I do agree with the opening post, look at the stick Adams got when we lost 6 in a row, we've now lost 5 in 6 under page yet some are shocked when he gets critiqued. Lose on Friday and it's lights out for him.

 

edit; at the end of the season, not sacking with 5/6 games to go. Just not to renew his contract.

 

Slight difference v 593.We won 3 games on the trot before this run.Last 9 games W 4 L 5.Those 4 wins have virtually guaranteed League 1 football next season.Struggling at the moment,agreed,but I'll be surprised if we don't get 54+ points by the end of the season.;)

[Lady_Vale]

I would says its talk of having Garry Johnson that's stupid, that would be a backwards step. My preference would be Dean Smith as I think Rosler may be out of our league, although I think Page will stay. He does worry me tactically though. It now feels like we almost stumbled on a winning formula when we had our decent run recently which coincided with Innis, a largely unknown Palace reserve, and Moore coming into the team. The team has a real lack of identity for me, and we are neither one thing or another at the mo. We are clearly trying to play better football than under Adams yet don't have the players with pace/ability on the ball to really trouble teams. We then go long, but we don't really have the strength or guile in midfield to win the ball back, so are always conceding possession. So we let teams play in front of us, but again don't have the pace or discipline to track runners. We can neither defend nor score from set pieces - when was the last time we scored off a corner??? When defending, we can neither stop the cross nor defend the back post, and when attacking how many times do we fail to beat the first man?? It seems really basic stuff to me, Page either chooses the formation to fit the players, or the players to fit the formation. Personally, I would choose the latter, as I think that in the games I've seen, teams are playing more tactically, even Rochdale gave us the run around.

 

Why would you consider Dean Smith? I'd keep Page first.

[Jacko51]

I'm quite sure there's other examples that are completely opposite to that.

 

Indeed there are. My point was that appointing an inexperienced manager doesn't always go wrong and appointing an experienced one doesn't always go right. Demanding that we appoint an experienced manager, irrespective of his previous record, is in my opinion madness. We are unlikely to be able to attract a successful experienced manager from another club so we would only get one who had been sacked and by definition, failed elsewhere. Appointing a manager is always a risk. Sometimes you get lucky with a new one (Rudge) and sometimes you don't (Glover). The same applies with experienced ones - sometimes you get a bit lucky (Adams, promotion) and sometimes it goes completely **** up (Gannon).

[pete vale]

I'm not sure about Page anymore. When you look at the season since he took over we've had some lucky wins (Gillingham and Peterborough at home) but some dreadful performances too. We never dominate games, we'll have a 5 or 10 minute spell and that's it. We are too predictable and other managers do their homework and outthink us - look at Crawley at home as an example. The players don't seem motivated or interested to me even when we were in touching distance of the play offs. Add to that he has Grew and Glover as his sidekicks and that doesn't fill me with any confidence whatsoever. I think people are losing interest in Port Vale and there is very little to entice the missing fans back especially with the management team that are currently in place.

 

A balanced and sensible post.

Norman, who I believe wants success and will back it (all credit to him) has some soul searching to do in the coming weeks to decide where he wants the club to go. To go forward the following must happen:-

 

1) Release the majority the squad, possibly even some still under contract

2) Assemble a management team with experience and the desire to gain promotion from this division - this will cost

3) Assemble a squad less in numbers but higher in quality, supplement with loan players - this will cost

 

Results and results alone will dictate gates upward of 6,500.

The danger is that if Smurf does not act then the club will again stagnate, gates dwindle even more and the inevitable will happen again. We need a sustained period of positivity around the club - for all of us.

[Biddulph_PV]

Why would you consider Dean Smith? I'd keep Page first.

 

On which planet is Page a better manager than Dean Smith????????Last couple of times I've seen Walsall down they've played some really good stuff. Granted, we've beat them last 2 seasons at their place, but this latest one in particular they had a few key men out as I recall. Plus he's working with lower resources than us, and whilst still young in managerial terms, has a few years experience. I think this is the first season in a few they haven't been in the play-off hunt but have been to Wembley, which arguably from a financial perspective, may put them in a better position to have a go next year.

[valiant_593]

Indeed there are. My point was that appointing an inexperienced manager doesn't always go wrong and appointing an experienced one doesn't always go right. Demanding that we appoint an experienced manager, irrespective of his previous record, is in my opinion madness. We are unlikely to be able to attract a successful experienced manager from another club so we would only get one who had been sacked and by definition, failed elsewhere. Appointing a manager is always a risk. Sometimes you get lucky with a new one (Rudge) and sometimes you don't (Glover). The same applies with experienced ones - sometimes you get a bit lucky (Adams, promotion) and sometimes it goes completely **** up (Gannon).

 

Completely agree.

[Lady_Vale]

On which planet is Page a better manager than Dean Smith????????Last couple of times I've seen Walsall down they've played some really good stuff. Granted, we've beat them last 2 seasons at their place, but this latest one in particular they had a few key men out as I recall. Plus he's working with lower resources than us, and whilst still young in managerial terms, has a few years experience. I think this is the first season in a few they haven't been in the play-off hunt but have been to Wembley, which arguably from a financial perspective, may put them in a better position to have a go next year.

 

They were in the play off hunt until they nose dived much the same as us.

 

They were beyond toothless when we've played them and caused us painfully few problems. Tippy, tappy football with no end product.

 

You've never seen Walsall fans opinions of Smith clearly. They would be in raptures if we took him.

 

Like I say, I'd give Page a chance first 100%.

[TheSage]

Choosing a good new manager is like finding a needle in a haystack, or tossing a coin.

No-one had heard of John Rudge when he came to us (from Torquay's coaching staff I think it was) and the best manager SCFC ever had came as an unknown from Crewe (Waddington).

It's pure luck. You win some and you lose some.

 

But considering we were virtually rock bottom when Page took over, if we can finish fifth from bottom and be in this division next year that will do for me. Never in a million years was the squad good enough for the play-offs and Page's hands have been tied by Adams' signings.

This season is better forgotten and we can move on in the summer with a fresh start.

 

But no-one knows if a manager will be a success or not. A lot of it is pure luck.

 

The volume of criticism always rises when results are poor, and fades into the background when we win three on the bounce. That's the nature of football.

But Page, I think, deserves a chance to rebuild the team with his own budget and ideas and players and see where we are next January.

[Biddulph_PV]

They were in the play off hunt until they nose dived much the same as us.

 

They were beyond toothless when we've played them and caused us painfully few problems. Tippy, tappy football with no end product.

 

You've never seen Walsall fans opinions of Smith clearly. They would be in raptures if we took him.

 

Like I say, I'd give Page a chance first 100%.

 

Clearly, you've not seen Vale fans opinions of Page then!?! I

 

I'll take tippy tappy football football with no end product but a Wembley cup final in front of 72k thanks, over long ball football with no end product and a "cup final" with bottom of the table Colchester in front off

[smithie]

Clearly, you've not seen Vale fans opinions of Page then!?! I

 

I'll take tippy tappy football football with no end product but a Wembley cup final in front of 72k thanks, over long ball football with no end product and a "cup final" with bottom of the table Colchester in front off

 

Walsall have got 13 points from 13 games since securing their place at Wembley, and look to be in more danger of a nosedive than we do.

 

We've taken 10 points out of 12 from Walsall since last season, so where is the managerial ability in Dean Smith over Micky Adams and Rob Page?

[Biddulph_PV]

So that's the sign of a good manager??? Jeez, and we talk about the intelligence of Crewe fans on here.

 

Remind me, how many times have Page/ Adams got us to Wembley??

 

We literally crawled over the finish line in our promotion season, it wouldn't surprise me if our form that year was 13 from 13 at some point.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

I'm quite sure there's other examples that are completely opposite to that.

 

Dean Glover and Micky Adams at Vale for example.