Retained list

[Portvale4]

Keeping players like Adam Yates because he "can do a job" and "he is cheap" will be the clubs biggest downfall.

I want us to improve in all areas.

Take Leitch Smith. The lad has had a good season but if we are having him up top for 46 games next season we wont be going anywhere again.

A good squad player but lets try and improve. In all areas.

Yates.

Birchall.

Johnson.

Lloyd.

Campion.

Moore.

Mcgivern/Duffy (one or the other or both)

 

Bye.

 

Specifically if Yates, Birchall, Johnson and Lloyd get contracts there is something wrong within the club.

Non league players.

Thanks to Yatesy and Birchall but the time has come.

Johnson and Lloyd have just robbed a professional living from us. Especially Ryan Lloyd having been a pro for 7 years.

Shown absolutely nothing.

More like Lloyd hasn't been given a chance, name one time where he's had a run of games?

[fairportnick]

More like Lloyd hasn't been given a chance, name one time where he's had a run of games?

 

If he's good enough he should have played, if he isn't he should not have been signed. Either way its poor management.

[stupers]

Superb post ST - you're absolutely bang on with every word there (...careful though, you'll be getting the anti-criticism mardarse brigade on your case now!)

 

I agree about Leitch-Smith - had an OK season but still not up to leading the line/being the main(only) man up front. But, you can almost guarantee that Page will again mostly go with him up top and Dodds just behind, that he obviously loves and raves on about so much. Tippy-tappy forward play that is largely too slow and too weak.

 

I swear that some people would still be wanting Yates in the squad when he's pushing 40!

 

I agree we won't go anywhere with AJLS leading the line, but competing with Dodds to be the guy playing behind the main striker? I don't think Dodds/AJLS are bad options there. Then we need a striker to come in and compete with Hooper for the main role.

[stupers]

More like Lloyd hasn't been given a chance, name one time where he's had a run of games?

 

Perhaps he wasn't showing enough in training to be picked in the 1st team? You don't just get handed a 1st team spot, you have to earn it. It seems like he's never earned an opportunity with either of our managers over the last few years, at L1 and L2 level. Then you'd have to question why we've kept him so long if he can't break through.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Superb post ST - you're absolutely bang on with every word there (...careful though, you'll be getting the anti-criticism mardarse brigade on your case now!)

 

I agree about Leitch-Smith - had an OK season but still not up to leading the line/being the main(only) man up front. But, you can almost guarantee that Page will again mostly go with him up top and Dodds just behind, that he obviously loves and raves on about so much. Tippy-tappy forward play that is largely too slow and too weak.

 

I swear that some people would still be wanting Yates in the squad when he's pushing 40!

 

Thirded, excellent posts all round.

[leedsvaliant]

Keeping players like Adam Yates because he "can do a job" and "he is cheap" will be the clubs biggest downfall.

I want us to improve in all areas.

Take Leitch Smith. The lad has had a good season but if we are having him up top for 46 games next season we wont be going anywhere again.

A good squad player but lets try and improve. In all areas.

Yates.

Birchall.

Johnson.

Lloyd.

Campion.

Moore.

Mcgivern/Duffy (one or the other or both)

 

Bye.

 

Specifically if Yates, Birchall, Johnson and Lloyd get contracts there is something wrong within the club.

Non league players.

Thanks to Yatesy and Birchall but the time has come.

Johnson and Lloyd have just robbed a professional living from us. Especially Ryan Lloyd having been a pro for 7 years.

Shown absolutely nothing.

 

Agreed.

 

I said it before the start of last season and was proven correct. Unless we are ruthless, we will end up in exactly the same spot as last season and possibly lower.

 

We don't want players who can 'do a job', we want players who can effect a game. I'd pump all my budget into a first 11 and a subs bench and then loan a few promising youngsters from the Premier/Championship for the rest of the squad. What's the point of having 'utility' squad players such as Yates and Birchall who have barely played this season?

 

We have to change the mentality and stop being 'loyal' to players who have served us.

[melv]

More like Lloyd hasn't been given a chance, name one time where he's had a run of games?

 

Why hasn't he had a run of games?

[cheshirevaliant]

I think we will keep AJ but I suspect he won't start next season as first choice. This season seems to be reminiscent of Micky Adams trying to sign a right back to replace Yates, yet they were all inferior to him. We've tried Uche, Robinson and Hooper, none of whom offer AJ's goal threat. Page will try again in the summer, fingers crossed he gets it right.

 

Although I think we will do well to get a reserve striker better than AJ, given he has probably only started around half of the games this season, yet still got 13 goals?

[TheSage]

We have to be realistic about the budget and what we can and cannot afford. Playing fantasy football is easy on paper and if we'd got Arab sheiks pumping in millions then yes we could get rid of all the players and replace them with Barcelona's but we haven't got that luxury.

Money I'm certain will be tighter this year than last as with all the negativity that has surrounded the Club since Xmas and a disastrous last home game then a lot of people won't want to renew their tickets. And you can see why. NS shot himself in the foot and the wound is still lingering with some supporters.

 

The other point is - if we get rid of too many fringe players what happens if we get 3-4 injuries and a couple of suspensions? You have to prepare for those eventualities as well.

 

Clearly a lot of the reserve players will go, including Lloyd. Neal looks like he's off too. Daniel the same. Campion. I'd let Robinson go as well. Johnson. Brown I think is now too slow. If Smith has come on, maybe Yates will be released, along with Birchall but those 2 never give less than 100% and I believe are excellent squad players behind the scenes. But I think they will go. Maybe McGivern. That is 10 already! It reads as if O'Connor is going as I would not keep the door open for him for months. If he isn't bothered about playing for us he can go too. I'd ditch the hapless Kelly because his performances annoy me intensely and are bad for my blood pressure.

 

So I suppose we can easily see 10 departing - including 2-3 on presumably a good wage.

 

That should mean we can go for the 4-5 quality players that we need. 1-2 centre backs, a box to box midfielder, winger and striker. But they must be proven, good players and not chancers and youngsters like Kennedy, Kelly and Uche. We need more quality not more players.

[JRC]

We have to be realistic about the budget and what we can and cannot afford. Playing fantasy football is easy on paper and if we'd got Arab sheiks pumping in millions then yes we could get rid of all the players and replace them with Barcelona's but we haven't got that luxury.

Money I'm certain will be tighter this year than last as with all the negativity that has surrounded the Club since Xmas and a disastrous last home game then a lot of people won't want to renew their tickets. And you can see why. NS shot himself in the foot and the wound is still lingering with some supporters.

 

The other point is - if we get rid of too many fringe players what happens if we get 3-4 injuries and a couple of suspensions? You have to prepare for those eventualities as well.

 

Clearly a lot of the reserve players will go, including Lloyd. Neal looks like he's off too. Daniel the same. Campion. I'd let Robinson go as well. Johnson. Brown I think is now too slow. If Smith has come on, maybe Yates will be released, along with Birchall but those 2 never give less than 100% and I believe are excellent squad players behind the scenes. But I think they will go. Maybe McGivern. That is 10 already! It reads as if O'Connor is going as I would not keep the door open for him for months. If he isn't bothered about playing for us he can go too. I'd ditch the hapless Kelly because his performances annoy me intensely and are bad for my blood pressure.

 

So I suppose we can easily see 10 departing - including 2-3 on presumably a good wage.

 

That should mean we can go for the 4-5 quality players that we need. 1-2 centre backs, a box to box midfielder, winger and striker. But they must be proven, good players and not chancers and youngsters like Kennedy, Kelly and Uche. We need more quality not more players.

 

Lots of valid points, particularly about the budget. On the positive side we've already shown you can recruit well with a lowish budget, Sheffield United must have double our funds and they've trod water while we've improved this year. Fully agree that we need to be able to cover 4 injuries and still have something on the bench - which makes the task of assembling the right squad even more difficult. Looking forward to August already!!

[cheshirevaliant]

I'd keep Kelly on the basis he is one of the only players (possibly with the exception of Dodds) who can score a goal from nothing. I believe he's under contract anyway, so I guess this is a moot point.

[smithie]

all the negativity that has surrounded the Club since Xmas and a disastrous last home game then a lot of people won't want to renew their tickets. And you can see why. NS shot himself in the foot and the wound is still lingering with some supporters.

 

I just don't buy that bit of your post.

 

I'm not sure what was negative about being on the fringes of the playoffs until April. The final home game wasn't a "disaster" - it was a heavy home defeat that probably won't happen again for a decade or more.

 

As for a wound lingering - I suspect that's just usual bull from Vale "fans" who'll look for any excuse not to turn up.

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

I wouldn't be that bothered if they all went if I'm honest. None are exactly irreplaceable

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

I just don't buy that bit of your post.

 

I'm not sure what was negative about being on the fringes of the playoffs until April. The final home game wasn't a "disaster" - it was a heavy home defeat that probably won't happen again for a decade or more.

 

As for a wound lingering - I suspect that's just usual bull from Vale "fans" who'll look for any excuse not to turn up.

 

Comedy gold

[smithie]

Comedy gold

 

Really - why?