What the hell is happening to our club?

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

We should keep a sense of perspective. Duffy has gone, he was OK on the field, no more than that. He chose to drop down two divisions so he clearly chose money ahead of ambition. He will be 31 soon, so I cannot blame him. On the field Dodds has been inconsistent, but mostly decent value for 8 years without ever setting the world alight. In the dressing room he has been of great value. However this is his last chance of a contract to pull in bigger money (he will be 31 when this contract at Shrewsbury ends). Again I cannot blame him, without knowing the sums involved we could not say for sure if he is worth what he wanted, but if Shrews will pay it so be it. O'Connor was always going to go, the journey from Lincoln each day must be a killer. Even if no one else had left I suspect he would have gone, the statement he made at the end of the season suggested as much.

It is unrealistic to continue to pay out more than we take in. Whatever Norman has paid in no one can blame him for now saying the club must pay its own way, it must. At least by ensuring it pays its way the club will survive. However, Norman must improve his PR and he must ensure that the club is run properly as a business, which is has not been for a while.

On the field, let us not forget what Leicester have just achieved. It is not all about money. Braintree Town (close to me) finished ahead of Eastleigh. Braintree are part timers, with gates of about 600-700 yet they almost got into the football league. Accrington Stanley with the lowest budget in the football league almost got promotion. Burton with their tiny budget will be playing derby games against Birmingham City and Aston Villa next season. It is not about the money spent, it is about what you do with what you have.

Let us keep a sense of perspective and look forward to the long term survival of Port Vale. However, this is not a full endorsement of Norman, he needs to improve his work, just as he is looking for the players to improve their outputs as well.

 

Post of the week without question.

[matt 381]

We are in a serious ******* mess lost a good manager and two good players to 3 smaller clubs and no O'connor has left

 

By the time we've got a manager in place all the good free agents will have been snapped up

 

Wouldn't be surprised to see Dicko and AJ leave at this rate

 

A say again Smurf saved the club now he's destroying it, hes realised that running a football club costs money, so he's given up the quicker he goes the better and I was a really big fan of smurf until this recent **** storm

[Bea Smith]

Once again Dodds was offered the same terms....

 

You have proof of that do you? Sorry to be cynical, and no disrespect intended but posts on football websites, even classy and well run ones like OVF, are not always 100 per cent accurate in statements like that.

 

Contracts are complicated things and although it might have been possible for Dodds to earn the same, perhaps it depended on games played or goals scored and the player didn't want to take a chance under an as yet unknown manager - pure conjecture, but who knows ?

 

Even if true, was Duffy, was O'Connor, and how much was Page being paid compared to other L1 top half managers ? Who else will go ?

 

We don't and can't know these things, and I will support my club, chairman , whichever new manager he brings in, and the players as long as they try their best. I won't support ranting idiots who post rubbish on here though, especially as they are often more concerned with their own sprouted cack and OVF image than the club.

 

There is no cause for panic yet, but anyone not feeling at least a little bit anxious is, in my opinion, showing a huge lack of judgement and should stick to Lucozade or castor oil.

[P.E. ST6]

No it isn't. Andoh was starting to look good after a years development, Innis is always injured, Streete looks like a rabbit in the headlights and JJ is doing OK but needs much more development. If we have a whole squad of similar players we may not win many games next season.

The same Andoh who wasn't picked by the manager? So its Smurfs fault that Iniss gets injured? Streete is still young and learning but no more like a rabbit than Duffy or McGivern. The point being is that Smurf not the manager has signed players that with the right development could bring a fair few bob to the club. When was the last time we had that? Alnwick was he also a Smurf signing or was that Pages signing?

[Guest TommyMac]

Ok so the players who have left are 'bang average' but they were part of a very close knit group and well liked by the players that remain. Professionals or not I don't see Grant, Purkiss, Streete and the others busting a gut for us next season, especially when in all likelihood they know they will face reduced terms next summer. I expect plenty of sub 4000 gates next season.

[For Us All]

I know that. Is it somewhere near Leek?

 

That's in the corridor of uncertainty.

[billbee33]

Dodds was offered the same as last year....

 

Who said he was, if you say Smurf, then say no more.

[geosname]

That's in the corridor of uncertainty.

 

On the road to perdition?

[Rampant Zebra]

The same Andoh who wasn't picked by the manager? So its Smurfs fault that Iniss gets injured? Streete is still young and learning but no more like a rabbit than Duffy or McGivern. The point being is that Smurf not the manager has signed players that with the right development could bring a fair few bob to the club. When was the last time we had that? Alnwick was he also a Smurf signing or was that Pages signing?

 

How many times did you watch Andoh in the reserves? Page started playing him when he thought he was ready. Then he got injured...

[Guppy 4 England]

We are in a serious ******* mess lost a good manager and two good players to 3 smaller clubs and no O'connor has left

 

By the time we've got a manager in place all the good free agents will have been snapped up

 

Wouldn't be surprised to see Dicko and AJ leave at this rate

 

A say again Smurf saved the club now he's destroying it, hes realised that running a football club costs money, so he's given up the quicker he goes the better and I was a really big fan of smurf until this recent **** storm

 

Good players and good manager? Crikey. I would hate to see average and bad in your book

[Jacko51]

we have lost bang average personal (O'Connor aside).

 

I'm intrigued why, after their performances last season, you are disappointed to lose O'Connor but delighted to see the back of Dodds??

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

I'm intrigued why, after their performances last season, you are disappointed to lose O'Connor but delighted to see the back of Dodds??

 

Because I've seen 8 years of hit and miss from Dodds and one superb season from OC followed by one where injuries clearly impacted on him significantly.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Did I use the word delighted?

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Mine's a black coffee..decaf please

 

 

How's the fifth beer going down? ;)

[Jacko51]

Did I use the word delighted?

 

So you were upset?? The tone of your posts suggested you were dancing the streets.