Port Vale deadline day discussion

[tommytunstall]

Let's hope it's not to late in the Summer.

[Bea Smith]

For once in a while it makes a pleasant change to see a frank exchange of views on here without to resorting to personal abuse, snide remarks or misinformation.

 

However, this re-writing of history where Page is concerned I don't think is fair. He did ok with us. We were second bottom when he took over and last season we got 65 points. The reason why he got the Northampton job was because he'd done well with us, on a shoestring. He was also manager when the likes of Alnwick, Grant, AJ & Foley came here, not to mention assisting in the development of Nathan Smith. It's a bit unfair to claim he was hopeless.

 

In terms of the main thread, we are led to believe that the 300K or so will be spent on the team in the summer, so let's see if that transpires.

 

 

 

Page was certainly not hopeless, he was an inexperienced manager with a work ethic who wanted to do things the correct way and not take short-cuts or trust to luck.

 

Sadly that put him at odds with both the chairman and a number of fans who basically fall into 2 groups - the rare (thankfully) chairman worshipper who will blame anyone and anything and not admit that we are run by someone who HAS done some good, but has definitely made some serious and costly mistakes.

 

A second group of fans are the ones who want quality exciting football all the time (sorry, we at not Barca), and fail to appreciate that Page had to learn, and sometimes his tactics and formations were drab - but he got us into a reasonable position.

 

The facts we know (as I am sure there are plenty we don't) indicate that Page had to endure constant interfering, threats of budget cuts and lack of support - but that is the past now.

 

I think my overall assessment of Smurf will depend on the way he treats Brown, who will of course be ok if he performs miracles.

 

More likely though we are going to have a drop-zone struggle or at best finish about 14th, and a scapegoat may be needed, as one thing that has become clear over the last 3 or 4 years is that Rule 1 is 'Nothing is Smurfs fault'.

[blackdog]

Page was certainly not hopeless, he was an inexperienced manager with a work ethic who wanted to do things the correct way and not take short-cuts or trust to luck.

 

Sadly that put him at odds with both the chairman and a number of fans who basically fall into 2 groups - the rare (thankfully) chairman worshipper who will blame anyone and anything and not admit that we are run by someone who HAS done some good, but has definitely made some serious and costly mistakes.

 

A second group of fans are the ones who want quality exciting football all the time (sorry, we at not Barca), and fail to appreciate that Page had to learn, and sometimes his tactics and formations were drab - but he got us into a reasonable position.

 

The facts we know (as I am sure there are plenty we don't) indicate that Page had to endure constant interfering, threats of budget cuts and lack of support - but that is the past now.

 

I think my overall assessment of Smurf will depend on the way he treats Brown, who will of course be ok if he performs miracles.

 

More likely though we are going to have a drop-zone struggle or at best finish about 14th, and a scapegoat may be needed, as one thing that has become clear over the last 3 or 4 years is that Rule 1 is 'Nothing is Smurfs fault'.

 

Not much to argue with there...

[Emile]

For once in a while it makes a pleasant change to see a frank exchange of views on here without to resorting to personal abuse, snide remarks or misinformation.

 

However, this re-writing of history where Page is concerned I don't think is fair. He did ok with us. We were second bottom when he took over and last season we got 65 points. The reason why he got the Northampton job was because he'd done well with us, on a shoestring. He was also manager when the likes of Alnwick, Grant, AJ & Foley came here, not to mention assisting in the development of Nathan Smith. It's a bit unfair to claim he was hopeless.

 

In terms of the main thread, we are led to believe that the 300K or so will be spent on the team in the summer, so let's see if that transpires.

 

I most deffinetly do not agree that we are re-writing history as I was fiercly against Page and his management. I was there at Leyton Orient watching him let the team put in one of the worst performances since Dean Glover was manager. I couldn't believe what I was watching, same goes for two trips away to Chesterfield.

 

I just don't think hes cut out to be a manager. I think hes a great coach and can spot a good player, just not a manager. He did ok with us, but I believe he underperformed away from home and in the cup.

 

The interview with Dean-Conteh is an interesting one. Although I take what he says with a pinch of salt he stated 'The manager wasn’t thinking about the players, he wasn’t thinking about the club, he was thinking about himself.'

 

As I say, I think the squad is better now than Page's, and I believe we have a better manager than Page to boot.

[Mario]

I most deffinetly do not agree that we are re-writing history as I was fiercly against Page and his management. I was there at Leyton Orient watching him let the team put in one of the worst performances since Dean Glover was manager. I couldn't believe what I was watching, same goes for two trips away to Chesterfield.

 

I just don't think hes cut out to be a manager. I think hes a great coach and can spot a good player, just not a manager. He did ok with us, but I believe he underperformed away from home and in the cup.

 

The interview with Dean-Conteh is an interesting one. Although I take what he says with a pinch of salt he stated 'The manager wasn’t thinking about the players, he wasn’t thinking about the club, he was thinking about himself.'

 

As I say, I think the squad is better now than Page's, and I believe we have a better manager than Page to boot.

 

It would be nice to beat Pages league position last year, to equal it will be a miracle,Im not a statto by any means but I bet his away record wont be bettered this season.

[Emile]

It would be nice to beat Pages league position last year, to equal it will be a miracle,Im not a statto by any means but I bet his away record wont be bettered this season.

 

And I think this shows the Bruno experiment was a terrible idea.

 

I'd be interested to see if Browny can get a better points per game in the second half of the season like for like though, as I think he will.

[Emile]

And I think this shows the Bruno experiment was a terrible idea.

 

I'd be interested to see if Browny can get a better points per game in the second half of the season like for like though, as I think he will.

 

Just did some number crunching (its quiet in the shop)

 

Brown has a (potential) total of 24 games in charge, so going back over Pages fixtures he managed to get 34pts.

 

Brown has 5 in his first 4 games (Page got 7) so 29 to go! Starting with 3 vs Posh today (Page won match 28 away at Doncaster)

 

If he managed to equal Page's points per match left we would be 61pts - which would put us in 14th, 4pts behind last season.

[Paul6754]

I most deffinetly do not agree that we are re-writing history as I was fiercly against Page and his management. I was there at Leyton Orient watching him let the team put in one of the worst performances since Dean Glover was manager. I couldn't believe what I was watching, same goes for two trips away to Chesterfield.

 

I just don't think hes cut out to be a manager. I think hes a great coach and can spot a good player, just not a manager. He did ok with us, but I believe he underperformed away from home and in the cup.

 

The interview with Dean-Conteh is an interesting one. Although I take what he says with a pinch of salt he stated 'The manager wasn’t thinking about the players, he wasn’t thinking about the club, he was thinking about himself.'

 

As I say, I think the squad is better now than Page's, and I believe we have a better manager than Page to boot.

 

I belive a bad manager, terrible tactics and poor training regime is to blame. Page is a good coach but can't hack the managers job. Bruno was neither.

 

Terrible tactics and poor training have probably contributed to the current plight of Vale in Lge 1 under Bruno but even more so the 12 or so overseas signings that he bought in who at the end of the day are nowhere near Lge 1 level and unable to come in and influence the game in any way. Sign 12 Conference level players and you'll end up in the Conference no matter how good/bad the training or tactics are, it isn't rocket science, the precedent is there in Notts County currently struggling in Lge 2.

 

Being a good coach is part of the managers job as is the ability to spot a good player. Page was also a good man manager as evinced by countless times his players suppported him in interviews and the reputed excellent dressing room camerardarie. Page played 2 up front at home and his philosophy was to play 1 up front away to make Vale more difficult to beat, a philosophy that's adopted by many managers in various disguises. Vale missed a good target man last season for the likes of AJLS and Hooper to play off.

 

Many Vale players publicly praised how RP handled them, Nathan Smith and Hooper being two, I'd take what Dean Conteh says with a pinch of salt. Anyway RP's history.

[Bucknall Rob]

We could do a lot worse than trying to get someone like Carlton Cole in, massive experience, we have no one up front that is good in the air and can hold a ball up. He is a free agent, available, I know Walker has got a couple of goals but he looks too weak and if you are going to persist with playing JJ out wide then you need someone stronger up front.

[Rampant Zebra]

Problem is that we need players who can hit the ground running and by definition most free agents haven't been playing recently....

[TheSage]

As we have seen with the hapless Eagles in the past fortnight who sadly looks nowhere near match fit to me.