The ones that got away

[blackdog]

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/port-vale-boss-reveals-experienced-targets-got-away/story-30107988-detail/story.html

 

This story got me thinking, do we have a reputation in the football world, Smurf loved telling everyone how he had managed players out of the door and how he got rid of Page, does this attitude by the club affect our chances of getting an experienced player in if say it comes down to a choice of two clubs?

 

If you were a player or an agent would you rush up Hamil Road to sign a long term deal knowing full well at the back of your mind you could get your legs done at the end of the deal ?

 

And before the usual suspects accuse me of Smurf bashing, its an observation of how our club is handled and managed and how the rest of the football world might perceive us.

[TheSage]

I don't know is the truthful answer.

It can't have helped, as the football grapevine will make these things very well known but it's water under the bridge and quite a while ago now. We have Brown in charge and I'm sure he has a decent reputation and standing in the game. So, on balance, possibly not any longer.

 

The bigger issue as ever I think is money. Though why players like Proctor and Doyle went to Div 2 clubs is puzzling. There again, maybe they wanted to join in a promotion race rather than a relegation battle.

 

As I said before, Brown hasn't really been a manager for long and it takes time to build up knowledge of players and a dossier of potential signings. We should always have our little red book of players we might want to sign if one of ours suddenly departs. The Club is saying it's hard to replace lads at short notice but in Grant's case he has wanted off since August and Alnwick's move was being mooted several days ago.

 

We need to be fully prepared. Many of us hoped that we'd lined up potential signings in December and not left it until the 11th hour. It was fairly obvious after Mac-Intosch went that we needed another defender. Brown is putting a brave face on it but he knows we haven't done the business we needed to do and we are short at the back now. Fingers crossed it won't matter.

[Tomo]

It's an interesting point. Players are friends with other players from lots of different clubs all over the country, I see them talking on Instagram & social media all the time (obviously they all meet in their time at clubs & academies too etc). I guess it could only take for us to treat a few players badly, word spreads, & suddenly a negative opinion is formed of our club.

[Tenement Funster]

I doubt under Brown's regime there's too much bad stuff knocking about and a lot would come down to money and not wanting to be in a relegation battle. I also think any clued up agent would probably see the majority of any signings coming here would be back up players as we pretty much have a first eleven now bar the keeper. Smurf's 'unique' attitude to running a football club may put a few off but I doubt it too much as the main faces a player sees day to day are his manager, coaches and fellow players.

[bookworm]

Don't forget the agents,the parasitic easy money merchants who advise cajole and bully their charges to line their own pockets,never let the well being of a footballer stand in the way of a few extra quid.

[stupers]

I think Brown is right though, it's finding the combination of quality on the right money who want to play for Vale. We need hungry players here at the club, not ones who are just here to pick up a pay cheque. Whilst I am disappointed with our work at the deadline, if the missed targets didn't want to come to us, then we we're better off without them anyway.

[Fosse69]

Well, we are where we are as somebody said. But going forwards Brown has to put a positive stamp on the club and steer us clear of the doldrums. Show what he stands for and be in a position to build a team in the Summer. Fingers crossed.

[smithie]

I think Brown is right though, it's finding the combination of quality on the right money who want to play for Vale. We need hungry players here at the club, not ones who are just here to pick up a pay cheque. Whilst I am disappointed with our work at the deadline, if the missed targets didn't want to come to us, then we we're better off without them anyway.

 

Tom Pope gives Pugh a decent reference in The Sentinel today. Apart from the unknown quantity of the keeper we've signed, I don't feel we've done too bad all things considered.

[valeparklife]

Apparently the Leo Fasan was done 3 days before deadline day?

 

http://readceltic.com/2017/02/02/port-vale-excited-highly-rated-celtic-keeper-loan/

 

I'm also hearing that Ben Williams (Bury keeper) had a medical with us on deadline day but it fell through?

[jjvale_03]

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/port-vale-boss-reveals-experienced-targets-got-away/story-30107988-detail/story.html

 

This story got me thinking, do we have a reputation in the football world, Smurf loved telling everyone how he had managed players out of the door and how he got rid of Page, does this attitude by the club affect our chances of getting an experienced player in if say it comes down to a choice of two clubs?

 

If you were a player or an agent would you rush up Hamil Road to sign a long term deal knowing full well at the back of your mind you could get your legs done at the end of the deal ?

 

And before the usual suspects accuse me of Smurf bashing, its an observation of how our club is handled and managed and how the rest of the football world might perceive us.

 

The answer is yes, nobody wants to deal with NS.

[tommytunstall]

Well he isn't going to say owt negative is he. What a waste of time these columns are, nothing controversial just easy stories.

Tom Pope gives Pugh a decent reference in The Sentinel today. Apart from the unknown quantity of the keeper we've signed, I don't feel we've done too bad all things considered.

[smithie]

Well he isn't going to say owt negative is he. What a waste of time these columns are, nothing controversial just easy stories.

 

I don't agree, I think if Tom didn't rate him he would just not mention him. Not all columns are written to be controversial, and I find his articles quite funny. The one about how Griff used to intimidate opposition players in the tunnel before the game was a classic.

 

If you want compliant arse-licking nonsense, Graham McGarry's got all bases covered.

[valefan16]

Pugh has real quality and plenty of experience (Blackpool made him captain didn't they?), you don't play where he has in the past if you don't have quality, not sure why it is being so written off before he has kicked a ball for us?

[SFBT]

Pugh has real quality and plenty of experience (Blackpool made him captain didn't they?), you don't play where he has in the past if you don't have quality, not sure why it is being so written off before he has kicked a ball for us?

 

Because people can only see black or white and miss out all the subtle shades in between.

Easier than actually thinking.

[SFBT]

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/port-vale-boss-reveals-experienced-targets-got-away/story-30107988-detail/story.html

 

This story got me thinking, do we have a reputation in the football world, Smurf loved telling everyone how he had managed players out of the door and how he got rid of Page, does this attitude by the club affect our chances of getting an experienced player in if say it comes down to a choice of two clubs?

 

If you were a player or an agent would you rush up Hamil Road to sign a long term deal knowing full well at the back of your mind you could get your legs done at the end of the deal ?

 

And before the usual suspects accuse me of Smurf bashing, its an observation of how our club is handled and managed and how the rest of the football world might perceive us.

 

This is a big concern. Vale have a big rebuilding job in the summer and players and agents won't be rushing through the door.

The biggest part of the rebuild is the reputation of the club.