Chris Birchall: Vale paying for 'risk' last summer

[Emile]

I suggest those who think last season's team was worse than the current one should look at the leage table.

 

I think this division is the worst since we've came back up too.

[Spunk Trumpet]

Supporters are putting some facts and valid reasons as to why we perceive the club to be in a mess. The ones who won't accept it slate those posters and offer no real debate as to why we shouldn't worry.

An ex player comes out and says it how it is and he is slated as having sour grapes.

I'm not sure what it will take for some supporters to wake up to the fact that we are in a huge mess which cannot be rectified by a simple management change or buying a couple of players.

[Family Stand Terrier]

There are two different issues here. Getting rid of most of those players wasn't the issue. Pages retained list for two seasons was ridiculous, and he deserved the criticism thrown at him for it. The problem was how we replaced them with unscouted players from an agents catalogue.

 

Do you think those retained lists would have been the same, had Smurf given him the backing he gave Bruno? Smurf spent months in the run up to both lists being released, telling all and sundry (at the time we should have been selling season tickets) that the squad budget would be reduced. Instead of gambling under those circumstances, Page went with what he knew. We now have the benefit of hindsight, and those of us who backed Page at the time have been proven right unfortunately. Under the circumstances he had forced upon him by Smurf, Page worked wonders. We'll now never know what Page would have done with the same level of backing as Bruno.

 

Shame, a more sensible Chairmen with a basic understanding of football, might have supported Page to go and get a few quality additions to an already well established squad. A squad that Page had taken from 2nd bottom to comfortable in mid table, over the season and 3/4 he was in charge.

 

The way Page has kept his counsel after the comments Smurf has made about him since (he surely had a case for constructive dismissal) shows the bloke oozes class and professionalism, in stark contrast to our Chairman. Two qualities our club is in desperate need of right now.

[Jacko51]

There are two different issues here. Getting rid of most of those players wasn't the issue. Pages retained list for two seasons was ridiculous, and he deserved the criticism thrown at him for it. The problem was how we replaced them with unscouted players from an agents catalogue.

 

Quite frankly, after what I endured last night, I'd kill for Page's team and 12th in the League.

[tommytunstall]

Lee Clark will not be our new manager. He's just left Killie for Bury.

[darren1810]

Lee Clark will not be our new manager. He's just left Killie for Bury.

 

Phew, massive sigh of relief.

[CAVALIER]

Birchy showed no loyalty by joining Coventry ? My Arse. People should wake up. We are ***** , end of, all Smurfs doing. Wonder how much season tickets will be next season ?

[Mario]

Phew, massive sigh of relief.

 

They will now pull out of trouble now, something we can only dream of doing.

[TheSage]

Chris Birchall was a hard-working and loyal player for us, a fan as well.

His opinions should command a bit of respect.

And in any case he's only articulating what several of us said was likely to happen last summer.

Appointing an inexperienced manager, ditching most of the players and replacing them with poorer ones, was an accident waiting to happen, but many on here refuse to accept that the Chairman can do no wrong as he walks on water.

 

It's been depressing to witness the dilution in quality in the first team in the last 3-4 years. 90% of the experienced, proven quality players at this level have gone and we've replaced them with a bunch of kids.

 

Birchall, Williams, Pope, Sproson - they all say the same thing. It was foolhardy in the extreme. Don't blame the messenger. Look at the Table.

[Grumpy Old Man]

I don't think Chris Birchall knows the meaning of the word honest.

 

That's an awful comment.

[Sandyford_Lion]

I suggest those who think last season's team was worse than the current one should look at the league table.

 

It really is that simple.

 

 

 

We needed to clear out players from last seasons squad, yes.

 

We also needed to improve on the squad when signing new players.

 

We failed miserably.

 

This squad, x 35+ players are terrible.

[sheffieldclayhead]

Simple fact where were last seasons team in comparison to this seasons team in terms of league position, were they 1 place and 2 points off relegation - NO; will our current squad have the capability of reaching 65 points this season - NO.

 

Does not matter about player honesty, sour grapes, retained lists, etc etc the only fact is this seasons team is not up to the task and we look relegation certainties with our current form. Blame game - Manager past (this season), manager present, players and owner end of.

[darren1810]

The mandate for success in my opinion should of been for the last 2 seasons, quality over quantity.

Let us look at the Keeping situation, why on earth had we 5 keepers on the books? i understand 2 were out on loan but come on.

We could of done like Donny and Bury did last season when they loaned Chris Neal. Gone with Alnwick and AN Other, then if an injury loan a decent back up.

we ought to of had a squad of 18 supplemented by a few loanees and youngsters if injuries/ suspensions took their toll.

 

If we use a ball park figure of 500 quid as a wage which surely isn,t excessive.

 

Big Sam , Macintosh, Ferguson, Shalaj, Mbamba, Pereira, Kiko.

 

Obviously there is a bigger list than those i chose.

 

Maybe 3 grand a week in wages there? Why not have 2 decent players on 1500 a week and get proven quality, pay peanuts you get monkeys.

 

I am not a fan of Brown but his hands have been tied, this ludicrous mess is partly down to horrific retained lists and the insistence of having a squad so big that the programme space is barely big enough on the back.

[Essex Vale]

Chris Birchall was a hard-working and loyal player for us, a fan as well.

His opinions should command a bit of respect.

And in any case he's only articulating what several of us said was likely to happen last summer.

Appointing an inexperienced manager, ditching most of the players and replacing them with poorer ones, was an accident waiting to happen, but many on here refuse to accept that the Chairman can do no wrong as he walks on water.

 

It's been depressing to witness the dilution in quality in the first team in the last 3-4 years. 90% of the experienced, proven quality players at this level have gone and we've replaced them with a bunch of kids.

 

Birchall, Williams, Pope, Sproson - they all say the same thing. It was foolhardy in the extreme. Don't blame the messenger. Look at the Table.

 

Sage is spot on. I am disappointed at a lot of the vitriol thrown at Chris Birchall. He has served Port Vale well over the years. Certainly last season as a squad player to come in and do a job, along with Adam Yates he was very reliable. Right now both of them, based on last season's form would walk into our starting 11. We still have no league goals from midfield this season. That is unbelievable. Birchy always chipped in with some.

 

I detest the comments some people have made to say he "stole a living". We can disagree and have different points of view (that is one of the great joys of football) but to resort to that type of comment is unacceptable to any fair minded person.

 

Chris Birchall remains a Vale fan and wants us to do well, he is entitled to his point of view and we should listen to it. If you don't agree fine articulate exactly what it is you disagree with but no underhand comments please

[Worcs White]

That's an awful comment.

 

Totally agree. Another who played for Vale for nothing when we were in admin and stuck with the club.