Transfer Rumours Pre-Season

[robf]

I guess the argument is that it's fine to take your time to make a decision but it's whether you're clear about that with the clubs who have approached you.

Didn't John Askey say he expected an answer on Friday? So if Maynard is that player he shouldn't have promised an answer then if he needed more time.

[Jacko51]

I’m a bit concerned that we may miss out on Plan B if Maynard takes too long and doesn’t come in the end. If he comes fine, I just want him to make his mind up and stop telling Askey he’ll make a decision by such and such a day then not doing so. 

[TheSage]

The obvious guess is that another club has contacted him at the 11th hour and he might have said he needs the weekend to make a final decision.

I'm with Jacko in that our 2nd and 3rd choices might have gone elsewhere if we keep on waiting.

I'm old fashioned and rather like the idea of a player being offered a deal, shown round the Club, and given 24 hours to make up his mind. End of.

[robf]

*** Spoiler alert: to contrast with all this modern day procrastination... tomorrow's OVF front page story is about a 1920's Port Vale Cult Hero who walked to Burslem from another country to try out for the team. The feature will be live around 10am tomorrow ***

[Guitar Ray]

Whether we sign Maynard, or A.N Other, as long as we can add 12 - 15 more goals we should be challenging nearer the top, assuming the defence is as solid as last season.

A slight worry I have at the moment is that the intensity of the fixture list may be the downfall of some teams this season.  There’s far more likelihood of an injury prone player blowing up under the added strain of more midweek games.  Hopefully we won’t be affected, we appear to have good cover in most positions, plus players who can play in more than one position, but I’d suggest it’ll be important to be able to rotate the squad a bit more than previously.

Anyway, fingers crossed on Maynard.

[Budgie_2260]

Maynard is a free agent, unfortunately for him he is negotiating a contract under the new EDL budget implications.

Looking back over the last couple of weeks and Askeys interviews about potential signings. (While thinking if Maynard)

I can't quote the exact wording, but Askey said similar to, players expectations re wages are slowly coming down, the Vale can now bid on players we previously wouldnt of been linked to but its important we don't sign a player who dont really want to be here after a couple of months0...

Maynard was rumoued to be on around 5k a week at Mansfield. No League 2 club could pay him that now, even if they wanted to.

My guess is the Vale have offered a very competitive deal in the 'current climate', however, I guess is still going to be considerably lower than what Maynard was expecting to be negotiating thus season 'pre-covid'

Remember his agents fees have to also come out of the clubs 1.5 million player budget, so this is a complicated negotiating that will take time.

I'd love Maynard to be desperate to play for us, but he is a professional footballer, emotion won't come into this, he will want the best deal for him and his family. Luckily for us he only lives up the road in South Cheshire.

I personally really hope Maynard signs, I think he would be a cracking addition.

I trust Askey 100%, he is experienced and will be aware of his plan B options.

I will put my neck on the line now, if Maynard signs for a League 2 club it will be us.

Waiting and anticipation is all part of the fun, just makes a change we are linked to a name I don't have to Google to find out who they are.

How times have changed.....

[mr.hobblesworth]

I'd be pretty narked if I was a striker we'd had on trial when the plan was to sign A N Other all along. 

[JRC]

6 hours ago, TylerB said:

If Cullen could stay fit all season I believe he could get close to 20. But that's a big if! We're definitely a striker light but fortunately for us Askey knows this too, and will be rectified before the season starts whether it's Maynard or someone else. I don't think we will be a team that scores for fun but I don't think we will need to be, as I think we will go on to have one of the better defensive records in the league.

I genuinely believe if we could somehow add Maynard and Clarke to the squad we would be play-off certainties, without actually being certain as that just adds unnecessary pressure.

Cullen was fit for neatly all of last season, he wasn't selected. Cullen, Pope and Bennett got 17 league goals between them; so we would have got 20 goals from the central striker position.

There are no guarantees in football. If there were Notts County would have gone up 2 years ago and Mansfield last season. 

[Guitar Ray]

7 hours ago, JRC said:

Cullen was fit for neatly all of last season, he wasn't selected. Cullen, Pope and Bennett got 17 league goals between them; so we would have got 20 goals from the central striker position.

There are no guarantees in football. If there were Notts County would have gone up 2 years ago and Mansfield last season. 

You’d have to think Cullen, Pope, Rodney plus one other, potentially “proven”, striker will improve on 17.

[robf]

10 hours ago, mr.hobblesworth said:

I'd be pretty narked if I was a striker we'd had on trial when the plan was to sign A N Other all along. 

I dunno. I think the intention was pretty clear some weeks ago that the fourth striker would be an experienced one. 

I think it was pretty clear to the ones on trial, who were all young lads that if they impressed they'd very much be the "fifth striker" - one for the future and perhaps one sent out on loan to develop. I don't think any of them would have thought they'd be the club's main summer striking target.

[Santa]

12 hours ago, TheSage said:

The obvious guess is that another club has contacted him at the 11th hour and he might have said he needs the weekend to make a final decision.

It wouldn't surprise me if he's been playing two or three clubs off against each other and inviting an 11th hour offer.

The question is, if Askey feels he's being messed around, will he pull the plug.

If he signs, great. If he doesn't, we move on and look elsewhere. There will be other alternatives out there, especially for the money we've budgeted to pay his wages.

 

[Santa]

42 minutes ago, Nofinikea said:

Is Maynard really all that?

I think he's been a decent striker down the years, he's a finisher, a proven goalscorer which is why he still feels he can hold out for good money, even now as a veteran.

Anyway, I'd be tempted to start looking elsewhere now. 

[Fosse69]

3 minutes ago, Santa said:

I think he's been a decent striker down the years, he's a finisher, a proven goalscorer which is why he still feels he can hold out for good money, even now as a veteran.

Anyway, I'd be tempted to start looking elsewhere now. 

Maybe Friday was the deadline?

[valiant_593]

mandfield favourites for Maynard now apparently. Close to joining them... huge disappointment if true. Let’s hope these other targets are decent. 

[TylerB]

8 hours ago, JRC said:

Cullen was fit for neatly all of last season, he wasn't selected. Cullen, Pope and Bennett got 17 league goals between them; so we would have got 20 goals from the central striker position.

There are no guarantees in football. If there were Notts County would have gone up 2 years ago and Mansfield last season. 

He wasn't match fit for a while though and was a big reason why he was only used as a sub for plenty of games and only started games here and there. With a decent pre-season behind him he should be ready to go from the off. His goals to minutes ratio suggests that he shouldn't have any problems getting 15+ goals if he starts more games than he did last season. Is he strong enough to lead the line though? Would he win enough headers? Personally I see him more as someone who needs a Pope alongside him, but that's not how Askey likes to play.