Transfer rumours, targets & new signings

[Emile]

DC has a minimum of the first 10 games of the season for me before I will even look to criticise. If its not working out by early December I think people have the right to question if he got things right in this window but these muppets complaining before we have even signed a player need to give their head a wobble. 

[valeparklife]

42 minutes ago, Rampant Zebra said:

I hope not but time will tell if it is all reasoned, professional, efficient recruitment or not. 🙂

It'll be better than your friend Askey's approach of "have they played for Macclesfield?"

[Moz]

14 minutes ago, Vale1995 said:

Can i just ask are you actually a vale supporter? If so why are you writing off the new management team within a week of him saving us for looking like a certain relegation with a team full of non league players. Clarke has done a better job so far than any of us could of predicted before he came in at best i thought we could just get over the line and stay up with a game ot two remaining. We stayed up with ease however you have created a clear agenda that hes not doing a good job and that you dont like him or his management style at all. Why is that? What are you basing this agenda on?

I've got reservations about the situation too. Does that mean I'm not a Vale fan?

There seems to be a popular re-writing of history that Clarke came in, immediately went on a winning run against all the odds, and saved us from relegation with a bunch of Sunday League players.

And can we get over the idea that the squad was rubbish. Unbalanced, yes. Some dross, absolutely. But over a 12 month period, they put together some very good runs. That's why I think the mass releasing of players might be counter productive - the Brown decision especially seemed bizarre. Getting a new squad to gel can be difficult, not to mention expensive, and I feel that the released list was a statement.

My worry is that we do a Mansfield or Notts County. Obviously I hope not. I just am yet to be blown away by Flitcroft or Clarke. That said, I'll get behind them and hope to be wrong. They'll be working with their squad, so they'll be entitled to own the success they have.

[darren1810]

8 minutes ago, Rampant Zebra said:

I think I have said all along that I hope I am wrong but I admit I don't like the way Clarke does his business. I don't know John Askey actually. We used to complain that Micky Adams was an old fashioned manager and that he drove Sam Morsy away, I think Clarke is even more old fashioned in his attitude towards players and has released more important players than Sam Morsy. Time will tell...

I agree about Morsy but I would be amazed if anyone on here genuinely expected him to have the career he has had 

Morsy was okay for Vale nothing more 

[Bycarsbill]

19 hours ago, mikey said:

Not concerned really as most players are still under contract until the end of the month, the play-offs arent completed yet, and there is very little movement elsewhere. Also factor in the clubs with no manager at the moment such as Tranmere, FGR, Orient, Bradford etc.....

I expect we will see a lot of movement inbound in a couple of weeks time.

I hope your optimism is well founded, but reassuring if you're correct.

[Bycarsbill]

18 hours ago, philmpv said:

19 hours ago, Bycarsbill said:

Is anyone else getting a bit concerned that after such a massive clearout, not one single replacement has yet to be revealed? I don't wish to sound panicky, but with such a large 'culling' of previous personnel, I would have expected there to be some sort of a plan for 'oven-ready' replacements in the pipeline.
My biggest concern is that the longer it goes before any new squad members are recruited, the nearer it becomes to the start of next season and I would hope that we are not then making last-minute signings in desperation to have a totally new squad for next season!

It's been less than 2 weeks since our last game. Jesus wept!

And only a few weeks before the first pre-season match!  My point is that having made such a drastic and pre-emptive clear-out, I would have hoped that there were a few 'ducks lined up'.

[Bycarsbill]

18 hours ago, werstayinup said:

Tbf just because things aren't announced it doesn't mean we aren't signing players

Fair point, but I'm sure they will want to trumpet new signings as soon as they're finalised.

[Bycarsbill]

18 hours ago, valeparklife said:

Nope.

No one is doing business right now. Been about 5 transfers across 92 teams.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/transfers

Thanks for that.

[Bycarsbill]

17 hours ago, MBE said:

Chill Bill

A lot of gaps to fill! But I'll take your advice and have another beer!

[Bycarsbill]

17 hours ago, Budgie_2260 said:

19 hours ago, Bycarsbill said:

Is anyone else getting a bit concerned that after such a massive clearout, not one single replacement has yet to be revealed? I don't wish to sound panicky, but with such a large 'culling' of previous personnel, I would have expected there to be some sort of a plan for 'oven-ready' replacements in the pipeline.
My biggest concern is that the longer it goes before any new squad members are recruited, the nearer it becomes to the start of next season and I would hope that we are not then making last-minute signings in desperation to have a totally new squad for next season!

No

Fair enough--hope you're right.

[valiant_593]

56 minutes ago, Rampant Zebra said:

I think I have said all along that I hope I am wrong but I admit I don't like the way Clarke does his business. I don't know John Askey actually. We used to complain that Micky Adams was an old fashioned manager and that he drove Sam Morsy away, I think Clarke is even more old fashioned in his attitude towards players and has released more important players than Sam Morsy. Time will tell...

God help us if he forces whitehead or Robinson away 

[valiant_593]

51 minutes ago, Moz said:

I've got reservations about the situation too. Does that mean I'm not a Vale fan?

There seems to be a popular re-writing of history that Clarke came in, immediately went on a winning run against all the odds, and saved us from relegation with a bunch of Sunday League players.

And can we get over the idea that the squad was rubbish. Unbalanced, yes. Some dross, absolutely. But over a 12 month period, they put together some very good runs. That's why I think the mass releasing of players might be counter productive - the Brown decision especially seemed bizarre. Getting a new squad to gel can be difficult, not to mention expensive, and I feel that the released list was a statement.

My worry is that we do a Mansfield or Notts County. Obviously I hope not. I just am yet to be blown away by Flitcroft or Clarke. That said, I'll get behind them and hope to be wrong. They'll be working with their squad, so they'll be entitled to own the success they have.

The squad was dross. It’s been proven to have been. I can’t see the negative. We have been desperate for a clear out for years. 
 

Do you really think we would have been better off keeping players who are already past it for another season to have us what just about scrape survival again? The likes of pope and Joyce are past it as shown this season. 
 

We have kept our best players. The ones to build the side around, smith, Worrall, Rodney and released players either blatantly not good enough (mills, Guthrie) or sadly past their best (pope, brown, Joyce) 

 

It can be difficult to get a squad to gel and probably will be but I fail to see how we can be any worse off than we would have been keeping the tried and failed players. 
 

You mention brown. The team clearly feel we can sign someone better as a starting player. He wasn’t great last season.... at all. I would have kept him as a number 2. Would that be viable, probably not. 
 

Not sure what Clarke has to do to impress you given the outstanding run we went on? Your first line is exactly what happened. We were dead and buried. We were going down under askey. I swear some on here just want us to do crap next season to say I told you so. 

[Rampant Zebra]

How much did the good run after 7 defeats under Clarke have to do with the return of better players though? we will never know...

[Wrex]

1 hour ago, Rampant Zebra said:

I think Clarke is even more old fashioned in his attitude towards players and has released more important players than Sam Morsy. Time will tell...

I don't think it's a big shout to say that none of the released players will go on to play in the Championship

[Rocky]

There is absolutely zero chance that Clarke would release so many players if he wasn't certain that they would be able to recruit better players this summer. Trust the process, trust the man who has done this before with success. I don't think they will drip feed signings. I think it will be 5 signings, statement of intent. Try and enjoy this moment, the speculation of who to sign, who we will get in. 

The post above about if clubs release players then why should we want them. One huge factor over the last 12 months has been COVID. We are in a really fortunate position that we have an owner who is thinking long term with the club and I believe we have a flexibility that other clubs don't. I don't mean more money when I say that. 

Also because clubs were so unsure about what was happening this past season, they were only really offering one year deals. Players joining the likes of Salford who probably thought they were a shoe-in for promotion find themselves at a club that fell short or just don't fit in with the system they play. There are so many variables at play why a player is released.

 

I'm excited for the signings and for next season. I think it will be a slow start and DC will need some time for the team to gel but I back everything he has done over the last 2 weeks.