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For those who're interested, here is an excellent piece from our local rag on how Cambridge managed to build a promotion winning team for the first time in 19 years.

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-cambridge-united-secured-promotion-20617323

The thing that stood out for me was how Bonner said he would always put character before ability; not, of course, that he wouldn't sign technically good players but that he needed mental strength in the team before anything else. It clearly worked. Co-incidentally, I caught Sir Alex's interview on Sky today where he said that after his first game as manager when he lost 5-2 he went from thinking it would be easy to realising that if he didn't get some mental toughness into his players, they were going nowhere. The rest, of course, is history.

After this season, it's no surprise that the Vale have released so many players who, with some honourable exceptions, have shown all too little resilience, consistency and sheer bloody-mindedness throughout their time at the club. We have had little leadership for most of the season, on and off the pitch, and that has been at the heart of our problems, much of it stemming from poor recruitment. Our lack of drive, determination and a winning mentality meant that we were more than ready for a clear-out, despite the technical merits of the players.

DC and DF have their work cut out over the next few weeks but my guess is we can look forward to a different calibre of player. One thing that we should be looking for is not just the competency of individual players - tempting though that is - but their mentality, track record and ability to work in a team, the other characteristics that Cambridge attribute their success to. It's going to be an interesting next month or so.

Let's hope for a good few weeks bringing players in that can really make a difference.

 

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I feel the players having to apologise to Carol part way through the Askey departure, has something to do with why some, whom might have otherwise been offered a contract, have now departed the fold.

Trust in the leadership.

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6 hours ago, Valiant62 said:

I think we never replaced Anthony Griffith as derided as he was at times for what he lacked in finesse.

We had Grant for a couple of seasons. Morsy played that holding role and was a better footballer as well.

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11 hours ago, CambridgeDon said:

For those who're interested, here is an excellent piece from our local rag on how Cambridge managed to build a promotion winning team for the first time in 19 years.

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-cambridge-united-secured-promotion-20617323

The thing that stood out for me was how Bonner said he would always put character before ability; not, of course, that he wouldn't sign technically good players but that he needed mental strength in the team before anything else. It clearly worked. Co-incidentally, I caught Sir Alex's interview on Sky today where he said that after his first game as manager when he lost 5-2 he went from thinking it would be easy to realising that if he didn't get some mental toughness into his players, they were going nowhere. The rest, of course, is history.

After this season, it's no surprise that the Vale have released so many players who, with some honourable exceptions, have shown all too little resilience, consistency and sheer bloody-mindedness throughout their time at the club. We have had little leadership for most of the season, on and off the pitch, and that has been at the heart of our problems, much of it stemming from poor recruitment. Our lack of drive, determination and a winning mentality meant that we were more than ready for a clear-out, despite the technical merits of the players.

DC and DF have their work cut out over the next few weeks but my guess is we can look forward to a different calibre of player. One thing that we should be looking for is not just the competency of individual players - tempting though that is - but their mentality, track record and ability to work in a team, the other characteristics that Cambridge attribute their success to. It's going to be an interesting next month or so.

Let's hope for a good few weeks bringing players in that can really make a difference.

 

Well said. Some sports put 'character' as the primary attribute they evaluate; you can coach players up but you can't instill crucial elements like resilience, leadership, determination etc. These lads set the tone in training, dig deep in tricky spells, ensure standards are rigorous.

I watched a documentary on how an NFL team assessed players ahead of the NFL Draft and they had a former Marine commander doing character interviews with the players, to ensure they fit the culture.

Our team seemed nice enough but how many real 'leaders' (to use a cliche) were there? Legge, Conlon, maybe Gibbons? Smith in an understated way? How many horrible players who would win a game at any cost?

I was really reassured by Garlick's description of the war room that DC, Flitters, and the recruitment analyst are using for their signings. 'Character' was mentioned. 11 lean, mean, sh!thouse lads please.

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With regards to the OP from JJ I understand his reasoning but am totally the opposite.

I'd never felt such a disconnect with the squad last year ( maybe because couldn't attend ) . We had in fighting and squabbles, regular leaks, games where we all knew we were about to concede . 

Something was clearly amiss and a wholesale clearout was just what the doctor ordered. 

Doesn't mean I don't have good opinions on Brown, Monty, Joyce and Pope ( as a player ) but Clarke has brought his own ideas in. The winning run was quite remarkable but also turned heads about who should stay or go. 

We'll soon reconnect when we are winning games hopefully. A new hero will emerge . 

Shelf life of most footballers at any club is short we shouldn't feel too much sentiment as the life of a footballer is rewarding but also cut throat and harsh. 

I trust in Clarke, let's see a few new heroes emerge and actually have a team on an upward curve. The play offs near miss was a blip because in reality 4 of the last 5 seasons have been relegation battles the first of which was unsuccessful. 

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4 hours ago, Joe B said:

Well said. Some sports put 'character' as the primary attribute they evaluate; you can coach players up but you can't instill crucial elements like resilience, leadership, determination etc. These lads set the tone in training, dig deep in tricky spells, ensure standards are rigorous.

I watched a documentary on how an NFL team assessed players ahead of the NFL Draft and they had a former Marine commander doing character interviews with the players, to ensure they fit the culture.

Our team seemed nice enough but how many real 'leaders' (to use a cliche) were there? Legge, Conlon, maybe Gibbons? Smith in an understated way? How many horrible players who would win a game at any cost?

I was really reassured by Garlick's description of the war room that DC, Flitters, and the recruitment analyst are using for their signings. 'Character' was mentioned. 11 lean, mean, sh!thouse lads please.

On the character point i'm not convinced with Smith. How often over the last few seasons has his form dipped when we are playing badly as a team. Yes sure it suits all players to be surrounded by players also playing well but bar his breakthough season in league one he's never seemed to be in better form than the rest of the defence. 

I'm probably judging him harshly knowing how good he can be but sometimes i want that force of character that drags other players upwards. In comparison an in form legge has done that at points over the last few seasons but i don't see Smith being the catalyst who can do the same.

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Watching the L1 playoff yesterday was a sharp reminder of how powerfully motivated teams win games. Blackpool won away 0-3 at Oxford and apart from the opening 10 minutes when they had to fend off a flurry of promising attacks by the home side, they completely controlled the game. It was a formidable example of team work at its best and though they had some stand out players (Embleton in midfield and Yates and Simms, on loan from Everton, up front) it was the drive, determination and collective effort that saw them through. At no point did they look as if they were ever going to surrender to Oxford's pressure - a salutary lesson.

It's all the more remarkable considering how badly they had started the season. Blackpool won only one of their opening seven games, leaving them in the bottom four, and even in mid-January they were still in the bottom half. Then they went on a fantastic run, starting with a 0-5 away win at Fleetwood, in which they lost only three games in the second half of the season. A complete turn round.

How does that happen? Apparently, Oxford were in a similar position, losing seven of their first ten before going on a run of form in the second half of the season. It clearly takes time to build a team and we had a taste of this at the end of the season when DC went seven without a win before going on that great run. It takes time, effort and above all patience - another salutary lesson.

To be honest, patience is not something I'm very good at but it's something that we'll all have to work on as DC starts the PVFC revolution. Things may not go smoothly to begin with but, this time, we have to stick with it, build the team and persevere. It may be slower than we think. 

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1 hour ago, CambridgeDon said:

To be honest, patience is not something I'm very good at but it's something that we'll all have to work on as DC starts the PVFC revolution. Things may not go smoothly to begin with but, this time, we have to stick with it, build the team and persevere. It may be slower than we think. 

Agree with you patience will be king...I remember watching Blackpool in the pre season friendly and thought they looked a decent side. I think they had a relatively large intake of new players and its all about finding the right partnerships all over the pitch. I'm sure it will be similar for us although I hope it doesn't take until Christmas for DC to figure it out. What a beast Simms looks at L1 btw.

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I can’t wait to see this new squad. I posted numerous times throughout the season that I actively didn’t like the squad we had. I hated some of the gutless performances they churned out and I’m delighted we’re finally having a big clear out. I get fans had connected to players like pope, brown and Joyce. But truthfully their way past their best and we will sign better. The rest of the squad (of those released) baring Monty and brisley were a disgrace really. 

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14 hours ago, Jacob_123 said:


You need a break from Vale. Log off and enjoy your summer instead of getting yourself wound up!

things are going slowly because when the staff at vale go to work, theres so many of them, by the time theyve said good morning to each other,=dinnertime!😄

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14 hours ago, Jacob_123 said:


You need a break from Vale. Log off and enjoy your summer instead of getting yourself wound up!

Who said I was getting wound up. I am just venturing an opinion based on my life experience and observations. I don't think it is any less valid that people on here thinking Enoch Andoh was the best thing since sliced bread based on 12 appearances. 🙂

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