Match Thread: Colchester United v Port Vale

[Breadwinner]

When we last got promotion we had a wobble along the way .

1170 mins go in season ,goals will be scored, performance levels will dip and some players will improve .

People will get the shirt will they take there opportunity .

Remember we still in with a chance I do not get all this negativity at all you look at some of the goals conceded lately they ain't even being warranted for the opposition unfortunately as a team we are not staying focused enough .

If we can improve the quality we have a chance playing well is not a yen yard accurate pass back to your centre halfs who Dailly on the ball and play it slowly to the wing backs who are then faced with every opposition player back so have no space do anything what's worse is that Hall and Smith do not join in  they just stroke it forwards to Worrall and Hussey they should be on there bike running quickly forwards to demand the  ball back creating space while they do so .

We have so much ball in games players need to start making angles they need to be more positive if they are wanting of promotion or the said players need be changed for more aggressive attacking players if they are there in my opinion will be a huge difference in goal attempts and winning more games .

If continue as are no chance big week off the pitch this week as I expect a win v Crawley and v Mansfield. 

The negative pass it ten yard 3 centre backs has to be scrapped .

UTV 

[smithie]

39 minutes ago, MBE said:

I like the DOF model and we need to stick to it and Yes I do understand what a DOF does ,however in business you have to adapt to situations. This one is an exceptional one. DOF has to show leadership. These are his players and vision implemented by the coaches, it’s not working.

He has loads of management experience to lean on getting out of this league why would you not use it? Instead we install another coach to assist the Assistant Manager, by the way someone the Assistant Manager doesn’t know. Hardly gives the Assistant Manager a chance. At the very least let the Assistant Manager bring someone in who he knows and trusts

If DC comes back great, Flickers goes back to his sound bites and building the club vision. If he doesn’t come back,Flickers goes back to his sound bites and building the club vision getting on the job of finding a new manager BUT if he’s not prepared to put his DOF duties on hold for 8 weeks  in these EXCEPTIONAL circumstances he’s the wrong DOF.

Currently we have no Manager or Captain and the Vice Captain on the bench. No leadership on or off the pitch( football side) and it shows badly.

 

I'm sure that like myself you desperately want everything to work out for us the fans and for the owners... but from the start of the Flitcroft Revolution I've been bemused with the seemingly ever-growing army of people on the management and coaching team. 

[Fosse69]

I like the DOF model and we need to stick to it and Yes I do understand what a DOF does ,however in business you have to adapt to situations. This one is an exceptional one. DOF has to show leadership. These are his players and vision implemented by the coaches, it’s not working.
He has loads of management experience to lean on getting out of this league why would you not use it? Instead we install another coach to assist the Assistant Manager, by the way someone the Assistant Manager doesn’t know. Hardly gives the Assistant Manager a chance. At the very least let the Assistant Manager bring someone in who he knows and trusts
If DC comes back great, Flickers goes back to his sound bites and building the club vision. If he doesn’t come back,Flickers goes back to his sound bites and building the club vision getting on the job of finding a new manager BUT if he’s not prepared to put his DOF duties on hold for 8 weeks  in these EXCEPTIONAL circumstances he’s the wrong DOF.
Currently we have no Manager or Captain and the Vice Captain on the bench. No leadership on or off the pitch( football side) and it shows badly.
 

I would expect the DOF to have regular meetings with the managers, coaches key players under the circumstances just to share experiences and offer advice without interrupting his job or stepping on toes. It may well be that this is happening but is not considered newsworthy.

[The man in the pub]

13 hours ago, LancyTony said:

I suspect you were told...as have others been...frequently...that the expenditure on the management / coaching structure could not be spent on players as the playing budget has to conform to FFP regulations? 

Are we at that level LT ?  My concern at the time was that Carol and Kevin were spending money on projects whereas the same money could be spent elsewhere. Comments came back at me that its their money let them spend it how they want, fair point. Equally as wealthy as they may be its not a bottomless pit , indicated by the fact  that the purchase off  Smurf has been made by an  installment plan rather than a one off purchase.

[WV]

14 hours ago, LancyTony said:

How do you know this?

Been told by someone close to the club. Time will tell but what has happened in Clarkes family is an absolute tragedy and people should take that into account when discussing our form. 

[WV]

3 hours ago, valiant_593 said:

Said ages ago Clarke will not be back this season. 100% - I personally don’t think he will come back at all. I know I wouldn’t. 

I wouldn’t be surprised if you are right. 

[Doha]

Fair play to Colchester.

 

[Guest Vale at home]

5 hours ago, The man in the pub said:

Are we at that level LT ?  My concern at the time was that Carol and Kevin were spending money on projects whereas the same money could be spent elsewhere. Comments came back at me that its their money let them spend it how they want, fair point. Equally as wealthy as they may be its not a bottomless pit , indicated by the fact  that the purchase off  Smurf has been made by an  installment plan rather than a one off purchase.

Well said . I do think you correct . 

[LancyTony]

10 hours ago, MBE said:

...Instead we install another coach to assist the Assistant Manager, by the way someone the Assistant Manager doesn’t know. ..

If DC comes back great, Flickers goes back to his sound bites and building the club vision. If he doesn’t come back,Flickers goes back to his sound bites and building the club vision getting on the job of finding a new manager BUT if he’s not prepared to put his DOF duties on hold for 8 weeks  in these EXCEPTIONAL circumstances he’s the wrong DOF.

Currently we have no Manager or Captain and the Vice Captain on the bench. No leadership on or off the pitch( football side) and it shows badly.

 

See - that's why I think you're resentful of, or dislike, the DoF? I think he offers more than sound bites, which is a pretty dismissive term. But...that was a much more sensible reply than I'd expected - thank you. We will have to agree to disagree on this - I believe there should be that distance between DoF and stand-in Manager...but that doesn't mean he won't be giving the coaches the benefits of his kmowledge...just not in an official capacity. Also - a coach coming in who isn't known to the current staff should be able to give a different overview of the team tactics and training?

[LancyTony]

9 hours ago, The man in the pub said:

Are we at that level LT ?  My concern at the time was that Carol and Kevin were spending money on projects whereas the same money could be spent elsewhere. Comments came back at me that its their money let them spend it how they want, fair point. Equally as wealthy as they may be its not a bottomless pit , indicated by the fact  that the purchase off  Smurf has been made by an  installment plan rather than a one off purchase.

The point about it being the Shanahan's money is a valid one. Don't forget they are business people and understand the value of a successful business structure - which Vale have never had, to the best of my memory. The most successful period we had was during the Rudgie years - I'm not sure how many clubs these days could be managed and virtually run by just one man? And I thought the instalment plan only related to the buy back of the ground? 

Yes - I believe, totally, that this is the route we should be on! And I think Carol and Kevin will know how much they can spend without it becoming problematic? I also believe the club is making more money than Smurthtwat ever let on?

[Rockape99]

10 hours ago, smithie said:

I'm sure that like myself you desperately want everything to work out for us the fans and for the owners... but from the start of the Flitcroft Revolution I've been bemused with the seemingly ever-growing army of people on the management and coaching team. 

Well for me it's worked, we in better place than we have been since 2016, we had a 4 man coaching team and the signings were rubbish, we never did medicals and thus we got donkeys like Zack Mills and Guthrie. Now we actual sign players who are a fit for our system. The old way of running a team on fag packet by one man is thankfully gone.

[smithie]

I'm not disrespecting Flitcroft because if he's been the conduit for signings like Wilson, Procter, Cass, Jones and Hall he's clearly got an eye for a player and persuasive patter to get them to come here. 

But I can't imagine clubs smaller than us who are probably/possibly going up having anywhere near the resources and infrastructure that we have.

If we  go up next season then l guess that's reasonably rapid vindication of the money put into the extensive backroom setup. If we don't (and l certainly wouldn't count an unsuccessful playoff participation as acceptable) then surely the question will be asked... Was it worth it? 

 

[Fosse69]

2 minutes ago, smithie said:

I'm not disrespecting Flitcroft because if he's been the conduit for signings like Wilson, Procter, Cass, Jones and Hall he's clearly got an eye for a player and persuasive patter to get them to come here. 

But I can't imagine clubs smaller than us who are probably/possibly going up having anywhere near the resources and infrastructure that we have.

If we  go up next season then l guess that's reasonably rapid vindication of the money put into the extensive backroom setup. If we don't (and l certainly wouldn't count an unsuccessful playoff participation as acceptable) then surely the question will be asked... Was it worth it? 

 

A question to be asked in a few years time I think.

[PV1973]

It’s typical football fan mentality. When everything is going well we had dedicated threads praising the manager, the owners, the director of football and come the end of January my reading of the mood of the forum was that the window was good, and the players signed were stronger than those that left. 
 

A few weeks and a few bad results later and fans on here are now swinging like a drunk in brawl looking for anything to blame. The keeper, the formation, the assistant manager, the number of coaches, the director of football, the recruitment, the players, the pitch….. etc    Things will never change in the life of a football fan 😃

[smithie]

7 minutes ago, PV1973 said:

It’s typical football fan mentality. When everything is going well we had dedicated threads praising the manager, the owners, the director of football and come the end of January my reading of the mood of the forum was that the window was good, and the players signed were stronger than those that left. 
 

A few weeks and a few bad results later and fans on here are now swinging like a drunk in brawl looking for anything to blame. The keeper, the formation, the assistant manager, the number of coaches, the director of football, the recruitment, the players, the pitch….. etc    Things will never change in the life of a football fan 😃

Who'd want it any other way?