Summer transfer targets/rumours, retained list etc

[pete vale]

Get Conlon and Walker fit, midfield is strong. Make offers to Gibbo, Smith and Worrall, certainly take up the option on Bennings contract (if there is one?) Keepers are fine. I'd look for championship/ top end Lge 1 players, either right or left wing and in a central defensive role. We may get caught for pace more so in League 1.

Try and get Cass back, he could develop all across the back line. We may need an 'aggressor' in midfield at this level. From what I remember this may be quite a 'step up' in pace and quality. We could do well. Trust the process.

[1]

First choice goalkeeper

2 centre halves

2 wingbacks

2 centre mids

2 strikers with Willo and Proc (otherwise 3)

So where do you find 9 spaces?

 

 

[pete vale]

5 minutes ago, Guitar Ray said:

If Jake Taylor turns out to be half the player Ray Walker was then we’ve struck gold.  Fingers crossed and all that.

For sure. Ray Walker was one of the finest players ever to grace the Vale shirt in my opinion. One of the first names on the teamsheet of my all time Vale XI

[TJHValiant]

1 minute ago, pete vale said:

Get Conlon and Walker fit, midfield is strong. Make offers to Gibbo, Smith and Worrall, certainly take up the option on Bennings contract (if there is one?) Keepers are fine. I'd look for championship/ top end Lge 1 players, either right or left wing and in a central defensive role. We may get caught for pace more so in League 1.

Try and get Cass back, he could develop all across the back line. We may need an 'aggressor' in midfield at this level. From what I remember this may be quite a 'step up' in pace and quality. We could do well. Trust the process.

I think the “we may get caught for pace” point is exactly spot on. So players like Martin may struggle in league 1. Certainly Chris Hussey might and I’d prefer Benning over him in the division above. 
 

However aside from that I think we have a great squad. I think even someone like say, Amoo with his pace would be effective in the division, albeit it seems like he will be released. 
 

We need experience of league 1, so keeping a guy like Worrall, promoted from league 1 with Millwall would be ideal. 

[mr.hobblesworth]

I know that Worrall has possibly been playing with an injury, but he's been below par for at least 3/4 of this season. I imagine he's on an ok wage too and unless he's prepared to take a cut and accept that he'll perhaps be doing more coaching than playing, I'd let him go. Love the guy but I think there is probably substantially better out there.

[wotsyobeef]

I'm genuinely intrigued as to who you considered 'ok players at league 2 level', as well as your definition of 'a lot'

Brisley, Brown, Burgess, Cullen, Fitzpatrick, Joyce, Legge, McKirdy, Montano, Oyeleke, Robinson, Swan, Taylor, Crookes.


Some are better than others, I think if you had 3 or 4 of them in our current squad they may have done quite well.


I think some like Manny, Monty, Burgess, Brisley, Joyce may have been very good performers as they wouldn't have been the main focus of the opposition and their performances would have been lifted by the methods of play and others in the team. Many were crying out for Legge to play in games at the start of the season.


Taylor has done quite well in this squad. McKirdy, not that I would want him has done incredibly well for Swindon.


Players like Fitz, Cullen, Burgess, Robinson, Crookes may have filled in for the odd game when we were short in those positions or come on for 10 minutes as a sub now and then and put in an ok performance.


They didn't work as a team and we needed to change the squad that doesn't mean they weren't ok league two players, they just weren't good enough as a team. Just look how poor McKirdy was in that team, he has done well everywhere else despite not being wanted because of his personality.


At the start of last season Conlon wasn't good enough for most and Manny was the saviour.

[SFBT]

When is the retained list being announced?

[efsb]

Retained list deadline is by midnight on the 3rd Saturday in May with a four day extension for teams playing beyond then, so that means we should hear something by Wednesday - Thursday at the latest -

The third Saturday in May: When football's brutal reality hits home for out-of-contract players

THEATHLETIC.COM

[PV1973]

Seems like an official tweet from the club announcing Benning signing a contract has been uploaded and then quickly deleted. 

[Rocky]

I worry for Martin and I think they will bring in a goalkeeper too. Clarke signed a 5 year deal last week, he wouldn't do that if Carol wasn't promising money to spend. League 1 will attract better players and I think as solid as Martin was, I think there is a spot there that could be replaced with a quicker, more agile CB. I was rooting for him from Day 1 and I think overall he's had a very good season when he has been brought in, but it's telling that Gibbo was shoe-horned into the back 3 for the swindon game at home and the final. 

And there lies another question: What do we do with the wing back situation? I think Gibbo will extend now we have secured promotion but it looks like Benning is too. Woz's crossing on Saturday was what we expected of him this season but couldn't quite get it right. He hasn't had his best season due to knocks etc.

What I find interesting about Harratt is he has scored goals for Vale on the bigger stage - Brentford FA Cup and at Wembley, the occasion doesn't get to him where others (naming no names but okay McKirdy) choke. They weee pretty similar goals too.

[robf]

21 minutes ago, Rocky said:

And there lies another question: What do we do with the wing back situation? I think Gibbo will extend now we have secured promotion but it looks like Benning is too. Woz's crossing on Saturday was what we expected of him this season but couldn't quite get it right. He hasn't had his best season due to knocks etc.

For me, it's the more the merrier - competition for places and cover for the next annual PVFC injury crisis.

I suspect Hussey will stay as well so that gives us four players who can play there but I would be happy if no-one's place is 100% guaranteed. We're stepping up a level and even our top players need to know they need to perform so if that means the likes of Benning, Gibbo, Worrall are all under serious competition then that can only be a good thing.

What I do like though is how several of those players - Gibbo and Worrall to name two - can play in multiple positions which also enables us to switch tactics mid-game too.

[Doha]

We'll never know who the targets were but it'd be fascinating to see the data on new players signed in case of another L2 season. All ripped up now in favour of Plan A : league one.

[Rocky]

6 minutes ago, robf said:

For me, it's the more the merrier - competition for places and cover for the next annual PVFC injury crisis.

I suspect Hussey will stay as well so that gives us four players who can play there but I would be happy if no-one's place is 100% guaranteed. We're stepping up a level and even our top players need to know they need to perform so if that means the likes of Benning, Gibbo, Worrall are all under serious competition then that can only be a good thing.

What I do like though is how several of those players - Gibbo and Worrall to name two - can play in multiple positions which also enables us to switch tactics mid-game too.

True but how happy will Woz be potentially not being first choice in that position next season? We benefited from a streamlined squad this season to keep the togetherness but the biggest disadvantage was the injuries and walking wounded throughout. I wonder if they will increase numbers in some key areas this summer to avoid that again? It felt like it was just real bad luck but I would like to avoid patching players up and bringing back players who were on the fringe if we can.

 We don't seem to have the egos of years gone by in the squad, the celebrations from players who have featured but not often was telling so it looks like Clarke is able to balance playing expectations with the greater good stuff.

[mbycars]

13 hours ago, mr.hobblesworth said:

I know that Worrall has possibly been playing with an injury, but he's been below par for at least 3/4 of this season. I imagine he's on an ok wage too and unless he's prepared to take a cut and accept that he'll perhaps be doing more coaching than playing, I'd let him go. Love the guy but I think there is probably substantially better out there.

Got us promoted and you want him to take a pay cut ........seriously

[Bob Newtonian]

I think it will be brutal.... we are really short of athletes in the team... clearing of the decks will be required to allow us to bring in what's necessary.... there aren't many league 1 players in our team.

I suppose for the players under contract who DC doesn't want we could transfer list them... We need strengthening all over so need to make room for the new players.

A defensive 3 of smith, Hall even when reinforced with Gibbons will be short on pace, midfielders Conlon, Taylor, Pett and Walker are not good enough athletes (all good footballers mind) but will be out run in league 1 if all played in the same team. They also lack a  physical presence.

 We only have 1 striker in Wilson who may be good for 10 goals in League 1 (I expect Procter to be dumped) so we need 3 forwards (of course 1 could be Harratt or Edmundson).. a lot of work to do for me to even get to mid table.

First thing is to sign the best goalkeeper we can afford.

Fortunately we have the right owners / management to make the required changes happen.