Either way, it looks like it might be an interesting window for the Vale.  We can but hope! 

Surely, Cass and Conlon are on their way out.

Where is Jones?

What's going on with Thomas?

 

I think there is going to be a lot of  disappointed people reading this thread as I just can’t see us doing much business at all. Lucky if we get the odd loan in at best.

Just feel that the trusted process will get rid of several bit players, all the loanees will go back and go out to clubs higher than us.  We will leave it till the last day and get what is left or none at all.  

The flitcroft process will rely on the youngsters coming through.  After yesterdays display, at least they showed they were willing to play for the Vale shirt.  We will bring no strikers in, or if we do, they will spend more time in the physio's room than on the pitch.  

Very much like the previous Jan windows.

48 minutes ago, Diego Maradona said:

Surely, Cass and Conlon are on their way out.

Where is Jones?

What's going on with Thomas?

 

Top 2 must be gone if can't make the bench and it's full of kids.

Who's Jones ? 🤣.

Thomas last heard of getting injured and sent off for Wales.  However Crosby never gave him a chance. Although the very rare occasion he started he was anonymous. I hope he goes back as at least then we can't call off Burton away on a Saturday  ! 

I do wonder if we'll go back in for Cole Stockton this January.

Not hit the heights he did at Morecambe so far, with only 1 EFL trophy goal in his 14 games.

Obviously depends on who the new manager is at Burton, but they might look to move him on to free up a wage.

It's bizarre that Crosby is trying to play this technical, passing style but then signed two physical lumps up front in Loft and Uche, who don't exactly have the best first touch/ability to play that way.

On 26/12/2023 at 15:10, The French Connection said:

Either way, it looks like it might be an interesting window for the Vale.  We can but hope! 

Apparently so both in and outs 

Big 2 games for Crosby 

On 26/12/2023 at 13:58, The French Connection said:

Not what I said nor what I was 8nferring.  I was suggesting that given our modest budget, possibly half Plymouth's last year, and around a tenth of that of Ipswich, maybe we are doing quite well to be battling along in the lower reaches of L1? 

Also, when people start comparing us to other clubs, maybe they should also compare budgets before having a moan! 

I agree. I think the cold, hard reality is we have a league 2 budget. I would actually argue the budget we have is the weakest link of the club. 
 

The problem we have as a club is that we confuse having great owners with rich ones. They are maximizing all we have and that’s why we are in league 1. Wealth wise I doubt there is probably much more of a budget except maybe a few hundred extra thousand going in than we had under Smurfwaite in his league 1 era. 

20 hours ago, valeparklife said:

I do wonder if we'll go back in for Cole Stockton this January.

Not hit the heights he did at Morecambe so far, with only 1 EFL trophy goal in his 14 games.

Obviously depends on who the new manager is at Burton, but they might look to move him on to free up a wage.

It's bizarre that Crosby is trying to play this technical, passing style but then signed two physical lumps up front in Loft and Uche, who don't exactly have the best first touch/ability to play that way.

You are totally right that it is bizarre that we have this technical style but two lumps up front. 
 

I think the reason it is disjointed is that I don’t think there is joined up thinking on signings. Flitcroft definitely drives transfers, after all, we were after Loft pre Crosby and were told that he had been after him all summer. 
 

Crosby if he had a big say would never have gone for loft with the style of football he wanted. My view is, I don’t think from what I can see that Crosby is doing actual management. I think he is basically a coach but everything coming out of the club to me suggests the big calls on personnel are made with Flitcroft driving the decision making . 

38 minutes ago, TJHValiant said:

You are totally right that it is bizarre that we have this technical style but two lumps up front. 
 

I think the reason it is disjointed is that I don’t think there is joined up thinking on signings. Flitcroft definitely drives transfers, after all, we were after Loft pre Crosby and were told that he had been after him all summer. 
 

Crosby if he had a big say would never have gone for loft with the style of football he wanted. My view is, I don’t think from what I can see that Crosby is doing actual management. I think he is basically a coach but everything coming out of the club to me suggests the big calls on personnel are made with Flitcroft driving the decision making . 

Game management and motivation is Crosby`s prime function, his recruitment involvement will be defined in his job specification, which varies from club to club using DoFs.As far as I remember he did get involved in some player signings, possibly the loans

The next window will be a let down just like the last one.

1 hour ago, TJHValiant said:

I agree. I think the cold, hard reality is we have a league 2 budget. I would actually argue the budget we have is the weakest link of the club. 
 

The problem we have as a club is that we confuse having great owners with rich ones. They are maximizing all we have and that’s why we are in league 1. Wealth wise I doubt there is probably much more of a budget except maybe a few hundred extra thousand going in than we had under Smurfwaite in his league 1 era. 

Rich is more a matter of perspective.  Plenty of people have a paper wealth of a million.  There aren't many people wealthy enough to lose millions.  I'd consider myself to be comfortably off and I'm way off where the Shanahans are. Buying success in football costs beyond what 99.99% of people can afford.

There is a current trend (Carlisle) for moderately wealthy individuals to throw money at football in some far fetched hope they'll sell the club on for a profit (Wycombe). Fundamentally they won't, although some may get lucky and find a bigger fool. The underlying financial statements say there is a lot more value to be had in different industries. 

I wonder if we will try to offload Uche?

1 hour ago, TJHValiant said:

You are totally right that it is bizarre that we have this technical style but two lumps up front. 
 

I think the reason it is disjointed is that I don’t think there is joined up thinking on signings. Flitcroft definitely drives transfers, after all, we were after Loft pre Crosby and were told that he had been after him all summer. 
 

Crosby if he had a big say would never have gone for loft with the style of football he wanted. My view is, I don’t think from what I can see that Crosby is doing actual management. I think he is basically a coach but everything coming out of the club to me suggests the big calls on personnel are made with Flitcroft driving the decision making . 

I disagree with the strikers.

In the 1st 2 months of the season we were desperately lacking a physical presence up front in the box. We’ve bought to lads to be that but neither are have produced.

Taken from X today. Do you think it rings true or wide of the mark?