1 hour ago, Walka003 said:

This type of argument comes around every year, "you can't listen to fans of other clubs because it didn't happen with X player" but in reality people who have actually watched these players are the best judge surely. 

In the 20 odd years I've been a vale fan, it's happened twice maybe? Garrity and Sodje were better than other fans said. I'd say the rest have ranged from bang average to Ryan Loft. 

I suppose you also get divided opinions within a club's fan base.  I was a big fan of Leon Constantine (as a player) but a lot of the fanbase derided him as lazy.

1 hour ago, Brian Johnson said:

I know I mentioned him a couple of weeks back would love to see us sign Brendan Wiredu. Ticks loads of boxes in a Big D signing 

Can play in a few positions including wing back so yes he is the type we like,i think he is out of contract isn't he? so would need to Gazump Fleetwoods offer to him if we were interested and a good age at 25

Crazy but convinced myself we will sign Iky and Wilks.

 

6 minutes ago, werstayinup said:

Can play in a few positions including wing back so yes he is the type we like,i think he is out of contract isn't he? so would need to Gazump Fleetwoods offer to him if we were interested and a good age at 25

Still in contact according to this 

7 minutes ago, werstayinup said:

Can play in a few positions including wing back so yes he is the type we like,i think he is out of contract isn't he? so would need to Gazump Fleetwoods offer to him if we were interested and a good age at 25

Fleetwood retained list says remaining under contract so would likely require a transfer fee

2 minutes ago, MBE said:

Crazy but convinced myself we will sign Iky and Wilks.

 

ihiekwe I can see for sure, but Wilks...we don't really play with wingers, the only out and out one we've got is Curtis and he's had to turn himself into a makeshift target man to get games. Unless we're thinking of playing him upfront as competition for Tolaj?

2 minutes ago, Rodge said:

Fleetwood retained list says remaining under contract so would likely require a transfer fee

He may have signed another deal then because it did say they signed him in 2022 and he signed a 3yr deal

12 minutes ago, VantaaVale said:

As an example of what I think PV1973 is saying, take a look at where Harper is in the lead up to Grimsby's first goal. He is ball watching and allows a player to drift in behind him to get the shot away.

After Grimsby scored, Byers went mental at Harper. 

And me mate.. I went mental at Harper after the Grimsby goal.

I was soooo disappointed in Harper, showed flashes of being a fantastic player with all the physical attributes. Don’t want to call him lazy, but he didn’t do the hard yards and lacked concentration.

1 minute ago, Walka003 said:

ihiekwe I can see for sure, but Wilks...we don't really play with wingers, the only out and out one we've got is Curtis and he's had to turn himself into a makeshift target man to get games. Unless we're thinking of playing him upfront as competition for Tolaj?

Maybe if we were in for Wilks he would be ear marked for maybe a role like Richards played,I would assume that Rotherham will be in for him

I really wouldn't mind Ihiekwe though

16 minutes ago, Walka003 said:

Would you recommend Rakheem Harper to a L1 club? Did you argue that Loft would be the new Sodje when we signed him? And did you say that Cambridge might be getting a bargain because of his attributes we can't see?

If the answer to any of the above is no then it's kind of null and void what you're trying to say. 

Either way, as Granville says, it's probably a crock of rubbish drummed up by his agent. If not it's a bit of a concern. 

It’s not my job to recommend players.  Yes Loft was awful for us as a one up top. That’s clearly not his game at all and he’s never been a goal scorer if you look at his career, that was plain as day, so why we signed him to play on his own is something only Flitcroft can answer. Picking out his positives though - quick, powerful and a handful for defenders. I think put him with another striker and he could be an effective foil for someone. But who knows what they clubs in every player, they must be seeing some quality or attribute and need someone that fits a mould that they could use in their system.

Honestly if you think clubs are signing players just based on an agents say so then that’s a very naive view. Clubs have all sorts of access to stats, scouting reports, strengths, weaknesses and clips of players that they use. Also managers know which players they can trust. Look at Crosby quickly picking up Smith for example.

5 minutes ago, MBE said:

And me mate.. I went mental at Harper after the Grimsby goal.

I was soooo disappointed in Harper, showed flashes of being a fantastic player with all the physical attributes. Don’t want to call him lazy, but he didn’t do the hard yards and lacked concentration.

Exactly and as you go further up the divisions your concentration levels also need to be higher. 

So I was somewhat relieved to see Harper released.

Edited May 26, 20251 yr by VantaaVale

1 minute ago, Walka003 said:

ihiekwe I can see for sure, but Wilks...we don't really play with wingers, the only out and out one we've got is Curtis and he's had to turn himself into a makeshift target man to get games. Unless we're thinking of playing him upfront as competition for Tolaj?

I’m also convinced we will change shape so we can get more pace into the team. To me it would be crazy to have another 2 years of Curtis, probably one of the higher paid players, playing as a backup striker.

Unless we sell Curtis I can see us playing with wingers in 4231. Really do think it will suit our squad

Amos

John Iky Hall Headley

       Byers Walters

 Wilks Garrity Curtis

        Tolaj 

 

30 minutes ago, MBE said:

I personally think we can do better than him. I would have preferred to keep Smudge than bring him in.

He’s a far better player, defender and leader than Smudge.

a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend  of a friend that watches Fleetwood rates him 

11 minutes ago, PV1973 said:

Picking out his positives though - quick, powerful and a handful for defenders. I think put him with another striker and he could be an effective foil for someone. 

We must have watched a different loft. 

 

11 minutes ago, PV1973 said:

Honestly if you think clubs are signing players just based on an agents say so then that’s a very naive view.

Who's said this?

11 minutes ago, PV1973 said:

Look at Crosby quickly picking up Smith for example.

I would say that is part of my point, 90% of vale fans asked would like to have kept Smith and would say this is a brilliant signing. Antwi is slaughtered by 90% of Newport fans so not sure this is comparable to what I'm on about. 

Edited May 26, 20251 yr by Walka003

10 minutes ago, MBE said:

I’m also convinced we will change shape so we can get more pace into the team. To me it would be crazy to have another 2 years of Curtis, probably one of the higher paid players, playing as a backup striker.

Unless we sell Curtis I can see us playing with wingers in 4231. Really do think it will suit our squad

Amos

John Iky Hall Headley

       Byers Walters

 Wilks Garrity Curtis

        Tolaj 

 

I doubt it TBF, 3-5-2 has worked well, why change it. Especially why would we got to 4 at the back in a league that's harder than the one we played in last year. Hall will get eaten alive if we switch to this imo.