Pope won't go anywhere

[BurslemFinest]

agree.....providing we get a fee for him

 

yes for sure!! a nice 2/3 year contract with a minimum fee release clause to keep the scavengers away and to ensure good busines / profit for PVFC

[boomer's vet]

I'm inclined to agree with this. Reading that Daily Mail article last week about him, the players they compared him to (Holt & Lambert) have consistently scored goals their whole careers, Popey hasn't. I don't think the Championship would gamble on him yet and I think he'd rather have a crack of getting into League One with us than have 4 or 5 months extra there now.

 

I'm not tempting fate because I want him to stay, it's just how I see it

 

You are wrong if you think no Championship clubs are willing take a gamble on him. I'm pretty sure he has probably told his agent to keep a 'hands off' sticker on him until the end of the season and that is the reason we haven't had any official bids for him publicised yet.

 

Like he says in the article, he is going nowhere unless a Premiership club comes in for him.

[Heatwave]

Like he says in the article' date=' he is going nowhere unless a Premiership club comes in for him.[/quote']

 

And there's the rub. Premiership play is built on pace and I'm sure that any perceived lack of pace will have been reported back to the managers of any club scouting Popey. On that basis I'm hopeful we'll have his services for the foreseeable future. :)

[Birches Head Fred]

"he then also said he would only move to a club that is no more than an hour away from burslem"

 

How many clubs fall into that category. It takes me 30 miuns to get from Birches Head to Kidsgrove in the morning and vice-versa at night.......****** Roadworks and snow EXCLUDED.!

[Shropshire_Valiant]

I've heard similar things from people who know/claim to know Pope recently too.

 

Like I've said before he is in the form of his life/career this season, and he is a native of Stoke-on-Trent/a Vale fan. Football is a short career and I'd imagine Popey will be living in the area after he's retired from playing. Stay this season at least and get 30+ goals/fire us to promotion/break Andy Jones and/or Wilf Kirkham's records and he will be a hero amongst Vale fans for the rest of his life.

Some of his goals this season have been class at this level, and his transformation as a player has been the most startling I've ever seen in around 20 years of watching football(from my own point of view). It truly has been a pleasure to witness it so far and I don't think a Vale player will have a better chance(touch wood Pope stays fit) to beat the all time scoring records(pre war and post war) perhaps in our life time.

[Edge81]

And there's the rub. Premiership play is built on pace

 

Teddy Sheringham was **** wasn't he?!

[andy jones]

and Andy Jones.

 

and if he hasn't got pace can someone time his runs at Rotherham and Wimbledon for his goals.

 

BTW I think his goal against Wimbledon will go down as one of the best individual goals I've ever seen in a Vale shirt.

 

1 - look at it in slow motion and you will see that he sees the possibility even before the defender receives the ball.

 

2 - he had to bust a gut to get from where he was to beat the keeper to it.

 

3 - the interception was anything but easy as the ball had 'passed' him and he had to drag it back from it recaing the keeper.

 

4 - Incredible athleticism to get up from the roll overs as quick as he did

 

5 - to realise in an instant that he had to take it first time

 

6 - to hit the target from such a narrow angle

 

No it wasn't classically spectacular but other than Wayne Rooney I dont know any other player who would have the attributes and skill to achieve the above.

 

If we continue to progress as a club we have Sproey 2 to look forward to - he will switch to centre half to extend his career

[leek.Valiant]

and Andy Jones.

 

and if he hasn't got pace can someone time his runs at Rotherham and Wimbledon for his goals.

 

BTW I think his goal against Wimbledon will go down as one of the best individual goals I've ever seen in a Vale shirt.

 

1 - look at it in slow motion and you will see that he sees the possibility even before the defender receives the ball.

 

2 - he had to bust a gut to get from where he was to beat the keeper to it.

 

3 - the interception was anything but easy as the ball had 'passed' him and he had to drag it back from it recaing the keeper.

 

4 - Incredible athleticism to get up from the roll overs as quick as he did

 

5 - to realise in an instant that he had to take it first time

 

6 - to hit the target from such a narrow angle

 

No it wasn't classically spectacular but other than Wayne Rooney I dont know any other player who would have the attributes and skill to achieve the above.

 

If we continue to progress as a club we have Sproey 2 to look forward to - he will switch to centre half to extend his career

 

Please tell me you're having a laugh? It was a good finish but to say only Wayne Rooney could of done is unbelievable. I can name about 100 players who could of done it. And that's from someone who rated Pope well before he went on this run!

[leek.Valiant]

Im going to upset some of you with this probably BUT........ I very much doubt anyone would risk the gamble and pay silly wages on a 27 year old who has had one miraculous season in division 4.

Added to that he has no pace whatsoever.

 

Now, before i get slaughtered, id like to add that i hope he stays with us as he is by far our biggest asset and WILL score goals. But lets face it, potential scouts will be very unsure about him considering his unorthadox style of play and a massive lack of pace.

 

It suits us down to the ground in my opinion and long may the pope continue notching.

 

Different players have different styles.

 

Sheringham didn't have pace, Yorke wasn't overly quick, but they could finish better then most hence they were very good players in our top division. People with no pace have made it in the PL.

 

Pope isn't a Premier League player and never will be but I tell you what I fancy him against anyone in the air.

 

Not sure why Pope is unorthodox? To me he's an orthodox target man, tall, holds the ball up well, good in the air, links the play well...

[Bails]

I wish we had played Liverpool yesterday... He would have murdered Coates!

[the old bycars tea bar]

I wish we had played Liverpool yesterday... He would have murdered Coates!

 

Was thinking the same when was watching the game

[Paul6754]

IMO, pace comes from two places, yer legs and yer brain. Popey's positional sense and his ability to anticipate come from his brain and are first class and more than make up for not having the leg speed of a Usain Bolt.

 

Has there ever been a "big" target man with the pace of a Theo Walcott, the only one I can think of is Alan Shearer and I doubt he was as quick as Theo.

 

The likes of Giroud and Grant Holt are no quicker than Tom Pope.

[ollyandpatch]

Not sure whether this has been aired on here?

 

[nowag]

Im going to upset some of you with this probably BUT........ I very much doubt anyone would risk the gamble and pay silly wages on a 27 year old who has had one miraculous season in division 4.

Added to that he has no pace whatsoever.

 

Now, before i get slaughtered, id like to add that i hope he stays with us as he is by far our biggest asset and WILL score goals. But lets face it, potential scouts will be very unsure about him considering his unorthadox style of play and a massive lack of pace.

 

It suits us down to the ground in my opinion and long may the pope continue notching.

 

"Lack of pace"...... He beat the Wimbledon goalkeeper to the ball last Thursday anyway, :rolleyes:

[andy jones]

OK LV name them and then I can have a laugh.