Squad for next season

[bookworm]

Fingers crossed on the miles away bit.

 

thanks smiffy:D

[bookworm]

I hope no one lets you have sharp objects and they keep the medicine cabinet locked!

 

I've watched the vale for too long methinks ,always expect the worst so anything else comes as a pleasant surprise,,oops forgot me medication,

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

What we have to appreciate with players like Yates, Dodds and Williamson is whether or not we can find better/more reliable players for the wage they command. All three are seasoned pro's who know their way around the club and this league. I suspect they're all positive characters in the dressing room and are not injury prone. They may not be world beaters and if they started every game they would not push us beyond the position we are in currently, but as low-mid wage squad players we would probably struggle to find better value for money.

 

It's not as simple as 'Yatesy's *****, let's get rid', as relatively cheap backups these players are well worth keeping IMO.

 

We've already got 6-7 backup standard players under contract for next season though, partly thanks to Adams handing out 2 year deals to average players last Summer.

 

Very difficult to achieve on a reduced budget, I know, but we need players to improve the starting XI, not retain even more that are nowhere near good enough to have us seriously challenging in this league.

 

Having too many of those type of players in the squad will inevitably mean that they make up half of the regular first-choice starters.

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

Even though he's got another 12 months left on his contract I wonder if McGivern might leave by mutual consent, if he can find another club.

 

He's clearly not rated by Page, (who has preferred Collins, Duffy, Robertson, Veseli, Inniss at centre-back in recent months) and McGivern himself may want to move on as he's not going to get into the Northern Ireland squad if he's sat on our bench, at best - a possibly important factor with them looking good to qualify for Euro 2016 next Summer, which he'd surely want to be a part of.

 

As for another of our under-contract players, I see that Lines scored for Bristol Rovers in their Conference play-off semi win today. If they beat Grimsby in the Final and get back into League 2 you would think that they will want to keep him on for next season.

[werstayinup]

Even though he's got another 12 months left on his contract I wonder if McGivern might leave by mutual consent, if he can find another club.

 

He's clearly not rated by Page, (who has preferred Collins, Duffy, Robertson, Veseli, Inniss at centre-back in recent months) and McGivern himself may want to move on as he's not going to get into the Northern Ireland squad if he's sat on our bench, at best - a possibly important factor with them looking good to qualify for Euro 2016 next Summer, which he'd surely want to be a part of.

 

As for another of our under-contract players, I see that Lines scored for Bristol Rovers in their Conference play-off semi win today. If they beat Grimsby in the Final and get back into League 2 you would think that they will want to keep him on for next season.

 

The Bristol fans love him there and have chanted his name in both play off games,so yes i think they would look at that one.

 

I had actually forgotten about McGivern until i saw him go around the pitch yesterday

[hamilboy]

Yates a decent full back when anybody runs at him he backs off that much he is almost in burslem park i certainly do not think that is good full back play.

[valerule4ever]

The problem is we have far too many lg2 standard players, Yates,Birchall,Williamson,Duffy,Daniel to name a few, if released I doubt any of these would be signed by our lg1 rivals, the only players I'd like to keep would be Marshall,Pope,O'connor,Neal,Brown,Dodds and maybe Moore, the rest I would not lose much sleep if they left.

[Badgerspaws]

One of the problems facing whoever manages the club is the players who are under contract. Given the choice now, how many of them would you want to keep for a league one campaign?

[TheSage]

The problem is we have far too many lg2 standard players, Yates,Birchall,Williamson,Duffy,Daniel to name a few, if released I doubt any of these would be signed by our lg1 rivals, the only players I'd like to keep would be Marshall,Pope,O'connor,Neal,Brown,Dodds and maybe Moore, the rest I would not lose much sleep if they left.

 

Tend to agree.

 

But as has already been noted a number are contracted next season (thanks Mr Adams!) and they are largely players we don't really need to keep. And 3/6 names might well go.

 

The big problem I think is that we are short in a few key areas of the pitch and finding those kind of players who will make a difference is very hard. I remember Foyle making the same comment when we lost Bridgy - about how hard it is to find a 12 goal central midfield player - and it is.

 

I think we need two very good centre backs. That would make a huge difference at the back.

We also need a goalscoring midfielder - the box-to-box- type who can run past the strikers and make forward runs into the box. We haven't got one now that Knott and Loft have gone.

Lastly, we need a striker who can get us ideally 15+ goals and who is better than BW.

 

But these kind of players are not easy to find. You can pick up keepers and full backs relatively easily but not the type we need.

 

I suppose if only 1/5 of the young lads makes the breakthrough it would be a bonus.

 

And I still say if we could find 1-2 quality loan players who are good enough to start each week (not chancers like Luer and O'Sullivan) and have their wages paid by their parent clubs, then that too would help us immensely.

 

I can see us having a decent team with a bit of luck, but if the better ones depart we are then looking at bringing in 7-8 players rather than 3-4 and that might be a step too far.

 

An interesting pre-season awaits - as always at Vale park!

[Guppy 4 England]

Is linked??

 

Pretty sure he isnt any more.

 

Pope was linked with 1 bigger club in Millwall. And yes your correct the first two sentences do some my thoughts up, hence why I wrote them... Pope has been very poor all season and I think we look far better without him (baring Preston). Im not Dodds's biggest fan but I think he is a decent enough squad player.

 

You should keep your opinions to yourself to save yourself looking stupid then. Dodds is a decent enough squad player but Pope isn't? Pope changes games, ala Preston last week. Get yourself looked at mate, something's not right.

[valiant_593]

You should keep your opinions to yourself to save yourself looking stupid then. Dodds is a decent enough squad player but Pope isn't? Pope changes games, ala Preston last week. Get yourself looked at mate, something's not right.

 

No need for the insults. Every post you reply to me you insinuate something. It's called a forum and in forums people present their opinions... So I'll keep giving mine thanks.

 

Dodds is a decent squad player in that hole behind the forwards.

 

Of course pope would be an excellent squad player. The problem is he is on a lot more than a squad player would be. Pope is paid as our key player our main man up top and for the wages he gets he just hasn't performed. As for changing games he has changed one. Could you name another match he changed other than the Preston one? Every player can change a game once a season.

 

So let me recap for you. Dodds is a decent squad player

 

Pope would be an excellent squad player but wages are far too high to be a squad player.

[Conrad]

No need for the insults. Every post you reply to me you insinuate something. It's called a forum and in forums people present their opinions... So I'll keep giving mine thanks.

 

Dodds is a decent squad player in that hole behind the forwards.

 

Of course pope would be an excellent squad player. The problem is he is on a lot more than a squad player would be. Pope is paid as our key player our main man up top and for the wages he gets he just hasn't performed. As for changing games he has changed one. Could you name another match he changed other than the Preston one? Every player can change a game once a season.

 

So let me recap for you. Dodds is a decent squad player

 

Pope would be an excellent squad player but wages are far too high to be a squad player.

 

Popes just won the top scorer award for the 3rd year running, and he's been out for 3 months.

[valiant_593]

Popes just won the top scorer award for the 3rd year running, and he's been out for 3 months.

 

I know, he's done that with 9 goals? That's embarrassing.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

I know, he's done that with 9 goals? That's embarrassing.

 

For me there's not too much wrong with the keeper and midfield but the defence and strike force have been pretty horrific by most standards this season. We need at least 4 new defenders and at least 3 strikers.

[TheSage]

This constant criticism of Pope is silly as well as tedious.

 

He's scored 12 goals - not 9 - unless cup competitions don't count. Last time I checked, they did.

He's started only 31 games.

If he'd played 50 games and been fully fit, with good service, he'd have scored 16-20, which makes comments criticising him all the more ludicrous.

 

He's contributed greatly to keeping us up. To give you three examples off the top of my head - second half versus Preston, his goal at Yeovil and the winner at Walsall. Shall I continue? Oldham away, Walsall home, the crucial equaliser at Coventry. You can't say he hasn't influenced games.

 

He hasn't been fit since November yet still pulls on a shirt and does his best.

I'm not sure what you expect from him.

 

Why were Millwall and Barnsley after him when he was fully fit? I suppose they were after a squad player were they?

And when he doesn't score, his physical presence alone creates openings for others.

 

How anyone who watches the team can't see how important his contribution has been is beyond me.

He's been a super player for us and a real 100% grafter each and every week, despite his injury problems.