Rob Fielding said Carroll Shanahan’s open letter should be respected but fans will continue to protest about the current director of football because they care about the club’s long-term future.
Rob Fielding writes…
I think the open letter from Carol Shanahan shows what a committed and dedicated owner we are. It is clear that, unlike some previous owners, the Shanahans want to make Port Vale a better club and are determined to do so. They deserve the praise and gratitude of their fans.
The fans firmly believe that we failed to strengthen in January and that mistake could lead to our relegation. That would throw his letter target of getting the club into League One within three years to the dustbin. Because we’re back in League 2…
However, as Shanahan herself states in her letter, she has made mistakes, and despite her strong denials, the majority of fans still believe that David Flitcroft is also one of the mistakes. believe.
Football is a strange thing, where strong opinions and emotions can result in people calling for their dismissal. It doesn’t happen in other industries, but it happens in soccer. I have never met David Flitcroft. In most situations, you don’t want anyone to lose their job, let alone a stranger. However, we still strongly believe that a change in Director of Football could be the right step for our club moving forward.
Why do I hold that view? Well, if you’ll excuse the joke, nothing is black and white, and I don’t think David Flitcroft accomplished anything. He has enjoyed success, for example, because of Vale’s reputation as a temporary home for elite loan players. But did he have more successes than failures?
Well, to me, the goals stated in the letter seem a bit mixed around and missing some important goals. I think you need to organize and check off your short-term goals before you start on your long-term goals. Not the other way around.
Of Flitcroft’s list of nine targets in the letter, only one is relevant to his immediate term and that is to ‘remain in League One’. That is the question with the most unclear answer. While other assignments detail specific steps taken, that assignment simply states that he and the club will “do everything we can to make that happen again this year.”
Wait a minute, is that true? Take it Tuesday night. I would argue that “doing everything we can” means that, as head of the football department, I have ultimate responsibility as head of the football department. With his experience in more than 300 games as a manager, he will take command from the sideline rather than handing the job over to a complete rookie in Will Rider.
And why is that the only short-term goal? Are there other players who should be on the list for all-around football responsibility?
What will be the responsibility for the transfer? The only thing mentioned in the letter on that front is building a team to reach League One. Well, that’s done, but what about the rest of the season? The current squad is the most unbalanced it’s been in years, with an experienced left wing-back and two senior strikers. What will be Flitcroft’s successes or failures on that front?
There is no doubt that the balance and depth of the team is the key to the club’s continued success. The fans firmly believe that we failed to strengthen in January and that mistake could lead to our relegation. If he does that, he will return to League Two, and his goal of leading the club to League One within three years will be wasted.
Then there are player contracts…Was it wise to offer two-year contracts to Conor Grant and Dan Jones with injury histories? If so, why was James Wilson, another injury-prone player, only offered a short-term contract? What kind of consistent plan is this? How does it affect the harmony in the dressing room? Again, as director of football, don’t you have ultimate responsibility there as well?
Next is the appointment of management positions. Andy Crosby was a great player, but he just didn’t work out. Recruitment of managers is carried out by the Director of Football. Is the club confident that this decision is the right one?
Personally, I think fans might be more supportive if, like Carroll, the director of football personally acknowledged some mistakes and vowed to learn from them and do better. So, with all due respect to the club president, why did this open letter come from her and not David Flitcroft? He clearly convinced Carol that he was the right man. Now we need to do the same for our fans. If Flitcroft himself met the media or issued his own statements, fans would feel that he would be more responsible and less aloof.
So what will reassure fans? Well, it may already be too late for some, and I don’t think the following approach will please everyone, but it may certainly bring in some fans…
Issues a statement accepting his responsibilities as the current Director of Football. Describe your success (loan program and academy). Accept failure (transfer window). Be responsible for them. Explain how you learn from those failures and what your goals are for them. It may already be too late. That won’t please everyone. But it might help.
I think fans will always respect Carol and Kevin’s hard work and financial contributions. However, it goes both ways. Owners pour millions of dollars into the club in huge personal commitments, but the club cannot survive without its fans. Many fans have been going for decades, they know when something is going well on the pitch, they love the club and if they think something is wrong they speak up and take action. I’ll wake you up. Therefore, while fans will read and respect the owner’s appeal to cancel, it will likely fall on deaf ears at this point as fans care about the club and will continue to make their voices heard. I feel it.
– View: 1,173