By theimps.tk
July 17 2009

Port Vale's appointment of Micky Adams might have appeared decent on paper, but when you actually start looking into it, it's not actually that great. The former Leicester and Coventry manager seemed ambitious, but we now examine why it might not be and also why I think Port Vale are destined for a relegation battle. What can you say about a club where the fans didn't want a manager (Lee Sinnott) to be sacked despite losing 24 of the 44 League games he had in charge of them? Well firstly it takes a lot for a side to not even slightly impress me in their two games against City during the season. Even in beating Accrington 7-1 on aggregate last season, there was still a 30 minute period when we could have gone 4-0 down to them. However, despite beating City at Sincil Bank, Port Vale did nothing in their two games against Lincoln to actually impress me, other than one of the best hit and hope shots you'll ever see.

Port Vale's answer to replacing Glover as manager was to bring in Micky Adams, at first glance a decent appointment but his win ratio at clubs has gradually been in decline in recent years. He won nearly half his games in charge of Brighton between 1999 and 2001 before going to manage Leicester and have an average of just under a win every three games. That became a record of exactly one win every three games at Coventry before returning to Brighton last year, winning less than one ever four of his games in charge. Funnily enough, Glover, who the majority of Port Vale fans wanted out of the management seat last season, managed more wins (12) from fewer games (39) than Micky Adams did during last season.

Vale have not been busy in the transfer market either with three in and three out. Fraser and Loft have joined from Brighton, whereas Adam Yates has come in from Mansfield. This means they are still effectively relying on Louis Dodds and Marc Richards to be their main sources of goals this season, a dangerous tactic as neither score an overly large amount and Dodds is not good enough to score more than you'd expect from a regular off of the bench. He's always been the type of striker that would be a good back up, but he's not consistent enough to score 15-20 a season, highlighted by just 7 goals in 44 League games last season and 9 in his 41 League games for Lincoln.

Looking at last season, where they spent the majority of it under a manager who had a better record overall last year than their new manager, it reveals that Port Vale could easily stuggle. They ended the season on a record of just four wins from nineteen games. Those wins came against strugglers Macclesfield, Chester and Barnet, as well as a Darlington side who were in horrendous form.

Only Macclesfield and relegated Chester suffered more home defeats and only Chester won fewer at home. However, Port Vale had a decent record on the road, winning seven, comparable to sides that were chasing the Playoffs. That could easily be their biggest advantage in a season when they could easily be fighting relegation for long periods of time.

I think that away form will be the difference between them, Macclesfield and Accrington Stanley. With Adam's record last year being worse than Glovers, it is a more risky appointment than it would have initially seemed and I can't see that risk paying off, with a relegation battle likely to occur in my opinion.

Appointment of Adams might not be that good for Vale

Discussion started by theimps.tk (IP Logged), 17/07/2009 14:41

theimps.tk
17/07/2009 14:41

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I Blame Paul Mayo
17/07/2009 17:31

they didnt really have much going forward last year, and none of those signings are going to change that much. i think they will come around 18ish.

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CheshireImp
17/07/2009 18:30

1st


poets day and time for a drink or two or thre..........................



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:07:17:18:31:01 by CheshireImp.

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