POPE: I HAVE MORE STRINGS TO MY BOW THAN FANS THINK
TOM Pope says he feels disrespected by suggestions that he should only be in the Port Vale team if they are playing direct.
The striker played his first competitive game of the season, following a six-game ban, when he came through 90 minutes of Tuesday night’s 3-1 win at Wigan in the EFL Trophy.
The 35-year-old target man is hoping to get a chance in John Askey’s first team having been an unused substitute in Saturday’s 1-0 League Two defeat at Morecambe.
That defeat led to some fans questioning whether Askey should have used Pope and gone route one, but the club’s post-war record goalscorer says there is more to his game than that.
He explained: “I think people do me a disservice. I am a fan as well as a player and obviously I see the comments and all the reports.
“People were saying on Saturday, ‘that was a game for Pope, lump it.’
“I felt disrespected. I feel like people think I just head a ball and that’s it. It was annoying, it hurt a little bit. I know it’s only fans, but I still think I am the best hold-up player in League Two.
“That’s not me being big headed, I have that confidence. Even at 35, I don’t think there is any better target man in this league.
“So if you get bodies around me I can create goals and score goals and be a threat.”
Askey switched from his usual 4-33 to a 4-4-2 on Tuesday, a formation that meant both Pope and fellow striker Theo Robinson could get game time.
The manager has plenty of options up front for Saturday’s home game against Carlisle, with Mark Cullen, Pope and Devante Rodney available, as well as Robinson who scored twice in the win at Wigan.
Robinson and Pope combined well in the 4-4-2, but Pope feels he can also be effective in a 4-3-3 with support from attacking midfielders.
He was also pleased to get 90 minutes in his first competitive game since March.
He said: “You are doing all that training, and all the running, for a really long time so you are just itching to get out there. It was great to finally get back on the pitch and put the shirt on.”
He joked: “The thing for me is it doesn’t really affect me whether I am out for eight months or eight minutes. My sharpness and fitness have never been an issue because I’ve never had any!
“I’ve always been able to run around, but in terms of sharpness I can go without.
“So, that wasn’t in question. It was just nice to put the shirt on, and get back out there and try to perform.
“That’s what I enjoy doing, being out there on the pitch, being a handful, trying to make things happen and putting the shirt on. That’s what you work all week for.”