MOORE EYES SUMMER CLEAROUT
Manager anticipates big changes as he tries to find winning formula following relegation
DARREN Moore will be changing his captain at Port Vale next season and drew applause and cheers at a fans’ forum when confirming players would be leaving to make way for new recruits.
Many fans see last season’s squad as one of the worst in years and whether Nathan Smith stays or goes, he will no longer be the team skipper.
But Moore, who endeared himself to supporters with his wit and good humour at Thursday night’s fans’ forum, reassured fans that change would be happening.
Alongside CEO
Matt Hancock and supporters’ club chairman Mark Porter, he said: “We need some fresh faces to bring that balance and that cohesion.
“It’s obvious to see where we can address those areas. It’s then trying to bring players in to create a team and a synergy so there’s a balance to it and there’s an effectiveness to our play.
“We have got other competitors out there. There are players we’ve seen and identified. We are working extremely hard to make sure we are bringing the right players to Port Vale to bring that consistency over a season.”
Moore was asked, “how do we facilitate that with 17 players under contract?”
His answer was what fans wanted to hear. He replied: “Just because you see 17 players under contract, that doesn’t mean that all 17 players will be here at the start of next season. That’s the best way
I can say it.”
Moore said he will be flexible with formations and will be “bringing in players for specific positions but they must have a secondary position they can play” in the event of injuries and loss of form.
Hancock confirmed that Moore’s budget for next season would be “very competitive” even though “we haven’t got an unlimited budget.”
Hancock added: “We have got so many players in the building so there has to be that flex.”
As for Moore, he wants to act quickly and when asked how soon he would like the body of his squad in place he quipped: “I would like the body of players in place after the bank holiday.” After the laughter had died down he added: “As soon as possible. The sooner you get them in, the more you work with them and bed them in. “Do we know who we want to bring in? Yes. Have we started making contact with the ones that we want? Yes. The work is already ongoing. But there is fierce competition out there and we are fighting to get them in.”
Keeping the quality players is key and Moore drew more chuckles after a supporter said she would like the club to keep the obvious good players, naming Ben Garrity, Ethan Chislett and Connor Ripley. She could have thrown Funso Ojo in there too.
Moore smiled and said: “Well, they are currently walking around with a ‘not for sale’ sign on their backs. They are contracted, and have been good players for us. I can understand concerns [fans] but the planning is certainly with them around this squad.”
Recruitment will in some way depend on those leaving and he added: “I can’t give specific numbers. We know what we want, we know what we need to do, but there’s so much that needs to happen in terms of players going out the door.
“There’s nobody leaving as we speak but in the football industry 24 hours is a long time and things can happen in a second.”
Moore, who, in jest, also suggested the squad would be off to Japan in pre-season, intimated there would be more than the four friendlies played last year before the season’s start, and that two would be “high level teams” at Vale Park, with details to come.