Upbeat Plymouth Argyle are ready to meet Port Vale challenge
'BRING IT ON'. That is the defiant message coming out of Home Park as relegation-threatened and managerless Argyle prepare to take on Port Vale in League Two tomorrow.
Second-placed Vale are a couple of points behind leaders Gillingham and in 21-goal striker Tom Pope they have the top marksman in the division by some distance.
-
SERVICE PROVIDER: Jennison Myrie-Williams (centre) celebrates scoring at Home Park in the 3-1 win against Argyle in September
Pope's tally is only eight less than the number of goals the Pilgrims have scored collectively this season.
The odds would appear to be stacked against Argyle tomorrow, but first team coach Kevin Nancekivell is undeterred by that.
no call out fee and no fee to price a job its free,
Contact: 01752 781832
Valid until: Sunday, June 02 2013
Nancekivell and assistant manager Romain Larrieu have taken temporary charge of first team matters after the sacking of Carl Fletcher on New Year's Day.
"Bring it on," was the response of Nancekivell when the prospect of Argyle's tough trip to Vale Park was raised with him.
"Port Vale are flying high at the minute. They are a good team and the league table doesn't lie. They have got some match-winners and good players.
"But we have got some good players ourselves and they were very focused in training yesterday. They have got a point to prove and they desperately want to put things right.
"They will be well-prepared, they will know their jobs and we will give it a good crack.
"We will put our stamp on the team, for sure, but we won't be making wholesale changes.
"It's a tight-knit squad and apart from the results, which obviously show in the league table, some of our performances have been okay.
"The whole squad will be pulling together as one and we will go from there."
Larrieu added: "We already know what the plan is going to be. There won't be major changes."
Pope has scored 21 of Vale's 50 league goals this season, but he relies a lot on the service of widemen Jennison Myrie-Williams and Ashley Vincent.
Nancekivell said: "Pope is a threat and we are going to have to be aware of that, but they have got other players apart from him that we know about.
"They are a good team but we don't want to under-estimate ourselves too much. We have got some good players and I'm sure they will do us, and the club, proud tomorrow."
He added: "When the ball is rolling you forget everything else that is going on.
"We will be looking to get on the bus with the squad and just cocoon ourselves a little bit, and concentrate on what we have got to do.
"We're looking forward to it and let's see what tomorrow brings."
Argyle will not only be without Fletcher at Vale Park but also midfielder Mark Molesley, who completed a loan spell from League One outfit Bournemouth on New Year's Day.
Molesley made four starts and two substitute appearances during a short stint with the Pilgrims.
Earlier this week, he tweeted: "Grateful for the opportunity and very proud to have had the chance to represent @Only1Argyle. Thanks for all the support."
Nancekivell said: "Mark has gone back. He did terrific for us and I would like to thank him for all his efforts in his time here."
Meanwhile, winger Joe Lennox and first-year professional Isaac Vassell have both been offered one-month contracts with Argyle until the end of January.
That will keep them at the club while a successor for Fletcher is found and the new manager will then be able to decide on the future of the pair.
Nancekivell said: "We are hoping to get something sorted out with them so their contract is extended until the end of January.
"It gives the new man the chance to make his own mind up. It would not be fair of us to offer, or not offer, contracts at the minute."
Lennox has played 15 times this season, including six starts, and scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Exeter City last month.
Vassell has yet to feature for the first team this term, but made eight substitute appearances in 2011/12.
Comments
by levelheaded
Sunday, January 06 2013, 3:21PM
“4-0. What happened to getting a pont lifeboat.
Going down and deservedly so. Any team that employs a murdering drunken goaly will get their just deserts eventually.
W*****s.”
by realist1955
Sunday, January 06 2013, 12:22PM
“yes bring it on,,4 -0”
by PVFC61
Saturday, January 05 2013, 11:17AM
“Er, I ASSUME your name's very similar to Spike Milligan for a good reason? lol. OK, er and I'd rather 'Live in the shadow' of a Premier league side than Torquay!.......”
by MikeSpiligan
Saturday, January 05 2013, 9:46AM
“PVFC61.... (i'm assuming that's the collective IQ number for the Vales fan base)
If ever someone put a deaths knell on a situation this is it.... 1 nil to the Argyle, Birchall sent off.
If Chris Birchall and Purse are anything to go by I wouldn't be holding my breath waiting to hear who the 3rd 'major' signing is.... Maybe they can get Wilf Kirkham to lace em up again... or could it be that fat, short ****d twot Robbie Williams... There will only be one Robbie at the Vale this afternoon...
Thanks for visiting us PVFC61... whilst it is appreciated that there is probably little for you Valiants to cheer about living under the shadow of Stoke and Burton and Maccelsfield and Shrewsbury and Walsall and Crewe and Wrexham and whilst I doubt that you have somewhere to post your comments locally due to a lack of interest, please feel free to pop by from to time to keep us updated as to why the Vale failed to get out of the 2nd division this season...”
by MikeSpiligan
Saturday, January 05 2013, 9:17AM
“Queenie... Private James Frazer did say "It'll be the ruuuuuuin of him"
I hope the Vale do play Purse against us and young Tyler runs rings around him all afternoon.... Got absolutely no time for any Argyle player who is no longer a part of the fold... Once they are gone they are gone and ex Argyle.. no room for sentiment in this business...”
by PVFC61
Saturday, January 05 2013, 9:10AM
“We've been out of administration for 3 month's now since multi millioanaire Paul Wildes purchased the club, DO keep up!? lol.
Aside from Purse, we re signed Chris Birchall yesterday, he has recieved his international clearence so play's v you lot today. At half time today there's a announcement of a major signing third too, things are DEFFO on the up and atlong last we're about to leave this hellish league!
Oh and Popey hasn't scored for a WHOLE GAME now so be afraid, be very afraid.........”
by MikeSpiligan
Saturday, January 05 2013, 9:06AM
“Article sbutitled....
AN EVEN UPPERBEAT PORT VALE ARE READY TO STEAMROLLER MANAGERLESS ARGYLE.
It would be a kick in the teeth for Fletcher if they were to go to the Vale and pull off a win... I mean, if they couldn't do it while he was in charge it's hardly worth them trying to prove a point now !! Still I'd take a draw if we could stop them from scoring... Roll on Monday morning and the dawning of a new era for the Argyle”
by queenie1923
Saturday, January 05 2013, 8:39AM
“if you look at pursey , i think it was his decision to leave the club ,age might have come in to the aquation and is fitness aswell .... if we can find another central defender in the same calibre , you look at the defenders we have let go over the seasons for me it would be seip and timar , our loss somebody elses gain thats argyle all over..”
by DrDoctorX
Saturday, January 05 2013, 7:33AM
“We are 9 points better off then we were at this point last season. That is an improvement. We will not go down. Let's all get behind John Sheridan and the team today and raise the roof. We have good history of travelling away to clubs at the top and getting 3 point. No reason why we can not do that today (QPR on Wednesday anyone!). John Sheridan is a damn good manager. He knows this league and does not mess about. Guarantee we will start winning games now and move on up. Keep the faith and keep it green!”
by MandyLifeboat
Saturday, January 05 2013, 5:45AM
“DrDoctor X - Don't think Godfrey ever said that as he was never awake long enough ;-)
BUT Private Walker did say that if you give him a few quid, he can get something decent and with a good pedigree. Private Fraser also said - We're doomed - but we are not yet.
Over to you Mr Brent
Mandy Lifeboat xx”