Port Vale: Horsfield's number one focus now on his number two's job

FORMER striker Geoff Horsfield says he is relishing the chance to fully focus on his assistant managerial duties this season.

The 37-year-old says his constant battle with injuries last season, when he was still on Vale's playing staff, limited his contribution in his new role as Micky Adams's number two.

"I realise I've got to concentrate a lot more on my coaching compared to last season," said Horsfield.

"I was always coming back from injuries and that was difficult because I was also trying to manage the reserves and coach at the same time.

"But now I'm fully focused on coaching, which is good for me and for the gaffer.

"Hopefully, I will be a bigger asset to him by taking on more responsibilities this season.

"I'll take the reserves again and get them fully prepared to go into the first team.

"I also need to get more knowledge of players because I need to know about everybody in League Two.

"But this is like an apprenticeship for me and I'll be going to a lot more night games and scouting teams we're going to play.

"That's something I'm looking forward to."

Horsfield, who arrived at the club last summer, expects to sign a new one-year assistant's deal next week.

He then hopes to complete his UEFA B licence coaching badge later this year before starting his A licence course in 2011.

During a distinguished playing career, Horsfield netted 126 goals in 398 appearances during a playing career which took in spells with Birmingham and West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League.

But calf and hamstring problems limited him to just 12 appearances last season, including just one start.

Horsfield will no longer be available for first-team duty now that he has retired, but may still turn out for the reserves.

"Geoff has a lot of learn on the management side of things," said Adams.

"He's doing what we actually pay him for now, which is to assist me.

"He didn't do a lot of scouting last season because we needed to keep him fresh for games.

"But he'll be doing a lot more of that now and a lot more on the training ground, too."

JUSTIN Richards believes Vale's excellent team spirit can be a major weapon in their battle to win League Two promotion.

The 29-year-old striker spent last week getting to know his new team-mates in Ireland after arriving from Cheltenham Town earlier in the summer.

"I travel to training with Kris Taylor, Lee Collins, Rob Taylor and Marc Richards, so they are guys I probably knew the best," said Richards.

"But I get on with the whole squad and they've all made me feel part of the group.

"Our team spirit and dressing room is one of the best I've been around.

"All the players seem to respect each other and are pulling in the same direction.

"Hopefully, that will count for a lot because the lads want to help each other and they're an honest bunch.

"That will stand the squad in really good stead for this season."

STEVE SHAW