Crisitan Montano has proved to be a key figure amongst the Vale squad so far this campaign, and he admits he is thoroughly enjoying his time at the club.
Montano has appeared in 15 of the Vale’s 20 league games so far this campaign and is delighted with the run of games he is getting in the side compared to this stage last season.
The 27-year-old plays naturally as a winger, but has had to fill in at left-back on numerous occasions since he joined the club, and emphasises that he is learning a lot during his time with the Valiants.
With the club sat just three points off a play-off spot, and with third round ties in the FA Cup and the Leasing.com Trophy to play, Montano explains that everything about the club is positive.
“I’m enjoying it, I’m learning, I’m happy, probably the happiest I’ve been in a while playing football. Obviously I’ve had the run of games I’m having, whereas this time last year I had probably not played as many games as I have now, and touch wood may it continue.
“I’d say it’s probably the happiest I have been since I’ve been at Vale, I'm enjoying my football, the way we’re working, everything about the club, the club, the place, you can sense the positivity.
“I enjoy coming into work, always looking forward to training, look forward to games, it’s enjoyable and hopefully it can continue like that.”
Montano has played under three different permanent managers since arriving at the club in June 2017, yet says that John Askey made a huge difference when he came to the club back in February.
The Vale winger explains how he knew from day one that Askey was here to work, and his first training session came as a shock to the players due to the intensity that they hadn’t been used to.
It’s now been just over 10 months since Askey arrived at the club, and Montano admits that he has installed an identity within the side, and it shows with the way they have been performing this season.
“You can notice the big difference, the gaffer has come in and done an incredible job with the staff. I noticed the difference the first day he came in last season.
“The training session he put on, it was a shock to the system, the intensity, the session he put out and how he wanted to play, it made me personally feel that we’re here to work.
“It shouldn’t have been a shock to the system, but it was because of the way we had been training prior to him coming in, and now it’s just the norm, my body is used to it.
“You can see now that he had his first pre-season with us, he installed what he wanted from us, we’ve got an identity now, how we want to play, and it shows in a lot of games that we've played and the position that we’re in as well."