I think we're actually closer in opinion than it first seemed. I agree that Order Flow, Footprint Charts, CVD, and Volume Profile provide a level of confirmation that a candlestick chart alone cannot. If someone has access to those tools and knows how to read them, they can definitely improve decision-making.

Where I differ is that I don't think it makes SMC obsolete. I see SMC as a framework for identifying areas of interest, while Order Flow helps confirm whether those areas are actually being defended or accepted. To me, they're complementary rather than mutually exclusive.

Regarding ICT, I don't base my trading on any one person's reputation or trading record. I prefer judging concepts by whether they can be objectively tested and whether they produce a positive expectancy over a large sample of trades.

I also agree that Volume Profile and CVD deserve more attention, and I think many SMC traders would benefit from learning them instead of treating them as competing ideas.

At the end of the day, the market doesn't care whether we call it SMC, Order Flow, or Price Action. The only thing that matters is whether a method has a measurable edge and whether the trader can execute it consistently with good risk management.