Archived News from September 2013
|
COX, TAFAZOLLI AND BOOTHROYD REACTION
|
 |
|
Cox celebrates centenary with victory
mansfieldtown.net Manager Paul Cox celebrated his 100th league match as our boss in style this afternoon, as we eased to a 3-0 victory over Northampton Town at One Call Stadium. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/cox-celebrates-centenary-with-victory-1068029.aspx?#Cc8UoMLM4YyYKg2g.99 Ben Hutchinson fired us ahead with a spectacular free-kick on the half-hour mark, before a strike by Sam Clucas and a bizarre own goal by Mathias Doumbe, condemned The Cobblers to their fifth defeat in six matches. By contrast our side, have now risen to fifth position in Sky Bet League Two, and go into next weekend's crunch local 'derby' with fierce rivals Chesterfield on a seven-match unbeaten run. Meanwhile, Cox, who has been in charge since May 2011, also now has a 60% win ratio (COMMENT BY MARTIN - INCORRECT, IT IS 59%)in league matches with us. Our boss' record reads: Won 60, Drew 21, Lost 19. (COMMENT BY MARTIN - INCORRECT, IT IS 59/22/19) In his post-match press conference following today's victory, Cox said: "It was a great result and it's a results business." "As a game, I don't think that it was a great spectacle, but saying that, we knew what we were going to come up against. Northampton aren't a bad side, and I can still see them being up there at the end of the season. "We had to defend the first ball very well, but defend the second ball even better. Our players played with a lot of heart today." He continued: "The way we train is the way we play now. The boys are thowing themselves in front of shots, 'Maz' (Alan Marriott) is diving at people's feet, and all credit has to go to the boys. "If the one that 'JJ' (James Jennings) cleared off the line had gone in, it makes it a different game. "Defending is an art and it's something that we're working on, but I'm very pleased with the work-ethic that we showed today." Paul Cox's full post-match press conference will be available on Stags Player later today. -------------------- 100 not out for manager Paul Cox as Stags go fifth chad.co.uk by John Lomas Mansfield Town boss Paul Cox was relieved to see his side stand up to Northampton Town’s aerial bombardment in today’s 3-0 victory and admitted the score flattered his side. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/100-not-out-for-manager-paul-cox-as-stags-go-fifth-1-6074856 A spectacular free kick by Ben Hutchinson, a fourth goal in four games for Sam Clucas and a memorable own goal by Mathias Doumbe sealed the points while Alan Marriott produced some crucial saves. “That was a great result, though it was never a 3-0, but you have go to be greedy in football and take everything that comes your way,” said Cox, who marked his 100th league game in charge by steering his side up into fifth place. “With the ball we were a bit off the mark today and I don’t think the game was a great spectacle. But we knew what we were up against. “I don’t think Northampton are a bad side and I can still see them being well up there later in the season. They are very hard to play against and probably a tweak away from being a top side. They just need something to click for them like we had last season. “We won 3-0 but I was more pleased with our defending. We came under a bit of a bombardment today and we stood up to it. “The way we train is the way we play and the boys are taking that onto the field. They never know when to give in. “That was a great free kick by Hutch. He does that in training all the time but he took the training ground onto the first team pitch today. “It’s nice to be fifth but it’s early days yet and there is a long way to go.” It was a miserable return to his former club for Northampton manager Aidy Boothroyd, who has now had just one win this season, and he said: “When the ball hits the post or goes in the net, and those little tackles and blocks - they all come from hard work. “We need some good old fashioned hard work to turn things around and get back to winning ways. “When things don’t go for you you redouble your efforts and work twice as hard. “So we will be in tomorrow all day and every day and we will work twice as hard until we get this right. “I have seen this before and it’s all about players stepping up, taking control and winning a game. “I am really disappointed today, We have done enough in the last two or three games to win plenty of games, “The stats may show we were dominant, but the fact of the matter is that we lost 3-0. “Carry on like this and we will be way off where we want to be. It’s not about sulking or blaming the referee - the ref had a good game today. We just need to get on with it.” ------------------- Sam Clucas can be Stags' 20-goal man, says boss Paul Cox Nottingham Post by Matt Halfpenny SAM Clucas can be the man to replace Matt Green as Mansfield Town's 20-goal-a-season striker, insists boss Paul Cox. http://www.nottinghampost.com/story-19840302-detail/story.html? The former Hereford man scored his fourth goal in as many games in the Stags' 3-0 League Two weekend success over Northampton. At the end of a week when there was talk of Birmingham man Green returning to the One Call Stadium on loan, it was a timely reminder that the Stags may have already found an adequate replacement by moving Clucas up front from out on the wing. "Sam keeps putting the ball in the back of the net and I thought his movement was excellent, plus he's a pain in the backside for defenders and works very hard," said Cox. "He's acclimatised really well. "He's a good player, and you can tell the fans have really taken to him with the way he got a standing ovation when he went off at the end. "Of course he can get 20 goals this season if we keep creating chances like we have been. He's learning all the time and getting better all the time, so I have no doubts about him." Cox also had high praise for central defender Ryan Tafazolli, who was handed a Football League debut in the absence of the suspended Martin Riley. He said: "I don't think we'll come up against a better target man all season than (Clive Platt) and Ryan was named man of the match. "He's just turned 21, he's still a baby, and he'll learn from that experience. He was part of a very good back three that defended very well. "It was never a 3-0, I'm not going to lie to anyone, but you have to grind these out and with us being seven games unbeaten it sets us up nicely for our trip to Chesterfield." ----------------------- Stags boss Paul Cox delighted with Ryan Tafazolli League debut chad.co.uk by John Lomas Paul Cox handed centre half Ryan Tafazolli his Football League debut in yesterday’s 3-0 defeat of Northampton - and the youngster responded with a display that won him sponsors’ man of the match. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/stags-boss-paul-cox-delighted-with-ryan-tafazolli-league-debut-1-6074906?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed “He is still a baby, but winning man of the match gave him a massive pat on the back,” said a delighted Cox. “It was his first start in League football and he is not going to come up against a better front man at this level than Clive Platt. “Ryan’s positional sense was out at times, but if he keeps listening and learning he is going to have a good future in the game. I am pleased for the kid.” Tafazolli was delighted with his award but very modest too. “There were a lot of good performances out there and man of the match could have gone to anyone. But I was delighted it came to me on my League debut,” he said. “Platt and Blyth were a real handful. They were really direct and we knew we had to defend the box well and pick up the second ball. “I think I did all right and it was good we kept a clean sheet. “I have been training hard and making sure I was ready for a game if I got the chance. Once I saw Martin Riley sent off last week I was hoping I would play. “The reserves have been unbeaten and a lot of the lads are champing at the bit to get in the first team, so I have to say thank you to the gaffer.” Stags have now gone seven games unbeaten and moved up to fifth in the table and Tafazolli added: “Confidence is coming right through from the first team to the players on the bench and in the stand. We are all buzzing. We just have to keep level-headed and our feet on the ground. “Everyone has believed from the start. We know what we are about.” ------------------------ Boss Cox admits 3-0 win against Cobblers flattered Mansfield by Jefferson Lake http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/boss-cox-admits-3-0-win-against-cobblers-flattered-mansfield-1-5516556 Mansfield manager Paul Cox does not believe his team deserved to win 3-0 against the Cobblers, a side he feels includes one of the division’s best strike partnerships. The Stags ran out 3-0 winners after scoring through Ben Hutchinson and Sam Clucas in the space of four first-half minutes, an own goal from debutant defender Matthias Doumbe completing the scoring. But Cox, who celebrated his 100th game in charge at Field Mill with a win that moves Mansfield up to fifth in Sky Bet League Two, felt the scoreline was not a fair reflection of the game. “It was not a 3-0 game and I think Northampton are a side that will definitely be up there this season,” said Cox. “I don’t think they will far away and I actually don’t think we played that well today but we ground it out and that is an important quality to have. “We competed well for the first and second ball and it was always going to be important to do that against a powerful Northampton side. “We’ve got a goalkeeper who is in great form and when you see the defenders throwing their bodies in front of shots it shows the team spirit we’ve got here.” Cox was especially pleased with how his younger players dealt with the physical threat posed by the Cobblers’ forward line, and particularly that of veteran striker Clive Platt. “We know Northampton’s strengths and in their previous game against Exeter they could have been four or five goals up at half-time,” he said. “Their front two is as good as any in the division and Clive Platt is one of the best target men around at this level. “I was really pleased with how we performed against him especially because he is a real handful.” ---------------- Angry Aidy Boothroyd cancels players' day off after Mansfield defeat Written by CARL FIELD http://www.northampton-news-hp.co.uk/Sport/Cobblers/Northampton-Town-Angry-Aidy-Boothroyd-cancels-players-day-off-after-Mansfield-defeat-20130921175015.htm? Angry Northampton Town boss Aidy Boothroyd has ordered his players in at 7am tomorrow morning after this afternoon’s 3-0 defeat at Mansfield. Boothroyd was seething after the Cobblers’ latest defeat at Field Mill, their sixth in eight opening League Two games and also stretched their winless run to six league games. And said his players can expect a tough week ahead after this latest reverse, but also said it will be these players who must turn things around after ruling out any further signings. “My overriding emotion after that is anger,” said Boothroyd. “We’re in first thing tomorrow morning, early, at 7am and we’ll be in all day and we will work all day every day until we we get this right. “I’ve seen this before and it’s about players stepping up now, taking the initiative and going and winning some games. “Confidence is a word that gets banded around in football, but confidence comes form inner belief and, sometimes you’ve got to do that little bit more than you think you can to get back on track. “And that’s where we’re at and what we need now is good old, fashioned, hard work to get back to winning games, which we believe we’re more than capable of. “I’m not bringing any other players in, I’m happy with the players I’ve got. I’ll watch the game back tonight, clearly players are at fault, goals don’t just in on their own.” ----------------------- Boothroyd: I’m the man to take Northampton Town forward http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/boothroyd-i-m-the-man-to-take-northampton-town-forward-1-5516408 by Jefferson Lake Aidy Boothroyd insists he is the man to take the Cobblers forward despite guiding the team to an eighth loss of the season, at Mansfield Town on Saturday. Town were beaten 3-0 at Field Mill, with central defender Matthias Doumbe scoring an own goal on his debut and Darren Carter hitting the post in injury time. Boothroyd was visibly angry after the loss and confirmed the squad would be in for training at 7am on Sunday. “I understand the fans’ concerns and the reason I’m in this job is because I’ve got a pretty good track record, not just here but elsewhere,” he said. “At the end of it, the club is in a far better position now than it was when I first came into the job and it is only a matter of time. “I’m not one for resigning and giving up and I will never do that. These are my players, this is my team and I have the backing of everyone in the club. “I believe I’m the man to put this right. I was the man to put it right when we were bottom of the league before and I’ll do it again.” Boothroyd’s team had chances in the match but once again fell short in the crucial areas of the game, with Carter also having two free-kicks saved and Ian Morris seeing an attempt from distance blocked by home keeper Alan Marriott. But he accepts the criticism from the supporters and is confident he can improve the current situation in which the team finds itself. “While it irritates my ego to be answering these sorts of questions I know I need to answer them. There are fans who will say get him out and get (Roberto) Mancini in,” he said. “We live in a society in which everyone wants quick fixes and my biggest problem is that I fixed it here quickly and now we’re in another phase. “Who else are you going to get? I am the one to put things right here. I accept the criticism and we’ll be back at it tomorrow and start again.” --------------------------- Cobblers defender Doumbe says referee got it wrong over crucial free-kick decision by Jefferson Lake http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/cobblers-defender-doumbe-says-referee-got-it-wrong-over-crucial-free-kick-decision-1-5516578 Mathias Doumbe insists he did not foul Calvin Andrew for the free-kick from which Mansfield took the lead against the Cobblers. The French defender, who made his debut at Field Mill, appeared to stoop and head the ball before the top of his head collided with striker Andrew’s midriff 25 yards from goal. Ben Hutchinson curled home the free-kick to give his side a lead from which they did not look back, scoring again and then sealing victory with a Doumbe own goal. But the 33-year-old, who signed a contract at Sixfields until the end of the season on Thursday, felt the free-kick should not have been awarded. “I thought it was a 50-50 and I told the referee that if I was him I would’ve just said to play on,” he said. “I touched the ball first and then their player went into me. “The ref thought I went into their player, there’s no point arguing about it now. “After that, fair play, he scored a 25-yard free-kick and it was a good goal but we didn’t do enough after that in terms of creating chances. “We couldn’t get the ball to hold up in attack and it was a very disappointing performance and result for us.” Doumbe’s own goal was a nightmare moment for the debutant - in attempting to hook away a long ball over the top he inadvertently diverted it over Matt Duke and into his own net. “I have to go for that ball, for sure, but I should be doing a lot better with my clearance,” he said --------------------------- |
Latest | September 2013