Archived News from January 2003
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NO APPEAL ON RED CARD / HOPES HIGH ON INJURED TRIO
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No Appeal on Christie Red Card
CHAD website Stags will not be appealing against striker Iyseden Christie's red card at Crewe and subsequent one-game suspension for the derby at Chesterfield on Saturday week. Curle has watched a video of the incident and said: "It would be a hard one to defend as Iyseden does raise his arm, though he is only going to protect himself. "Knowing these panels and our chances of success, we have decided he will just take his punishment. "It may just offer a chance to someone else to step in and grab the shirt." ---------- Hopes are high for injured Trio CHAD INJURED Mansfield Town trio Andy White, Colin Larkin and Bobby Hassell, could all be fit to face Wycombe Wanderers at Field Mill this Saturday (3pm). All three are making rapid progress under intensive treatment as Stags prepare to resume their relegation battle after a perfectly timed 10-day break. If White (ankle) and Larkin (hamstring) can shake off their injuries in time, which would be much sooner than originally expected, it would ease the pressure on player-manager Keith Curle to bring in a new striker immediately. Curle has been looking to strengthen that department and has a short list of four right now. “I have had a very good response from our temporary physiotherapy staff and both Andy and Colin are responding superbly to treatment,” he said. “It was originally thought Andy would be out six to eight weeks and Colin four to five. But the injuries are not as bad as first thought and we are hoping both will be available for Saturday. “If we can get them back into training by Thursday then, although they won't be 100 per cent, they could come into contention. “Bobby is still sore with his bruised calf but he also has a chance if he can get back into training.” Curle is continuing his pursuit of a new striker and added: “I have spoken with clubs about letting strikers out recently but they told me not over the Christmas period. “Now things may change and it will hopefully be more favourable for us. “It would be nice to get someone in though I was very impressed with Chris Beardsley and Danny Bacon when they came on at Crewe on New Year's Day and I would not hesitate to use them if needed.” Of those top four targets on his shopping list, Curle said two were big strikers with a physical presence and plenty of experience, one with 400-500 game under his belt. Midfielder Scott Sellars (ankle) is also close to a first team return and has signed a contract extention to the end of the season. “I can't see Scott training before the weekend so he probably won't be involved,” added Curle. “But he is almost ready and in the mean time he is still acting as my eyes in the stand which is proving useful.” With no game last Saturday due to Wigan's FA Cup involvement, Stags players have had extra time to shake off their niggling aches and pains. “I gave everyone four days off from Thursday to Sunday which I felt they deserved after all the effort and commitment they put in over the Christmas period,” said Curle. “They have conducted themselves very well both on and off the field to my guidelines which is no more than I expected and I am very pleased with them. “The time off has given them a chance to recover mentally and physically. “The only problem since then has been the weather. It is making it very difficult to do any ball work but I am just making sure we find some training routine every day that they can get something out of.” Saturday's opponents Wycombe, who battled out a titanic 3-3 draw with Stags at home back in August, were 5-0 winners at Northampton on Saturday. Among the spectators was Curle who said: “I know Wycombe scored five goals. But they didn't look unbeatable. “Northampton were poor on the day and we could still see chinks in Wycombe's armour. They will find us a completely different game. “Although we go into the game on the back of two defeats, there was nothing in the game at Brentford and then we gave Crewe the best game we'd given them all season and, watching the video, we had the best two chances of the match.” ------------ Revolution continues CHAD The Curle revolution at Field Mill continues to gather pace with drastic changes to the dressing room and tunnel area and an intensive spotlight over the club's entire structure. The previously bare walls and floors in the tunnel have now seen carpeting and pictures appear and Curle said: “The area players have got down there is very small. “But there is no reason it should not be looked after and kept neat and tidy. I am trying to improve people's working environment and I think they appreciate it. It looks far more like a football club down there now. “Overall I want to look at what everyone is doing from the top right down to U9s. “I am attending different sessions and talking to people and making sure kids are getting the proper training. “I don't want youngsters to just come here for a game of five-a-aside and be affiliated to the club. I want them to be progressive in their learning to become better players. “It's not a case of checking up on people. I want to know who does what and why. It's not about change for the sake of it. “I have had five weeks here to sort out the first team. We have made progress on that front and now I want to get involved in everything from coaching at all levels to the scouting system for the first team to the kids.” -------- |
Latest | January 2003