Archived News from March 2015
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MURRAY, KEE, RUSSELL MILTON REACTION
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Murray happy with valuable point mansfieldtown.net, 7th March 2015 Boss reflects on 'fair' draw with Cheltenham Town. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/murray-happy-with-valuable-point-2320481.aspx#y20CvyGAu8D87Qr8.99 Manager Adam Murray was happy with how our team fought back to earn a valuable point in today’s 1-1 draw with Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road in Sky Bet League Two. Substitute Billy Kee was the Stags’ goalscorer - cancelling out an effort by Wes Burns just after the re-start. The result means we are now eight points above the relegation zone, with 11 games of the season left to play. “On the balance of things it’s a massive point for us,” said Murray. “In the bigger picture, if you draw your away games and win your home games, you’ll get promoted, so it’s not a bad knack to have. “We’ve ground out another result and I think it was a fair point for both teams.” He continued: “I’m a little bit wary on saying anything this season with regards to turning corners because there have been that many ups and downs. “Sometimes, you’re out of the woods, whether it’s injuries, performances or results, then all of a sudden you get kicked in the backside. “We’ve improved the results and the points in take, but there’s still a lot of work to do and we want to put more points on the board.” Today’s result at Whaddon Road means our team have the same amount of points which they had at this stage last season. “I’m about the ‘here and now’ at the minute. I’ve got no interest in last season. I’ve got no interest in next season - and it’s about making sure we keep our focus, keeping up the levels of performance and keeping the levels of concentration as high as we possibly can,” added Murray. “Are we on the right tracks? Yes. Is the group positive? Yes. But we all know that with this league this season, if you take your eye off the ball, the goalposts get moved again. “So it’s a great point today, a great few weeks, but the hard work starts again. ------------------ Murray hails massive week for Stags’ fight for survival chad.co.uk, by John Lomas Adam Murray hailed taking seven points out of nine as a ‘massive week’ in Stags’ survival battle after today’s battling 1-1 draw on an awful pitch at relegation rivals Cheltenham Town. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/murray-hails-massive-week-for-stags-fight-for-survival-1-7144827 The Mansfield Town manager also said he was hoping to sort something out with Scunthorpe United to keep loanee Billy Kee for next season. Kee today bagged a 68th minute equaliser after coming on as a substitute after Stags had gone behind just after half-time. “With seven points out of nine, it’s been a massive week,” said Murray. “We are finally starting to see the fruits of our hard work, though we are still nowhere near where I want to be. “We hit our goals for February and the players have raised the bar for March which shows their confidence and optimism. Our main aim remains to stay in the League. “It was scrappy and not very pretty today. “For the first 45 minutes I thought we went through the motions and we were not at the standard the group has set themselves. “We are going to go through games like this, but in the end it was a great point. We showed great desire to come back and get the goal. “At times we didn’t defend as well as we have done, not just the back four but all round the pitch. “The players need to trust me when I am trying to teach them as I have been in the position they are and I’ve lived a hundred lives.” He added: “The sun was out and as we drove through the middle of town there were a lot of people sat outside in beer gardens, four cars with their roofs down and drivers with sunglasses on. “The weak-minded would be thinking it’s nearly the end of the season and soon they would be on the beach with their Speedos on. “I think a few of them were sipping pina coladas and rubbing suncream on their noses. But we are better than that and I had to give them a bit of a rollicking at half-time to reinforce that. “In the second half the boys showed great grit and it was a big point for us. “I think 1-1 was about right on the balance of play. It wasn’t the standard we have been at. “Away to a side like that, who are fighting for points, it will be a battle and you can get a bit anxious. “But I believe a couple of other results have gone for and we have another point on the gap, so it’s been a very good week.” On Kee, he added: “He is a goalscorer. It was a tough one to leave him out today as I thought he was excellent on Tuesday. “He has really bought into the ethos of the group and we are really starting to see the fruits of him now. “I have spoken to Scunthorpe about future plans and I would love to have him here next season. “Billy didn’t have a pre-season this year and he has been playing catch-up all season. “We are now getting him where he needs to be, unfortunately it’s a bit late as his loan is over next month. “I am someone who likes to put themselves in other people’s shoes and I want to understand them and what makes them tick. I like to know them inside out and I understand what Billy needs.” The game was a scrappy affair on a bobbling pitch. Murray said: “We went back to front quickly in the first half with the state of the pitch and because we wanted to put them on the back foot and make them defend their 18 yard box. We did that but then didn’t take advantage of it. “There was also a very strong wind we didn’t utilise well first half. “A big shout out again today to our fans. They come away to games like this and we didn’t give them much to shout about for the majority of the game. But they stuck behind us and helped push us over the line again.” --------------- Loanee striker Kee would love to be a Stags player next season chad.co.uk, by John Lomas Loanee striker Billy Kee would love to be a Mansfield Town player next season. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/loanee-striker-kee-would-love-to-be-a-stags-player-next-season-1-7144829 The Scunthorpe hit man bagged Stags’ equaliser in yesterday’s 1-1 draw at relegation rivals Cheltenham Town. His current three-month loan will end on 7th April, but he said: “I feel at home here and I am enjoying it. I think I am coming into my zone. “I think there is a lot more to come from me. I’ve not had a pre-season and people haven’t really seen the best of me. You would see a completely different person next season with a proper pre-season. “The gaffer has worked with me on getting my sharpness and had me on a diet. We get fined if we go over our weights. “I am enjoying my time here and if Scunthorpe and the club want to work something out I would be very happy to come here. “He is one of the best gaffers I have worked with performances, man-management and what he puts on the training pitch.” On his 68th minute equaliser, he said: “To be fair Reggie did brilliantly and I just slid it in first time and luckily it went into the roof of the net. “I thought second half we dug in and showed a lot of character. “I really think we can push on from here. “The camaraderie is high in the dressing room and the banter good. We are taking that into games. Once we have to be serious we go out there and give it a good go. “I thought I had a good game at Newport and the one before so my confidence is high and I think I can push on. “We are going into games knowing we can get results out of them.” ----------------- Billy Kee interview with Charlie Slater on BBC Radio Nottingham: Charlie Slater: why do your Mansfield teammates call you 'The Toad'? Billy Kee: I think it's because I'm a disgusting vermin. listen here: https://soundcloud.com/bbcnottingham/so-why-is-mansfield-striker-billy-kee-nicknamed-the-toad?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=twitter ---------------- Billy Kee, the former Burton Albion striker, would be 'very happy' to make loan move from Scunthorpe United to Mansfield Town full-time by Sarah Clapson BILLY Kee has welcomed the potential for a full-time move to Mansfield Town, saying: “If Scunthorpe United and the club want to make something happen, I would be very happy to come here.” Read more: http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/Billy-Kee-Burton-Albion-striker-happy-make/story-26143116-detail/story.html?#ixzz3TyMcerih Kee has spent the past couple of months on loan with the League Two Stags, scoring twice in nine appearances. He has certainly made an impression on Mansfield manager Adam Murray, who revealed after his side's weekend draw with Cheltenham Town - a game in which the Iron loanee came off the bench to net the equaliser - that he had already been in touch with Scunthorpe to discuss the possibility of taking Kee back to Field Mill next season. “I feel at home here and I am enjoying everything about it. It’s all about confidence and my confidence is high at the minute,” Kee said. “I think there is a lot more to come from me. I’ve not had a pre-season this year and I haven’t really played a lot. The more games I play and the more I come on, people will see a lot more of me. “My banter is I’ve had a gap year. But people haven’t really seen the best of me. You would see a completely different person next season with a proper pre-season. “I know I haven’t had the best time at Scunthorpe, but I really think I am coming into my zone now. “I know there’s only a few games left for me, because I can’t extend my loan. I’m sure next year, if I’m here, I can really push on and get a starting place, but at the minute the bigger picture is staying up this season. “I am enjoying my time here and if Scunthorpe and the club want to make something happen, I would be very happy to come here.” Scunthorpe only signed Kee from Burton Albion in August, but out-of-shape as well as form, he struggled to make any impression on the first team at Glanford Park, albeit admittedly with little opportunity. At Field Mill, the striker says he has struck up a good working relationship with Mansfield boss Murray - and he admits a strict diet has helped him improve his fitness. “The gaffer has worked with me on getting my sharpness and had me on a diet. We get fined if we go over our weights,” Kee added. “I'm a really honest person and if he says something I don't like I’ll tell him, but he has been really good with me. “He is one of the best gaffers I have worked with in terms of performances, man-management and what he puts on the training pitch. “When I first got here he told me I had to get sharp but I’m sure I’m coming into my zone now and that’s one of the big things I like about it here. I’m hoping I can sort something out for next year.” ---------------- Cheltenham Town caretaker manager Russell Milton told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31670339 "We probably see it as two points lost, because we were ahead and lost the momentum in the game. "Seeing everyone's lost around you and you've moved out (of the relegation zone) puts a bit of a brighter spark on things really. "I felt our wide players were probably being a little bit too honest and came back a bit too far and then couldn't get pressure on their full-backs. "When teams have their 10 or 15 minutes (on top) we've got to make sure we shut up shop and it's something we've got to keep looking at." Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray told BBC Radio Nottingham: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31670339 "On the balance of things, it's a massive point for us. We've ground out another result and I think it was a fair point for both teams. "I'm unwilling to say anything on turning corners, because the season has been so up and down. We've improved, but there's still a lot of work to do and we want to put more points on the board. "If we're in the Football League at the end of the season, then I will relax." ---------------- Milton rues Kee moment Russell Milton was glad to see his Cheltenham side move out of the bottom two after a 1-1 home draw with Mansfield. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9748999/milton-rues-kee-moment? Russell Milton was glad to see his Cheltenham side move out of the bottom two after a 1-1 home draw with Mansfield. But the Robins boss admitted it was two points dropped as they surrendered the lead with substitute Billy Kee levelling for the Stags after Wes Burns had opened the scoring for the home side. "There are some disappointed faces in there because we were ahead, doing okay and then we were pegged back for 10 or 15 minutes," Milton said. "In the last 10 or 15 minutes I thought we were great, with an injection from the subs. "It's probably two points lost because we were ahead, but we have moved out of the bottom two, so it's made it a brighter day for us. "We were concentrating on Mansfield's long throws and set plays and then we scored from one. I was pleased we got ourselves in front straight after half-time. "We lost momentum a bit, but came back in at the end and two good chances fell to the man you wan't them too, in Shaun Harrad, but I am sure he'll take his chances in the coming matches." Mansfield boss Adam Murray said he had to make sure his players did not start thinking they were on the beach on what was a sunny afternoon at Whaddon Road. "It was scrappy and not pretty at all," Murray said. "In the first 45 minutes we went through the motions and we were not at the standards the group have set. "We are going to have games like this through the season and it's a great point, showing real desire to get back and score the goal. "We didn't defend as well as we have done. The boys need to trust me when I am trying to teach them. "I have experienced a lot of things and when we come to games like this, when the sun is out, we drove through the middle of town and saw cars with the roofs down and people may think we're nearly at the end of the season. "That can't happen and there were a few players with pina coladas, while a few had sun screen on and we're better than that! It took a rollicking at half-time to reinforce that." -------------------- Martin Riley @LifeofRiley6 Good away point in a scrappy game. Great travelling support again! 7 points from 9 this week. On to the next one #stags Nice to see some friendly faces at @CTFCofficial . Really nice people there. Hope you stay up. Got no doubt you will Lenny Pidgeley @pidge40 @CharlieSlater15 What about the bobble on the back pass back 1st half (symbol: hands over eyes) --------------- |
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