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Archived News from May 2017

EVANS AND MATT HARROLD REACTION
11th May 2017 20:58


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Boss already working on next season's squad
mansfieldtown.net, 6th May 2017

Stags’ boss Steve Evans is already making plans for next season following today's 2-2 draw with Crawley Town.

First half goals from striker Danny Rose and midfielder Ben Whiteman were cancelled out by Crawley’s Dean Cox and Jordan Roberts in an entertaining affair in West Sussex.

And after finishing the season in 12th position and missing out on a spot in the end-of-season play-offs by four points, the manager is looking forward to a meeting with chairman John Radford and chief executive Carolyn Radford in the coming days where they will discuss plans for next season.

“It’s a big week in the sense that I’m going to sit down with the chairman and the chief executive. I don’t expect that meeting to be anything other than a positive meeting," the Stags' chief said.

“I’ll sit with the chairman and the chief exec and the one thing is they’re great people, they’re 100 percent honest and I know they’ll support us in every shape and fashion that they can and I’m expecting that to be totally positive.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/boss-already-working-on-next-seasons-squad-3707995.aspx#3J56sqXWjfssX4Zy.99

"The plan at this stage is the players have already had their allocated times for Wednesday and if I’m taking those meetings, every one of those players will have the right and proper football chat that they should have.

"It’s never going to be a nice day because there’s a lot of tough decisions to be made by myself and my staff."

Despite a remarkable turnaround since the former Leeds United boss took over the 17th-placed Stags in mid-November, he is now aiming to assemble a squad who are capable of challenging for automatic promotion next season.

“We need, as a football club, to put certain things in place where we’re fighting for top three as opposed to fighting for top seven.

“We’re very committed to the future, we’re very committed to going forward but I don’t want to be a manager who’s bubbling in the middle of the table trying to scrape into those play-offs, that’s just not what my agenda’s about.

“The supporters of Mansfield Town deserve to watch better players and every one of those players that’s in this football club at the minute can play really well on so many days, but you need to play really well on so many more days, and there lies the difference.

“That’s the type of players that we’re going to try and bring in to the football club, along with the best that’s here.”

Speaking to the media after today’s stalemate with Crawley, the gaffer revealed that he has already begun registering interest in players from higher divisions.

“We’ve already spoken to a number of players and a number of representatives and we’ve registered interest.

“I’ve never once spoken to one individual, to date, about money and as you can guess, League One finished last week so you can guess where those players are because I would certainly not be speaking to a player in League Two.

“We always, as a management team, have tried to make sure, when it’s right, that we recruit from above. They come from above for a reason and that’s because they’ve played there.

“I’m not talking about somebody who’s been up there for five or six games, but somebody who’s consistently played [at that level].”

Supporters can login to Stags PlayerHD to view the manager’s entire post-match interview.

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Evans looks for transfer backing after Stags fall short
chad.co.uk

Steve Evans will this week call upon owners John and Carolyn Radford to make good on their promise to back him in the transfer market as Mansfield Town’s play-off bid fell short following today’s 2-2 draw at Crawley Town. The Stags finished 12th, four points off the top seven after throwing away a 2-0 lead and missing a wealth of chances before almost losing the game.

“Every manager can stand here and make excuses but the league table doesn’t lie,” said Evans.

"We’ve been found wanting in different areas of the pitch and it’s now my job to present my plans to the owners either Monday night or Tuesday.

Read more at: http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/football/evans-looks-for-transfer-backing-after-stags-fall-short-1-8530709

“I expect it to be a really positive meeting. They have been absolutely fantastic so far, but now is the time to sit down and say this is what we spoke about when I came in and this is what it’s going to take. “John Radford then has the power, the ability and the moment to say yes or no. “They will put in what they can afford to give this team a chance of promotion.” Evans added: “I am expecting them to tick the boxes that we spoke about last October/November. There is nothing I am going to say to them that will be a surprise and I wouldn’t expect any surprises from them. “We are very committed to the future and to going forward. But I don’t want to be a manager that is bubbling in the middle of the table trying to scrape into those play-offs. That’s just not what my agenda is about.” Evans would not put a figure on how many players will leave ahead of his retained list meetings on Wednesday, but said: “I have not counted numbers but the decisions will be fairly strong as we have to be better. The supporters deserve to watch better players. On today’s game, he said: “It was a disappointing second half. We should have been five up at half-time. “But we gave a sloppy goal away and that gave them a lift which always happens. “I said Crawley will either sink if we get a third goal or they will equalise and fancy their chances. “Credit to them, they gave everything they’ve got and on the balance of the second half they should have beaten us - that’s not in dispute. “We should be capable of coming and winning games like that. If we’re not we do what we need to do in the next week or two.

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Evans confident he won’t walk away from Stags job this week
chad.co.uk

Despite hints he could walk away this week if the Radford family don’t come good on their promises to back him this summer, Steve Evans fully expects to still be the manager of Mansfield Town Football Club on Wednesday.

Evans says he was promised a top six budget for next season to try to get the Stags out of League Two when he joined the club in November. He will now go into a meeting with chairman John and chief executive Carolyn Radford tonight or tomorrow and see how the land lies. Evans has set up meetings with his players for Wednesday to discuss their future and believes he will still be at the helm to conduct those meetings.

“I have no reason to think not,” he said. “But it is a big meeting (with the Radfords).

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/evans-confident-he-won-t-walk-away-from-stags-job-this-week-1-8532479

“I hear people asking Rafael Benitez what he is doing. He has openly said he expects to be at Newcastle but, at the same time, he has a big meeting. “I am sure he will sit with his owner and have that conversation and see if he gets the support. “I will sit down with my chairman and chief executive and the one thing is they are great people - 100 per cent honest - and I am sure they will support us in any shape or fashion they can. “I am expecting that to be totally positive. But I am going to that meeting prepared, if it’s not positive, that I have a decision to make. “If it is totally positive then supporters will know I am doing the meetings on Wednesday, which I expect to do.” Once Evans has announced his retained list and who will be leaving, he said he had already made progress with intended replacements. “I have been speaking to players all week,” he said. “We are well advanced and ready to pursue some. “League One finished last week so you can guess where those players are. “There won’t be too many from League Two, if any. “As a management team we have always tried to recruit from above, when it’s right. They come from above for a reason - not someone who has been there for five or six games but someone who has played there consistently. “At Crawley we signed three or four players from Peterborough and they were in the Championship. We try to recruit better players - that is the remit. “We need as a football club to put certain things in place where we’re fighting for top three as opposed to top seven.”

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Could Stags hero Green be on his way out the club?
chad.co.uk

Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans again hinted top scorer and Stags legend Matt Green could be on his way out of the club this week. Refusing to give anything away ahead of Wednesday’s expected retained list announcement, Evans said of Green and his place in fans’ affections: “My job is not to listen to who fans’ favourites are. “I can remember when my fans’ favourite, Kenny Dalglish, left Celtic to go to Liverpool and I cried. “But Celtic still won the title the next season when you check your stats.” Mansfield have been guilty of missing countless chances this season and after the home defeat by Portsmouth last week in which Green missed a crucial one-on-one, Evans said: “It’s all right being a goalscorer in the Conference, there is a big difference between that and the Football League, that’s the reality.” Green, 30, won the club’s Golden Boot award as top scorer with 13 goals. In his second spell with Stags he has scored 85 goals for the club to date.

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/could-stags-hero-green-be-on-his-way-out-the-club-1-8532516

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Crawley Town caretaker boss Harrold: 'The players did it for Dermot'
westsussextoday.co.uk, by GRAHAM CARTER, Saturday 06 May 2017

Crawley Town player caretaker-manager Matt Harrold believes his side put on a good show in respect of their former boss Dermot Drummy.

He revealed players felt guilty they have helped their former head coach to lose his job and wanted to play well for him one last time.

Reds finished their season on a high by recovering from 2-0 down with goals by Dean Cox and Jordan Roberts to earn an exciting 2-2 draw against Mansfield.

The recovery nearly ended in an unexpected win against a side who needed a victory for an outside chance of qualifying for the play-offs.

Harrold said: "I think everyone's gone home entertained. People like to see you put in a real shift and energy and play for the shirt.

"You've got to say the lads done it, don't you?

"At 2-0 down to a team like Mansfield with a manager like Steve Evans who has his team well-drilled, aggressive, hard to play against, for the character they showed was a credit to them.

Read more at: http://www.westsussextoday.co.uk/sport/football/crawley-town-caretaker-boss-harrold-the-players-did-it-for-dermot-1-7949877

"I think the first goal was massive, getting it lifted them. At half-time if we'd gone in at 2-0 it would have been a hard team-talk."

Harrold did not think it was his voice in the changing room which lifted his players but the display was inspired by ex-boss Drummy.

"I honestly believe the players did it for the old gaffer.

"There's a bit of guilt - I said we've won one in 13 matches, we can't make excuses, we've got to do better.

"We're the ones who cross over the white line, although I haven't done it much this season, we're the ones who play."

Harrold admitted the players did feel responsible for the club parting company with their former head coach.

"You do feel guilty and they have shown their anger and determination and stuck it down a few players' throats."

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