Archived News from August 2017
|
STRIKER JAMES HANSON TURNS DOWN MOVE TO MANSFIELD
|
 |
|
Stags to explore alternative attacking options
mansfieldtown.net, Monday 14 August 2017 Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans has turned his potential signing attentions elsewhere after a Championship striker decided against a move to League Two. Speaking last week, the gaffer told the local media at One Call Stadium that the Stags were preparing club-record bid for a frontman as he looks to add the finishing touches to his squad. And despite the Stags' bid being accepted by the club, the striker - rumoured to be Sheffield United frontman James Hanson - has turned down the move. "The latest is the bid was accepted but the player does not want to play in League Two from the Championship," the gaffer said. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2017/august/stags-set-to-miss-out-on-striker/ "I have to respect it, I don't always agree with it, because I always think you have to go and play football, but I think the lad concerned will have different options, perhaps League One but certainly more in [League] Two. "We made our bid; the chairman was happy to pay the money it was going to take to get him out of his club, but I've spoken to his manager this morning and he said he had a long chat with the player over the weekend but he just doesn't want to go and play in League Two. "We're trying to do some business and we're not in a position to confirm whether it's one player or the other. We've been linked with several strikers - some are close on the money and others are miles away." The boss is still working hard to add to his squad and he is set to meet more players' representatives this evening, before taking a side to face Peterborough United in a behind-closed-doors game tomorrow. "I've got one or two meetings with agents - that's how it works these days - as long as the football clubs that those players are at are happy for you to have a chat with their agents. "I've got a couple of meetings that are lined up for this evening and tomorrow, so I'll be doing that, plus we've got a [behind]-closed-doors match down at Peterborough tomorrow afternoon. "It will be the players that need some game-time [involved at Peterborough]. I don't need to sit here and tell you who's not up with the minutes since the start of the season but every one of them will get some game-time." The gaffer also provided an update on the fitness of winger Alex MacDonald and defender David Mirfin, who both missed Saturday's victory over Forest Green Rovers. "Mirfin is fine. If we'd have been playing on Saturday and it was 10 games in and not another game for another week, David could've played. He's fine, he's trained today. "MacDonald has been training for a few days now and he'll play a part at Peterborough. We hope that Alex can come through. He'll probably play for 45 minutes or an hour at Peterborough, we've not quite decided. "We'll probably judge it on the day to see how he's feeling at the 45-minute mark, but he's trained for three or four days now and he was in full contact on Friday and today." Supporters can view the manager's full news conference by logging in to iFollow Stags. ------------------ Blow as Championship record bid striker turns down move to Mansfield Town chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Monday 14 August 2017 A Championship striker, who would have cost Mansfield Town a club record fee, today turned down the chance to move to the One Call Stadium. Stags boss Steve Evans refused to name the player though Chad understand from sources in Yorkshire that it was Sheffield United forward James Hanson. However, Evans has other options and will continue to pursue them as he looks to complete his squad with a striker and an attacking midfielder before the transfer window slams close at the end of the month. “It looked like we were not going to get our main target on Sunday night and it was confirmed to me this morning,” said Evans. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/blow-as-championship-record-bid-striker-turns-down-move-to-mansfield-town-1-8702694 “But I am very happy to go with any of the others. “The bid was accepted but the player does not want to play in League Two from the Championship. “As I’ve always said, I have to respect it. I don’t always agree with it as I think you have to go and play football, but I am sure the lad concerned will have different options, certainly at League One. “The chairman was happy to pay the money it was going to take to get him out of his club. “But I spoke to his manager this morning and he said he had a long chat with the lad over the weekend and he just doesn’t want to go and play League Two. So we carry on with our business as normal.” Evans declined to confirm it was Hanson who had turned down the move. “We are trying to do some business and we’re not in a position to confirm one player or the other,” he said. “We have been linked with several strikers - some are close on the money and some are miles away. Some we wouldn’t bring in - not because they are not good players but because we are looking for a specific type of player. “It doesn’t matter whether he costs a club record or costs nothing. It’s about adding quality to the squad and one or two alternative options to add to the qualities we’ve got. We have assembled a good squad.” He added: “There are two or three players we like. We are discussing some things with them and their representatives. “But we’ve been doing that for a few days already. You don’t put everything on one player. You have to make sure you have different options. “As all managers know, to get the right type of players these days is particularly tough. If you put all your eggs in the one basket you will be left disappointed. “You have to have options but you also have to remember why you are trying to sign that particular player rather than sign someone for the sake of signing them. “Since we stopped signing players we have shown we are not just going to jump in and sign someone for the sake of it. “We are working hard. We have one or two meetings with agents this evening and tomorrow.” “Getting them in in time for Saturday would be the plan, and if it’s not for Saturday it would have to be for the next one. We are trying really hard.” Danny Rose and Lee Angol have the starting shirts up front at the moment, but Evans pointed out there was already good competition under the roof. “I told supporters when Jimmy Spencer didn’t have a great introductory pre-season for periods in games I said judge this boy as a player,” he said. “I also said when Omari Sterling-James came in that he could be anything he wanted to be. “Both have justified that in the last week more than ever. “We have got good competition. It’s all about adding something different.” ----------------------- MacDonald to prove fitness in Peterborough friendly chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Monday 14 August 2017 Mansfield Town winger Alex MacDonald could be fit by the weekend to give the Stags a chance of a fully fit squad to travel to bogey side Accrington Stanley. MacDonald has recovered well from minor knee surgery and will play some part in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Peterborough United tomorrow afternoon. David Mirfin, who was rested due to a slight knee injury on Saturday, is also back in training today while all traces of last week’s virus in the camp seem to be on the way out as Stags prepare to play an Accrington side they have failed to beat in their last 11 meetings. “Alex will probably play for 45 minutes or an hour at Peterborough - we’ve not decided yet,” said manager Steve Evans. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/macdonald-to-prove-fitness-in-peterborough-friendly-1-8702801 “We will probably judge it on the day to see how he is feeling at the 45-minute mark. He has trained for three or four days now and was back in full contact on Friday. “I have been up and watched him this morning and he is looking particularly bright. “He is always a cheeky chappy. He was trying to pull my shorts down from the back! He had better watch his haircut as I will be giving him one.” On the side to face the Posh tomorrow, he added: “It will be the boys that need some game time. “I don’t need to tell you who’s not up there with the minutes from the start of the season. “They will get some game time, whether it’s 45, 60 or 90 minutes. “We will see when we get there with one eye on Accrington on Saturday. “We must make sure everyone is really competitive Thursday and Friday to be playing at Accrington. “Chances are we will be playing a totally different game up there to what we had against Forest Green. They are both good opponents. “Accrington lost a high-scoring game down at Yeovil on Saturday. I have watched that back and it has to be said perhaps they should have won the game. “We are trying to make sure we give everyone an opportunity as, chances are it won’t be the same team.” On Mirfin’s injury, Evans said: “If we were 10 games in on Saturday and didn’t have another game for another week then David would have played on Saturday. “The fact was he had played the full game at Crewe and had another tough game in hazardous conditions on Tuesday with the way the weather was against Rochdale. And he did get a clatter on his knee late on. “But he has trained today and he’s fine.” Evans was please to see the back of a virus that the club kept quiet last week. “I think there are still one or two that are a little bit down with it. “Jacob Mellis was down with it a bit so it made it easy for Paul Digby to play, even though I thought Jacob played well at Crewe. “Lee Angol was probably the worst affected but a few others surprised me with their energy levels on Saturday - Will Atkinson and Paul Anderson were suffering a little bit. “They are running 12.5 kilometres in a game - it’s incredible. “We look back at these stats and we can see everyone gave everything for the cause on Saturday, which is what we need to do for 46 League games. “If we can do that and be as hard-working as the opposition for 46 games we will be in the shake-up at the end.” ---------------------- Stags waiting for ‘right club’ to take Thomas on loan chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS Mansfield Town have had clubs interested in taking young midfielder Jack Thomas on loan - but boss Steve Evans said they were still waiting for the ‘right club’. “I have said that young Jack Thomas needs to go and get some games,” said Evans. “We have had two or three clubs in for Jack but they have to be the right clubs. “He went up to Barrow and was promised game time but that didn’t materialise. That’s not knocking the people up there as you pick what you see. “I think they had eight or nine loan players and only five can go on the team sheet. So that makes it more and more difficult. “We’ll make sure he finds the right club and goes and plays some football. It’s not about the level. He just needs 90 minutes of football.” With several U21 players already out on loan, Evans believes Thomas may be the last one to leave the building if they can find a club that fits their criteria. “We are not high in numbers and we need options. We will have periods of the season with injuries and suspensions, knocks and bruises,” said Evans. “The closer we get to transfer deadline day I will sit down with Paul Raynor and we’ll lock ourselves away and discuss all the options. “We are currently looking to add a couple rather than subtract, but if it’s right for us to do it then we’ll do it.” Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/stags-waiting-for-right-club-to-take-thomas-on-loan-1-8706042 ------------------- |
Latest | August 2017