Archived News from September 2017
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RAYNOR PRESS CONF: BUTCHER,DIAMOND,TAFT,PENS
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Stags to field strong side in Central League clash
mansfieldtown.net, 4 September 2017 Stags' assistant manager Paul Raynor has revealed that a 'strong squad' will travel to South Yorkshire to take on Rotherham United in the first Central League fixture of the season tomorrow (2.00pm kick-off). We will compete in Central League Group B in the 2017/18 season and we get our campaign underway against the Millers at the Roundwood Sports Complex tomorrow afternoon, for which entry is free for Stags' fans. Since arriving at the club in November 2016, Raynor and manager Steve Evans have used the Central League games to increase the competitive game-time for members of their squad, and Raynor told the local media this afternoon that tomorrow's game will be no different. "We've always liked to play a strong squad, keep the game time up there and that's important to us. It's an opportunity for a lot of our senior guys to put positive thoughts in the manager's mind," said the Stags' assistant boss. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2017/september/stags-to-field-strong-side-in-central-league-clash/ "It'll be an experienced squad that will go to Rotherham tomorrow and will be looking to put positive signs in the gaffer's mind before Saturday." The former Preston North End midfielder expects defender Zander Diamond to be involved against the Millers now he has fully recovered from the knock which kept him out of the matches against Luton Town and Carlisle United. "We could have pushed Zander into service at the weekend but he'd only had one full training session. "Obviously with the ability and quality we have in these areas, we don't want to take a risk with anybody but he's trained this morning and he'll probably have a run out in the reserves tomorrow just to make sure everything's fine and top his game time up." After securing their second successive draw on Saturday, Raynor believes Stags need to be more ruthless in both boxes to turn draws into wins. "We're not always happy with conceding goals; no-one likes conceding goals but we need to pick the bones out of our defending and as I say, when we do get these opportunities, be a bit more ruthless. "We've also only lost one game, so there's two ways of looking at everything. "It's going to take time to gel and we're still very positive that we'll have a positive outcome. "After 10-12 games, the league starts to take shape and pans out and you've got a pretty good idea of where you're going to be and at what end of the table you're going to be competing at. "Hopefully by the end of September, we're up there in and around the upper echelons of the table and that's certainly where we believe we'll be and where we're hoping to be." One Call Stadium will play host to England men's under 19s vs Germany men's under 19s tomorrow evening and Raynor thinks The FA's decision to host the game in Mansfield is credit to the improvements made by the club. "It just shows the updates that the club have done to the stadium, the upgrade to the pitch and you can see now that it's changing. "You've got to give the chairman (John Radord) credit for doing that and for them (The FA) to come and invite us to host the game is fantastic. I shall certainly be an interested spectator as well." Supporters can login to iFollow Stags to view Paul Raynor's full news conference. ------------------ Butcher quick to show why Stags signed him chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Monday 04 September 2017 New signing Calum Butcher took just two minutes of his debut to bag his first Mansfield Town goal on Saturday, but it was little surprise to assistant boss Paul Raynor. “We know how good he is,” said Raynor. “We know he is an attacking midfielder and in his interview when he got here he spoke about getting into the box late and scoring a goal and the lad certainly does have an eye for a goal. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/butcher-quick-to-show-why-stags-signed-him-1-8737856 “He is a good all-round midfield player. He can play a bit deeper and hold, but he can get into the box with those late runs and was probably unlucky on Saturday not to get two goals on Saturday. “One dropped to him a bit late and he was a bit unlucky. “His goal was good vision and good technique. He arrived at the right time, late in the box, and he’s hard to pick up. “He will be a good acquisition and we’re delighted to have him.” Stags eventually only managed to bring in one of the three deadline day targets they had in their sights last week as midfielder Calum Butcher joined from Milwall. But Raynor said: “We are delighted with the business we’ve done throughout the window and delighted with all the acquisitions, particularly with young Calum coming in late. “There was a lot of interest as you imagine for a player of his quality and we are just pleased that he and the other guys chose to carry their career on at Mansfield. “Now we need to start turning those draws into wins and everyone will be happy.” ----------------- Stags desperate to end spot kick woe chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Monday 04 September 2017 The job of Mansfield Town penalty taker is very much up for grabs in training this week after three successive costly misses for the Stags this season. After poor kicks by Danny Rose and Jimmy Spencer were saved, it was new boy Kane Hemmings who was denied in the 1-1 draw at Carlisle United “We will have a look at it this week,” said assistant boss Paul Raynor after manager Steve Evans had joked his wife would be taking the next one. “We were confident with the way he’d (Hemings) been taking them in training. “I think Lee Angol was trying to grab the ball off him, but Kane was always going to be the number one penalty taker. “We will certainly be practising them in training again this week. No one can say we haven’t practised them as we have and I am sure the next one to step up will stick the ball in the back of the net.” Raynor continued: “I think we have to give credit to the goalkeeper on Saturday. The other two penalties were a little bit weak and disappointing with Jimmy and Danny. “But, to be fair, we have been watching Kane taking them all week and he has been banging them into the top corners and bottom corners and that was very positive that he was going to stick the ball in the net. “Sometimes you’ve just got to give credit to the goalkeeper for a good save. “It is disappointing and we can understand the fans’ frustration. We are as frustrated as they are. “But it will turn. We’ve just got to keep going, keep getting in those areas and create these opportunities from the penalty spot. “Hopefully someone can stick one in the net.” Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/stags-desperate-to-end-spot-kick-woe-1-8736723 ---------------- Reserves outing as Diamond aims to prove fitness chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Monday 04 September 2017 Mansfield Town skipper Zander Diamond is hoping to prove his fitness in tomorrow’s opening Central League reserves game away to Rotherham United. Stags will send a strong side to face the Millers at Parkgate’s ground (2pm) and, if Diamond comes through, will have a fully fit squad for the first time this season ahead of Saturday’s visit of Grimsby Town. Centre half Diamond has recovered from a slight strain and assistant boss Paul Raynor admitted: “We could have pushed Zander into service at the weekend. “But he’d only had one full training session. “Obviously with the ability and quality we’ve got in these areas we are not going to take a risk with anybody. “He has trained this morning and will probably have a run out in the reserves tomorrow just to make everything is fine and to top his game time up. “That will be the case for a few of the guys. It will be an experienced squad that goes to Rotherham tomorrow and they will all be looking to put positive thoughts into the manager’s mind before Saturday. “The previous manager here didn’t really use the senior players in these games, but we have always liked to play a strong squad and keep the game time up there. That is important to us.” Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/reserves-outing-as-diamond-aims-to-prove-fitness-1-8736721 ----------------- Taft can still have a future with Mansfield chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Monday 04 September 2017 George Taft may have gone out on loan to League Two rivals Cambridge United, but assistant boss Paul Raynor insisted his Mansfield Town career was far from over. “He comes back in January and we’ll keep an eye on how he does at Cambridge,” said Raynor. “We think it’s a good move for him. We thought his game time at the moment might be limited here, so it was an opportunity for him to go out and play. “We don’t like to keep people sitting in the stands, so to speak, and not involved. “We just felt with the defensive cover we have, George was the one that would probably lack a bit of game time with us. “So it made sense for him to get out there and play, given that he’s spent a lot of time on the sidelines with injury last year. Game time will be essential for him. “He has been a little bit unlucky, but it just shows you the back-up we’ve got and the quality in those defensive areas that we can allow George to go out and get that game time. That is a positive.” Taft was one of three players expected to go out on loan last week but the only one that happened. “There were a couple of enquiries on deadline day,” said Raynor. “Obviously they didn’t follow them up on that day, but there are still opportunities to go into the Conference after the window so we will wait and see if anyone follows up their enquiries from Thursday.” Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/taft-can-still-have-a-future-with-mansfield-1-8737861 ----------------- |
Latest | September 2017