Archived News from August 2018
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KHAN AND WHITE PREVIEW YEOVIL GAME
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Manager's preparation is 'relentless' - Khan
mansfieldtown.net, 9 Aug 2018 Stags’ attacking-midfielder Otis Khan has praised manager David Flitcroft’s ‘relentless’ preparation ahead of Mansfield’s away clash with Yeovil Town on Saturday. The 22-year-old signed for the Stags in July of this year, and has since excited fans with his dynamic displays in amber and blue. Khan insists that although the team came out with a 3-0 win over Newport County AFC on Saturday, there is still ‘much more’ to come from a side operating under the guidance of the Stags’ boss. “It [manager’s preparation] is relentless,” said the midfielder. “When he puts something there, he wants to do it and all the players jump on board and do it. It’s non-stop work, day-in, day-out. But you can see from the result on Saturday that it’s paid off. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/august/khan-pre-yeovil/ “We’re working on all aspects of the game and I feel like it’s coming together. “There is definitely much more to come. As a team we have played really well but I think if people are looking at Saturday’s performance and saying we did really well, we know ourselves we have a lot more to come. “When we see that it’s going to be nice for ourselves and the fans to see. “They [Stags’ defenders] looked really solid. I think the block on the line by [Hayden] White shows the overall performance of the back-three. There’s a ‘never say die’ attitude. I know when their striker has the ball we’re solid back there and we’re going to do the job perfectly. “The number 10 role is where I enjoy playing, you get a lot of space in there. I pick the ball up in dangerous positions and can affect the game. I think as long as I’m doing my part for the team, everything else comes together.” Despite being full of praise for Yeovil, where he spent two years as a player, Khan insists that the priority is bringing three points back to One Call Stadium for current side Mansfield. “I went down there [to Yeovil] and did exactly what the gaffer wanted and promised he’d do, which was giving me the games,” he added. “I got the experience and I have nothing but good words to say about Yeovil. “They played me in the games so I could show everybody what I was about and I’ve done that now. “Playing week-in, week-out [was the main positive]. It was my first spell of playing in a football club. We went on the cup runs and it was good to play in some nice stadiums. Other than that, [the positives were] just the thrill of playing every week. “Yeovil’s make-up is very hard-working. They like to press all over the pitch and it’s a high energy team. They like to work hard and everyone is very together. “I think they shouldn’t do too bad [this season]. I’ve seen that they’ve brought in a couple of players so that should help them. I hope they do well. “It will be a good feeling to head back down there [Yeovil] with a new team. I know the stadium and the area well. It will be nice to score in front of the fans and do well for Mansfield because that’s where I am now. “All I want to do is go down there and get three points for my team.” Khan also spoke of Stags’ opening game of the season, the 3-0 win over Newport County AFC at One Call Stadium, in which he scored twice in nine minutes in the second-half. “I haven’t stopped thinking about it [win over Newport] to be honest,” he added. “It’s a perfect start to the season for the team and myself. I can’t keep it out of my head to be honest. “It was a great goal by myself that I won’t stop thinking about. Hopefully I can replicate it on Saturday. I’d say the second one was my favourite. It was more of what I’m about as a player. The first one I’m not used to scoring headers. “I think it [win over Newport] has done wonders really. In pre-season we were unbeaten but in the league it can all change. But the fact that we haven’t been beaten yet and the confidence is growing and growing, there’s a real good vibe in the camp.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Otis Khan’s answers in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. ---------------- Mansfield Town new boy Otis Khan hoping for good reception at old club Yeovil chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Thursday 09 August 2018 Otis Khan is hoping for a good reception from his old fans at Yeovil Town, but admits all he cares about is three points for Mansfield Town on Saturday. The exciting attacking midfield prospect switched clubs this summer but gets an immediate return to Huish Park in Stags’ first away trip of the season after scoring twice in the opening day 3-0 win over Newport County. “I should get a good reception - I hope so anyway,” he smiled. “I did well in my time down there and the fans recognised that. It should be a good reception - but you never know. Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-new-boy-otis-khan-hoping-for-good-reception-at-old-club-yeovil-1-9293012 “It will be very strange sitting in the away dressing room down there. It’s a different challenge for me.” Khan enjoyed his time at Yeovil and has nothing but happy memories. He said: “I knew exactly what the gaffer wanted when I went there and he promised me games. I got the experience I wanted and I’ve got nothing but good words to say about Yeovil. "They played me in games and I was able to show everyone what I’m about. “It was great to play week in, week out. It was my first spell of playing, which was a thrill, and we went on cup runs which was really good, playing in nice stadiums.” On Yeovil’s style, he added: “They are very hard-working. They like to press all over the pitch and are a high energy team. “They are very together and work hard for each other. “I don’t think they will do too bad this season. They brought in some players, so that should help them. And I hope they do well. “It will be a good feeling to head back down there with a new team. I know the stadium well and I know the area well.” But he warned: “It would be really nice to score in front of their fans and do well for Mansfield because that’s where I am now. All I want to do is go down there and get the three points for my team.” Mansfield’s opening day win delighted players and fans alike. “It has done wonders for us - and we were unbeaten pre-season as well,” he said. “Confidence is growing and growing and there is a really good vibe in the camp. Everyone is buzzing. “It was important to start well and show other teams what you’re really about and make them fear. “As much as they are well prepared for the game, they will be thinking we are on the back of a 3-0 win over Newport and they will have looked at our clips from the game.” On his own brace of goals, he said: “I haven’t stopped thinking about it to be honest. “It was the perfect start to the season for the team and for myself. I can’t get it out of my head. “The second goal was my favourite - it was more what I am about as a player. It was a great goal by myself, hopefully I can replicate it on Saturday. “The first one was a nice goal to score as well, but I’m not used to scoring headers.” Khan is enjoying the freedom of his position behind the front pair. He said: “That No.10 role is what I enjoy doing. You get a lot of space in there to pick the ball up in dangerous positions and I can affect the game, getting goals and assists. “Playing out wide at previous clubs I was isolated out there, even though I got some goals and assists.” Khan believes the hard work they are put through by manager David Flitcroft is reaping its rewards. “It’s relentless,” he said. “When he put something there he wants doing all the players jump on board and do it. “It’s non-stop work day in, day out. But you saw on Saturday it’s paying off. “We work on all aspects of the game and I feel like it’s coming together.” So far Flitcroft has not tapped up Khan for any extra information on his old Yeovil team mates. “He hasn’t but if he tried I wouldn’t give him any,” smiled Khan. On Mansfield’s season prospects, he said: “There is definitely much more to come. “I think as a team we played really well on Saturday, but we know we have more to come which will be nice for us and the fans when it happens. “We looked really solid at the back too. That block on the line by Whitey (Hayden White) showed the overall performance and never-say-die attitude of the back three.” ----------------- White says Stags' boss leaves nothing to chance mansfieldtown.net, 9 Aug 2018 Stags’ defender Hayden White has cited David Flitcroft’s thorough pre-season training regime as a reason for the club’s positive start, explaining that the manager leaves ‘no stone unturned.’ White acknowledged not only boss David Flitcroft’s work on the training ground as the reason for the Stags’ recent success, but also the players’ willingness to get behind it. “Everything we’ve done in pre-season really came through for us. We had a very thorough preseason and a lot of hard work through the manager,” White said. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/august/white-pre-yeovil/ “Fortunately, the players really took it on board and I felt like it really showed in the game. “[The pre-season] was tough, very tough. The players bought into the project and the manager told us at the start that if we all commit to it, then we will get the rewards, which we saw in the game. “There’s a big level of respect in the dressing room that the boys are willing to work as hard as possible, and that showed. I think the manager has instilled that respect level and the boys have really shown how together we are at the moment. “That’s something that the manager is big on and it’s really helping us. Nothing is by chance. We’ve been training very, very hard. The things we’re doing in games are things we’re doing on the training field. “He doesn’t leave any stone unturned, that’s one thing I can say about the manager. Every training session we’re going through set plays, set pieces and how we’re going to play on the weekend and on Tuesday.” Stags’ performance against Newport County last weekend was highlighted in part by White’s stunning clearance off the line in the 78th minute, preventing Pádraig Amond’s shot to preserve Mansfield’s clean sheet. “I can’t say it was luck, it was one of those where I thought I’d try and make the effort to help the lads out and - sometimes they do hit you and end up going in - but luckily that one stayed out. “I didn’t think I would actually get there, but I started running and I had a slight feeling he might not hit it as hard as he should.” White has recently been utilised as a right centre-back, and thanked his fellow Mansfield defenders for easing the transition into the new role from his more accustomed right-back spot. “You have to concentrate wherever you’re playing. You have to stay switched on a lot more, but it’s something that I’m really enjoying,” White said. “I’ve got [Matt] Preston next to me and [Krystian] Pearce next to him and they’ve really helped me through it. “It’s a position I’ve played a lot when I was a little bit younger. It’s a position I enjoy. Wherever the manager asks me to play, I’ll play happy to play with it.” Looking ahead, White is hoping the match at Yeovil on Saturday marks the beginning of an improved away form in 2018-19, and emphasised the importance of more wins and fewer draws compared to last season. He also mentioned the presence of Otis Khan, who came to Mansfield in the summer after a two-year stint at Yeovil Town. “We all think we drew too many games and that’s definitely something we’re looking at changing this year. Hopefully we can go there, put in a similar performance [as last year] and come away with three points - we’re not taking any games for granted this year. “Their loss [of Khan] is our gain, and hopefully he can show some more of what he was doing on Saturday. Him, and all the boys that the manager have brought in, have brought their own quality in. Otis does it every day in training, so that wasn’t a shock for me. “Him, Craig [Davies], Tyler [Walker] and some of the boys we have from last year are all game-changers, so I think we’re in for an exciting season.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Hayden White's answers in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. ---------------------- Hayden White believes Otis Khan can be a game-changer for Mansfield Town chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS Mansfield Town defender Hayden White believes Otis Khan can be a game-changer this season. As Stags prepared to head to Yeovil Town tomorrow, from where they signed Khan, White said the young midfielder’s two-goal five-star showing in Saturday’s opening 3-0 home win over Newport was no surprise to him. Read more at: https://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/football/hayden-white-believes-otis-khan-can-be-a-game-changer-for-mansfield-town-1-9294136 He said: “We signed Otis from Yeovil, so their loss is our gain. Hopefully he can some more of what he was doing on Saturday. “He and all the boys the manager has brought in are quality and Otis does that every day in training, so it wasn’t a shock to me. “He is one of several game-changers here and I think we’re in for an exciting season.” Last season Stags twice came from behind to win 3-2 in a thrilling game at Yeovil and White said: “I’d be happy with any kind of thriller that contains us scoring all the goals this Saturday. “We are not taking any games for granted this year - it’s another three points we can put on the board. “We drew too many games last year which is something we’re definitely looking at changing this year.” White said the opening win over Newport simply underlined all the hard work done in pre-season and he emphasised how thorough boss David Flitcroft has been in preparing them. “It was a very good start for us. Everything we’ve done in pre-season really came through for us,” he said. “We had a very thorough pre-season with a lot of hard work which the players really took on board and that showed on Saturday. “It was tough. But the manager told us at the start if we all commit to the project we’ll all get the rewards. “There is a big respect level in the dressing room at the moment that the boys are prepared to work as hard as possible. “The manager has instilled that respect level and the boys are showing how together we are at the moment. It’s something the manager is big on and it’s really helping us. “He has different ways of doing that - the Portugal trip, how thorough he is in training sessions. Nothing is by chance. We’ve been working very hard and the things we are doing on the pitch are things we’ve been doing on the training field. “He doesn’t leave any stone unturned - that’s one thing I can say about the manager.” White, a right back last season, has started the campaign on the right of a back three. “It’s a position I played a lot when I was younger and a position I enjoy,” he said. “Wherever the manager asked me to play I am happy - right side, left side or wing back. I am enjoying it. “You always have to concentrate but you have to stay switched on a lot more in a three. But I’ve got Pressy (Matt Preston) and Pearcey (Krystian Pearce) and they are really helping me through.” With Stags 3-0 up near the end last weekend, White came up with a heroic last ditch goalline clearance to preserve a clean sheet. “I can’t say it was luck,” he said. “I just thought I’d try to make the effort to help the lads out. “Sometimes they end up hitting you and going in, but luckily it stayed out. “I didn’t think I would actually get there, but I started running and I had a slight feeling he might not hit it as hard as he should. It was a gamble that paid off.” --------------------- |
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