Archived News from January 2021
|
CLOUGH ON POSTPONEMENT & TARGETS FOR SEASON
|
 |
|
Boss outlines targets for second half of season
mansfieldtown.net, Fri 15 Jan 2020 As the Stags reached the halfway point of their Sky Bet League Two campaign with their win over Oldham on Wednesday night, boss Nigel Clough spoke of the remarkable recent progress that his side have made - and his targets for the second half of the season - in Friday morning’s news conference. Since the boss’ first league game in charge of the amber and blue, no side have amassed more points in Sky Bet League Two than the Stags, who have also won their last four matches in the division. Nigel Clough says this type of form is ‘testament’ to how the players have worked under his leadership. “We’re halfway through the season exactly in terms of league games, and we’ve got ourselves into the top half of the league table,” he told iFollow Stags. “Let’s just have a think about what we want to do in the next three months now. It [upturn in form] is testament to how the players have reacted and taken things on board. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2021/january/nigel-clough-interview-15-jan/?fbclid=IwAR3LB0zGBd-lvk4Ep_D5_DuPpq3yAqitQoxur8RoMt1SErH1RWvg6ADpapI “We’re making better decisions on the pitch, and as each game goes by, you can see things gradually getting through to the players. “Without the two daft goals we conceded the other night [against Oldham], we do win that game more comfortably. “It [form] highlights the players and the potential that we’ve got here, and if we can add two or three [players] to them, that will only help in the second half of the season. “I think it’s been a brilliant turnaround by the lads and by the staff who have come in and lifted them, so they can achieve those things. “It [rising up the table] puts pressure in other areas, as people are thinking ‘can we challenge the top seven?’ - which has always been the intention, if we can do that. “I don’t think we’ve done it fully yet, but when you take that prospect of relegation away, hopefully people can relax and play with a bit more freedom. “I think we’ve seen that in the last two or three league games, and hopefully that will continue in the second half of the season. “Let’s get to a position where we are safe as soon as we can, and see where we can go from there.” The Stags were set to continue their Sky Bet League Two campaign at home to league leaders Carlisle United on Saturday, but the game was postponed due to the Blues informing the EFL that they would be unable to fulfil their next three fixtures due to positive COVID-19 tests. Despite being disappointed that the game will not go ahead, Nigel Clough and his staff plan to use the weekend productively. “We would’ve certainly liked the game [to be] on, without a doubt,” added the boss. When you’re on the run that we are at the moment in the league, then you want to play every few days. “We’re disappointed in lots of ways that the game isn’t on, but it’s understandable with the situation. “The weather would’ve caused us problems with getting the game on, but we would have done everything in our power to get it on. “The only upside is that it gives us a few days to get Ollie Clarke and James Perch, and one or two others, back to full fitness. Especially those who are carrying knocks after the last couple of games. “We’ll have to go on the all-weather [pitch to train] - we’re still going to have a very good session in light of the [Carlisle] game being off. “Then we’ll have a few days rest before getting ready for the [Southend] game a week on Saturday. It’s not a bad thing to be able to step back and recharge your batteries, physically and mentally. “I’m actually going to attend Stockport versus Notts County to see Jimmy Knowles, because we’ve not seen him yet. It gives me a chance to see him, because obviously we have a recall [option] on him if we wish. “All of the other staff will be out watching any opposition that we might have in the next few weeks, or potential targets.” The manager also touched on any potential incomings, one of which he says is ‘pretty close.’ “We’ve made a couple of offers for loans. One is hopefully pretty close and should get done after the weekend. “We’ll pursue others over the weekend and at the start of next week. We’re never keen on speculating or talking until the player has actually signed.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the boss’ interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. --------------------------- Nigel Clough on Jimmy Knowles: “I’m actually going to attend Stockport versus Notts County to see Jimmy Knowles, because we’ve not seen him yet. It gives me a chance to see him, because obviously we have a recall on him if we wish. "He's not had quite the minutes we hoped he would, but Notts have had a good run so it's understandable." Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham: "With the weather we've had it would have been a struggle to get the game on, the amount of rain we've had, and if the snow melts on to the pitch, but we would have done everything we could. --------------------- Blank weekend gives Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough chance to work on targets chad.co.uk No game allows club time to scour rivals and work on strengthening... Mansfield Town don’t have a game this afternoon so manager Nigel Clough will be doing his homework instead. The in-form Stags were due to face League Two table toppers Carlisle United, but the contest was postponed due to a positive Covid test in the Blues' camp. Instead, Clough will spend his day casting an eye over rivals and scouting as he continues to try to add to his squad. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/blank-weekend-gives-mansfield-town-boss-nigel-clough-chance-work-targets-3102986?fbclid=IwAR3LNKZmjg7cK-ZUfNNol3lNPSItImGBwiImvap33uqdVNlbJKhiyb2W9EI "It gives us an opportunity to watch games at the weekend - players, opposition and such," said Clough. "And it's a chance to keep working on targets. "(It’s) disappointing when you're on the run we're on, but on the other hand it (the postponement is) totally understandable. They've had the positive test and there's no way we can play the game. "Also with the weather I think it might have been in doubt anyway, with the rain we've had." Looking to the positives, Clough hopes the break in fixtures can help get his squad back to full strength. "It gives us that 10-day break," he added. "We haven't had too hectic a Christmas period. Normally we've played a few more games over the period, but it gives the likes of Ollie Clarke (knee) and James Perch (illness) those few extra games to make sure they're ready." ---------------------- Nigel Clough praises Mansfield Town defender Mal Benning's 'loyalty' chad.co.uk Defender reaches 200 games for Stags... Nigel Clough praised defender Mal Benning's 'loyalty' after the defender notched up 200 appearances for Mansfield Town. The 27-year-old's cameo off the bench in Wednesday's 3-2 win at Oldham Athletic saw him reach the milestone. "Anybody who stays at club in the modern era and plays 200 games shows a large degree of loyalty. It's a great achievement for him," Clough said. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-clough-praises-mansfield-town-defender-mal-bennings-loyalty-3102993 "To get the 200th appearance, and in a win as well, I'm delighted for him. "He's been first choice left back and the only reason we left him out the other night was because he'd got a dead calf. "He's been a very consistent performer in the last couple of months." Benning joined the Stags from Walsal in 2015. ------------------------ Stags are looking up! Could second half push could see Mansfield Town force way into play-off spots? chad.co.uk Mansfield Town have reached the halfway stage of the League Two season seven points off the play-off spots. Now manager Nigel Clough is hoping his Stags can continue to climb the table, after transforming them from relegation battlers to a side who have won their last four league contests and - given current form - have ambitions of breaking into the top seven. “It’s time to sit back and have a think, we’re halfway through the season in terms of league games and let’s get ready for the second half of the season,” said Clough, whose side were left without a fixture at the weekend due to a positive Covid-19 test in the Carlisle United camp. Clough has seen his team pick up 22 points from 12 League Two matches since replacing Graham Coughlan in the dug-out. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/stags-are-looking-could-second-half-push-could-see-mansfield-town-force-way-play-spots-3104406 If the Stags had his average of 1.83 points per game throughout the campaign so far they would sit third behind the current top two of Carlisle and Newport County (both 1.85ppg). Further optimism can come from the fact that the side’s run under Clough has also seen them take 10 points from a possible 15 against top eight sides - beating Forest Green, Cambridge United and Salford City, drawing with Crawley and suffering defeat at Carlisle. While the weekend’s postponement may have come at a frustrating time for a club in form, Clough was looking to the positives. He added: “It gives us that 10-day break. “Normally we’ve played a few more games over the (festive) period, but it gives the likes of Ollie Clarke (knee) and James Perch (illness) those few extra days to make sure they’re ready.” ---------------------- |
Latest | January 2021