Archived News from January 2021
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SOUTHEND PREVIEWS / McLAUGHLIN ON RETURN
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Boss aiming to maintain excellent form
mansfieldtown.net, Wed 20 January 2021 ‘Let’s keep this run going’ was the message from manager Nigel Clough ahead of this weekend’s match away at Southend United, with the Stags looking to make it five wins in a row in Sky Bet League Two. The clash at Roots Hall will be the first competitive fixture for Mansfield since last Wednesday’s win over Oldham, following Saturday’s home match against Carlisle being postponed, due to positive COVID-19 tests in the Blues’ camp. Nigel Clough previewed Saturday’s match against the Shrimpers, emphasising his desire for the Stags to maintain their impressive recent form. “The players had a rest over the weekend, and have come back in ready to work again,” the boss told iFollow Stags. “We saw a Southend side come here [One Call Stadium] and knock it about against us, but we’ve also seen them two or three times, and they have played differently. “Against Cambridge, they went quite direct in the first-half and caused them problems. They are one of those teams where you’re not quite sure what you are going to face. “They [Southend] played well [against us] in the first-half and got that one-goal lead. It was that finish from Jordan Bowery late in the game that got us a point. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2021/january/nigel-clough-pre-southend/ “When you look at the squad on paper, they have some very good, experienced players. “We’re finding that out across the league, that there are certainly no easy games. For different reasons, they are all as difficult as each other. “We’ve had a great run with our four league wins on the spin, but we’re all too aware that a couple of defeats could see us looking at the bottom few again. “We want to avoid that, so that’s the incentive to the players. Let’s start looking up as much as we can and keep this run going, and see where it takes us.” Two midfielders put pen-to-paper with the Stags over the last few days, with Stephen Quinn arriving on loan from Burton Albion, and George Lapslie making a permanent switch from Charlton Athletic. The manager spoke of both signings, adding: “He [Quinn] will bring experience in the midfield area, which is very important. We have a generally young midfield, so we needed some experience in there. “Some tenacity never goes amiss - I think his experience and his competitiveness will be an asset to us in the second half of the season. “It [Lapslie permanent deal] is a brilliant signing for the club. We’re delighted that we have secured him for the next two-and-a-half seasons. “I think he’s shown in the last few months that he is a goalscoring midfielder with potential to improve, and there aren’t many of those around. “He fits in very well with the work ethic and the type of player that we are trying to bring in. “We hope to do a little bit more in the last ten days of the window. In an ideal world, we’ll get a couple more in and two or three out.” Along with the two incomings, this week saw the permanent departure of midfielder Alistair Smith to Altrincham, and defender Rollin Menayese going out on loan to Grimsby Town. “I think it’s great for him [Smith] - he went there [Altrincham] on loan a few weeks ago, and he’s been playing week-in, week-out,” added Nigel Clough. “It would be very difficult for him to break into our team with the strength of the midfield that we have, so I think it’s a great opportunity for him. “He [Menayese] asked to go on loan because he wasn’t starting regularly. He was a bit unlucky, as he did very well at Cambridge when he came in. “But we’ve been very pleased with the pairing of Faz [Rawson] and Ryan Sweeney, and James Perch when he stepped in as well. “He [Menayese] has gone down the pecking order a little bit, so he asked if he could go out and get some games. I think that’s brilliant when a player wants to go out and play, so he’s gone with our blessing. “Hopefully he’ll get 20-odd games before the end of the season, and we’ll take it from there.” There was also an injury update from the boss ahead of Saturday’s clash with Southend. “It’s just Ollie Clarke [out injured] really. James Perch is back in training after his illness. “Ollie is still feeling the effects of that whack on his knee. He hasn’t joined in training yet, but we’re hoping on Friday he may do that. Then we’ll assess his chances for Saturday. “Tyrese [Sinclair] hasn’t started training yet. It’s going to be a slow process with him, as he had a run the first day after his isolation finished and he didn’t feel too good. “We all know about the effects of coronavirus, despite him being asymptomatic, and everyone recovers differently. “We’re going to take it very easy with him and be very cautious. He’ll build up slowly in training.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the boss’ interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow. ------------------------- Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham (interview available via iFollow Stags): "It's not been straightforward to get George here on a permanent. Our CEO David Sharpe has had to work very hard on it with Charlton and the agent. "Jimmy Knowles is happy at Notts County, they are happy with him, so he will probably stay there for the rest of the season." "Tyrese had his first run after his 10 days isolation and felt tired very quickly so we need to be careful with him." Nigel Clough told Notts TV (interview available via iFollow Stags): (on transfers) "A few more going out and we'd like to get 1 or 2 more coming in." Nigel Clough told iFollow Stags: (on transfers) "In an ideal world, a couple more in, and 2 or 3 going out. I think carrying a squad of 20 plus a couple of youngsters on the fringes will be enough." -------------------------- Nigel Clough happy with Mansfield Town's midfield chad.co.uk, By Stephen Thirkill, Wednesday 20th January 2021 Stags boss Nigel Clough believes his midfield is now complete. The Mansfield midfield has been bolstered with the loan signing of Burton Albion’s Stephen Quinn, while George Lapslie has agreed a permanent move to the One Call Stadium. And it is two bits of business which left Clough delighted. “He (Quinn) will bring experience in the midfield area,” he said, “It's very important as generally we have a young midfield. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-clough-happy-mansfield-towns-midfield-3107345 “We needed experience, a bit of combativeness never goes amiss - he is competitive and he will be an asset to us. “I think we are ok in the midfield area now, we have flexibility as well. I think centrally we are ok.” And Clough also believes there is more to come from Lapslie following his impressive start to his time at Mansfield. “It is a brilliant signing for the club, “ he said, “It has not been a straightforward signing. “David Sharpe has had to work very hard with Charlton and the agent to get it over the line and I'm delighted. “He has shown in the last three momths that he is a goalscoring midfielder with potential to improve and there's not many of those around. “He fits in very well with the work ethic and type of player we are trying to bring in.” Clough confirmed he is now hoping to bring a couple more players in during the latter stages of the transfer window, with two or three players expected to leave. On the pitch, Stags hope to extend their winning streak to five games when they travel to Roots Hall to face Southend United this weekend. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw on 19th December, with Clough keen to start better on Saturday than they did back in December. “From our point of view we wasted the first 45 minutes of the game as we didn't get going. We can't afford to do that away from home. “Southend came and knocked it about. We have seen them play differently in their last two games. “They passed it around against Cambridge but scrapped for a point at Grimsby, so they can be a team who you are not sure what you might face. “For different reasons, all games are difficult - there are no easy matches in this league. “The league is close. We have had a great run, but we are all too aware that a couple of defeats could drag us back down. “We need to keep the run going and look up if we can.” --------------------- Stephen McLaughlin ready for 'weird' return to Southend United Southend Echo, By Chris Phillips, Thur 21 Jan 2021 STEPHEN McLaughlin will be back at Southend United this weekend still feeling disappointed by how his own spell with the Shrimpers came to an end. The 30-year-old winger will be lining up for Mansfield Town in another crunch League Two clash at Roots Hall on Saturday. But McLaughlin, who made 185 appearances in a five year spell with Blues, teamed up with the Stags in the summer after never being offered another contract by Southend. “I wasn’t happy the way it ended if I’m honest,” said McLaughlin. https://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/19029844.stephen-mclaughlin-ready-weird-return-southend-united/ “I got a phone call from the chairman to tell me I was going to be offered a contract. “I said great, send it over and we could take it from there. “I then got an email to say I would get a phone call on the Monday to discuss it further but I never received that phone call. “I text the chairman and I said I was disappointed never to receive an offer and he said he heard I agreed terms with Mansfield. “At the time that wasn’t true, I still have a house in Southend, my missus loves it here and I did want to stay but that’s football. “He still owes me money too but that’s neither here nor there. “I’m at Mansfield now and I’m happy again.” McLaughlin initially joined Blues on loan from Nottingham Forest towards the end of the 2014/15 season and lined up in the memorable play-off final victory against Wycombe Wanderers. The winger was also voted into the Echo’s team of the decade by the club’s fans and, despite some difficult times, McLaughlin relished the majority of his time at Roots Hall. “On the whole I loved my time at Southend,” said McLaughlin. “I met some friends for life there and I loved it. “The club looked after me when I was going through tough times and I won’t forget that. “It’s a special place for me and the fans were great to me as well. “We had promotion and some good times.” But Blues started to struggle on and off the pitch in McLaughlin’s last two seasons at the club. And the Irishman found that tough to take. “The last couple of years at Southend I fell out of love with football really because it was very, very difficult,” said McLaughlin. “I’m starting to get the love back for the game now though. “I was very close to staying home in Ireland in the summer but I’m glad I made the decision to come back over to Mansfield. “It’s been great lately and I was always looking forward to being at a stable club.” The Stags are currently 14th in the standings but have recovered well from their own shaky start to the season which saw ex Southend coach Graham Coughlan dismissed as their manager. Under new boss Nigel Clough, Mansfield have won their last four games. But, as they bid to extend their unbeaten run, McLaughlin is bracing himself for an unusual afternoon. “I spent a good number of years at Southend and coming back with another team will be weird,” said McLaughlin. “Playing against the likes of JD (Jason Demetriou) and Ox (Mark Oxley) will be weird because I’m still good mates with them and Brandon Goodship as well. “It’s going be to weird but I’m looking forward to it.” The Shrimpers will be desperate for the points as they attempt to work their way off the foot of the table. And McLaughlin is bracing himself for a tough game. “On the pitch they’re going to be dogged and right at it,” said the Irishman. “That’s how they were when we played them at home. “They’ve got an identity now, a way to win games and get points. “They’re not the nicest to play against but we’re more than capable of matching them.” --------------------------- |
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