Archived News from March 2022
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CLOUGH ON POSTPONEMENT & PREVIEWS OLDHAM
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Stags will ‘embrace’ run-in - gaffer
mansfieldtown.net, Mon 21 March 2022 Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says his squad will ‘embrace’ and ‘relish’ the ‘nice challenge’ of battling for a place in the top seven of Sky Bet League Two. The boss’ side face a sequence of three consecutive away matches, having already played two on the road prior to tomorrow night’s encounter at Rochdale. Stags sit in 10th position in the division, and have up to four games in hand over other promotion rivals, while the Dale lie in 19th place. Speaking to the local media today, the gaffer said: “Going for the top seven and a play-off spot from where we’ve come from three months ago is a nice challenge. “It’s a nice thing to embrace and relish. “It’s certainly not one to be frightened of. “We’ve got 12 games to go, that’s all that matters. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2022/march/stags-will-embrace-run-in---gaffer/ “Whatever has happened in the previous 34 games is irrelevant now, it counts for absolutely nothing. “I think we’ve got a good squad. “I wish we were playing more at home, but [in] the next three [matches] we’ve got to get something, we’ve got to raise it and we’ve got to get back in that top seven. “We should have a spring in our step [with us being] in the position we’re in. “We were second from bottom three months ago. “People thought it was going to be another relegation battle and now all of a sudden, we’re battling for the top seven. It’s brilliant.” Mansfield’s scheduled contest at home to Stevenage on Saturday was postponed due to the opposition having Covid-19 cases in their camp. “[The feeling of the squad was] One of disappointment. We were desperate for the game to be played and [were] surprised that the game was called off,” said the manager. “[We were] Annoyed to a certain degree but it’s all in the hands of the Football League. “I’m sure they [the Football League] will scrupulously investigate the circumstances of the postponement and make sure everything is above board. “It [the match postponement] means that we play five consecutive away games now. Eight out of nine [matches] now have been away from home. “It’s [the postponement] certainly not given us any advantage, shall we say.” The gaffer admits it was a frustration not to play at home on Saturday having lost the previous two matches on the road. “We were desperate to play the game having lost the two [previous] away games [Tranmere and Port Vale]. “I think that added to the frustration of the players on Friday morning when we told them that the game was off. “We won ten on the spin at home, we were going for the club record of eleven and smarting from the two defeats. “When you’ve lost the last two [it’s especially important to pick up points again]. “We could’ve easily had a couple of draws on the road or even won one of the two. “We should’ve won at Port Vale, having been 1-0 up.” With 12 matches remaining, the boss says that the end of the season promises to be an ‘interesting’ one. “[Form is] Completely irrelevant at this time in the season,” he said. “You see results come out of nowhere at this time in the season, in the last sort of ten, 12 games. “We don’t look at the form guide whatsoever. “I think we’ve played less games than anybody in the country all of a sudden. “We’ve got these 12 [fixtures] to play and the next three [are] on the road. “We’ve got to get something from the next three games. “It’s going to be an interesting dozen games [remaining].” The manager provided an update on his squad’s injury situation ahead of tomorrow night’s clash at Crown Oil Arena. “[It’s] More than likely [that the team will be the one that would’ve lined up against Stevenage]. “Lucas Akins is the major doubt in the squad at the moment. “Everybody else is there or there abouts. “Ollie Clarke has a groin problem at the moment, that’s why he came off against Port Vale.” Watch the manager's news conference in full now by clicking here. ---------------------- Promotion challenge is one Mansfield Town will relish, according to Nigel Clough chad.co.uk Nigel Clough says Mansfield Town should embrace the challenge in front of them as they seek promotion from League Two. Stags have 12 games left in which to secure at least a play-off spot, beginning with tonight’s trip to face Rochdale. And rather than see it as a mountain to climb, Clough is instead determined his players aren’t frightened of what’s to come, particularly given the progress made since the turn of the year. Speaking before the Rochdale game, he said: “I wouldn’t say this is one of the toughest challenges I’ve faced. Fighting at the other end of the table is much, much tougher. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/promotion-challenge-is-one-mansfield-town-will-relish-according-to-nigel-clough-3621541 "Going for the top seven and a play-off spot, from where we’ve come from three months ago, is a nice challenge and a nice sort of thing to embrace and relish and not to be frightened of. “It’s in our own hands. What we’ve got to do is put the two defeats away [against Tranmere and Port Vale] - and I think in a way having last weekend free will help do as at certain times of the season you’ve got to clear your heads whether you’re unbeaten or have lost a few games. It’s almost starting again. “Whatever has happened in the previous 34/35 games is irrelevant now, it counts for absolutely nothing. All that matters are the remaining matches. There’s a reason they call it the business end of the season. “I’m looking forward to the challenge. I think we’ve got a good squad - I wish we were playing more at home but in the next three we’ve got to raise it and have got to get something and get back into that top seven. “We should have a spring in our step given the position we were in. We keep reminding the lads that we were second from bottom just three months ago and people said it was going to be another relegation battle but all of a sudden we’re battling for the top seven. It’s brilliant.” Clough added the fact many of the remaining games are away from home won’t change Stags’ approach, saying: “We’re a positive team. The two recent away defeats were almost identical stats-wise, so we’re up against it in terms of being on the road but we try and play the same way.” -------------------- Nigel Clough hopes travelling will be to Mansfield Town's liking in remaining games chad.co.uk Mansfield boss Nigel Clough hopes his players are in the mood for travelling well as the League Two season moves towards its climax. Including Tuesday night’s trip to Rochdale, Mansfield have five of their next six games on the road, having also played their last two away from home prior to the postponement of Saturday’s home game with Stevenage. They’ll then face another two away matches after that, in between their last three remaining home matches, meaning the miles are set to be clocked up in pursuit of promotion as Mansfield aim to play catch-up with their fixtures. But, speaking ahead of the Rochdale game, Clough was hopeful his players are up to the task. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-clough-hopes-travelling-will-be-to-mansfield-towns-liking-in-remaining-games-3621459 He said: “With us having lost the last two we’ve slipped behind a little bit but I think we’ve played fewer games than anyone in the country now as all of a sudden we’re lagging behind and have got 12 to play where some have only got as few as seven. “Five away in a row at this stage of the season is tough but we’ve got to get something from the next three games. “It’s going to be an interesting dozen games, particularly when we’ve lost the last two. We could have easily had a couple of draws and should have won at Port Vale having been 1-0 up and given the goals away the way we did. "A point at Tranmere and win at Port Vale was what we were aiming for to get four points but we ended up with nothing.” --------------------------- Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough was left 'surprised and annoyed' by Stevenage postponement chad.co.uk Nigel Clough says Mansfield Town were left ‘surprised and annoyed’ that Saturday’s home game with Stevenage was postponed. The visitors reported a large number of positive COVID-19 cases amongst their playing staff 24 hours before the match and requested the match be called off, but Stags released a statement believing that current protocol with regard to the virus meant the fixture would be unaffected. However, the EFL duly postponed the match, leaving Mansfield boss Nigel Clough frustrated by the impact both short and long-term. He said: “I was disappointed. We were desperate for the game to be played and were surprised the game was called off as well as annoyed to a certain degree. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-boss-nigel-clough-was-left-surprised-and-annoyed-by-stevenage-postponement-3621375 “But it’s all in the hands of the Football League now and I’m sure they’ll scrupulously investigate the circumstances of the postponement and make sure everything is above board. “They keep on about the integrity of the competition and the league and everything but for those teams who are down there fighting against relegation, I’m sure they’ll all want to know that everything is how Stevenage said. "We expected the game to go ahead as COVID is now treated as a normal illness and I don’t think there’s been a game called off since around the 1990s called off due to illness. “It means we now play five consecutive away games which seems to not give us any advantage, shall we say.” Clough said he and his players found out about the postponement during training on Friday, meaning a change of plan was swiftly required as to the nature of the session. He said: “We were training and we found out literally just after the warm-up. We needed to know as it dictated what sort of session we were long and how long we were doing it for, instead of doing the usual, nice and light, pre-match Friday morning. We instead did a more strenuous session to replace the match. “We were desperate to play having lost the two away games and I think that added to the frustration, certainly of the players on Friday morning. They were more than a little frustrated with the decision. We’d won ten on the spin at home and were looking forward to the game.” ------------------------- |
Latest | March 2022