Archived News from April 2023
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CLOUGH & CALLUM JOHNSON PREVIEW NEWPORT GAME
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Boss ‘heartened’ by league position ahead of run-in
mansfieldtown.net, Mon 17 Apr 2023 Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says he’s ‘heartened’ by Stags’ current league position - in spite of the squad’s injury list - and says his men will ‘give everything’ ahead of the final five matches of the campaign. Mansfield currently occupy the final play-off position - sitting in seventh - ahead of Salford on goals scored, having played a game less than the Ammies. Stags head to Newport County tomorrow evening looking to build on a fine sequence of seven matches without defeat. Speaking to iFollow Stags in a news conference at RH Academy today, Nigel said: “Confidence-wise it’s good to stay unbeaten. “We’ve not won enough of the games - we’ve had too many draws but you just see the importance of getting that draw [after the match]. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2023/april/boss-heartened-by-league-position-ahead-of-run-in/ “It was a better point at five o’clock than we anticipated at the time. Colchester surprisingly won at Salford and we move back into the play-off places. “[There’s] Not many to go now but we need to win a few of the games that we’ve got left. “We are heartened by the fact that we’re still in there, in the mix and in with a shout [of promotion] despite having seven or eight [players] out since late January. “We thought the squad had improved with the signings that we made and it has.” The squad’s injury concerns were evident on Saturday as forward Rhys Oates withdrew following the pre-match warm-up at Grimsby. “Lads are just going to have to keep getting through [games],” said the gaffer. “Even some of those on the bench aren’t fit enough to come on. Rhys Oates was named on the bench [at Grimsby] and couldn’t complete the warm-up. “You can see it’s that sort of balancing act at the moment of trying our best to get them back on the pitch but we have to be sensible about it.” The boss went on to provide a more detailed injury report. “He’ll [Stephen McLaughlin] be in the squad but he’s just probably not available to start,” he said. “He [Oates] came in from the warm-up and said he couldn’t even do five or ten minutes. He’s very stiff in the groin, pelvic area so until that eases he’s probably be ruled out. “It’s totally in his hands and we’ll see how he [Stephen Quinn] feels. Stephen’s 37 and he’ll make that decision on if he’s able to start. If he can start, we’ll start him. “Not at this stage [are any other players likely to come back]. We’re hoping for Saturday to have one or two back on the bench but I can’t see too many being available for Newport. “We’re pushing to get him [Will Swan] back. He’s doing some work on the grass now at Forest. “We’re obviously in their hands and he’s their player but we are pushing to get him back with us as soon as possible. If we can get him involved in the last three or four games [then] we’ll do that.” Tomorrow night’s opponents were 2-0 winners in their last home outing, defeating relegation-threatened Hartlepool United. “I think they’ve [Newport] got clear, just about, of relegation now and become more difficult to beat. “[They’re] A little bit inconsistent, [but] that’s what you get when you go in somewhere until you can put your own squad together.” When asked what Mansfield will need in the final five fixtures, the boss said: “Keeping that consistency going, trying to stay unbeaten and holding your nerve. “It might be that in the last two or three games we get two, three or four players back that might make the difference. I hope so. “If not, we’ll go with what we’ve got and we’ll give it everything.” ----------------------------- Newport County more dangerous now safe from drop believes Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Mon 17 Apr 2023 With nothing to play for apart from pride, Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough believes that makes former Stags boss Graham Coughlan's Newport County an even more dangerous animal in tonight's tough trip to Rodney Parade. Stags head there on a seven-game unbeaten run after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Grimsby Town and sat in the seventh and final play-off spot with only five games to go. “I think Newport are clear of relegation now and so are more difficult to beat,” said Clough. “It makes them more dangerous in my view, a bit like Grimsby on Saturday. They were able to go for it second half. “Newport have been inconsistent. Last week Graham wasn't happy with the performance at Stockport, but they bounced back on Saturday. “That is what you get when you go in somewhere new until you can put your own squad together. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/newport-county-more-dangerous-now-safe-from-drop-believes-mansfield-town-boss-nigel-clough-4108271 “They are very difficult to break down and will be very resolute. The first goal will be very important. “A clean sheet would be good too. We seem to get punished at the moment. Teams are not having many chances against us but we're not getting away with much. “ Clough continued: “We will approach the game the same as we have done every game recently, home or away. “One of the nice things over the last five or six games is that our level of performance has been pretty consistent. We have tried to take the game to opponents as much as we can. “You look back 12 months and I think we are playing better in terms of our general performance. We are a bit more relaxed and playing better football than a year ago. “We were scrapping in the last eight games or so of last season to get in the play-offs, which we managed. “But this season I think we're playing better, and that's without the seven or eight injured players. With some of them back I think we have the capability to improve our performance. “We need to try to keep that consistency going, try to stay unbeaten and hold our nerve. “It might be that for the last two or three games we get two, three or four players back and that could be the difference. I hope so. But if not we will go with what we've got and give it everything. “Confidence-wise it's always good to stay unbeaten. We have won enough of the games - we've had too many draws. But you saw the importance of getting that draw. “It was a better point at 5pm than we anticipated when you see Colchester surprisingly win at Salford and we moved back into the play-off places. It is in our own hands again now. “It is silly results time of the season and I think you're seeing that throughout the leagues. Teams going for things are a bit nervous and edgy. Teams fighting relegation the same. I don't want us to get like that. I want us to keep playing with the same kind of freedom. I think that's our best chance. “There aren't many to go now and we need to win a few of the games we have left.” Stags again look unlikely to have any of their eight injured players available to start tonight. “We are heartened by the fact we're still in the mix and in with a shout, despite having seven or eight out injured since late January,” said Clough. “One thing we thought we had enough enough of was midfield players. In January we thought we were well covered there. Then you lose four - and all potential starters in Louis Reed, Anthony Hartigan, George Maris and Ollie Clarke. It's left us a bit light but we've coped with it as well as could be expected. “We're also missing Rhys Oates and Will Swan, arguably our two most dangerous attackers. “With a threadbare bench and no one likely to return from injury the lads will just have to keep getting through. Some of those on the bench are not fit enough to come on. “Rhys Oates was named on the bench at Grimsby but couldn't complete the warm up. He was very stiff in the groin/pelvic are so until that eases he will be ruled out. If he could give us 10-15 minutes he will be on the bench. “Stephen McLaughlin didn't train on Monday and that was after just five minutes on Saturday as his ankle is sore again. But it's good to have him back involved again as you want your best players around you. “It's a balancing act at the moment trying to get them back out on the pitch. We have to be sensible about it.” Veteran Stephen Quinn may need a rest but Clough will leave the decision up to the former Irish international star. “Stephen Quinn has played a lot of games recently - and nearly full games as well,” he said. “It is totally in his hands to see how he feels. He is 37 and he will make the decision if he is able to start. If he can we will start him. “I think he has been our outstanding player in the last few weeks. I think he is still enjoying it which is as important as anything at that age. “We are hoping we might get one or two back on the bench for Saturday - we will see how George Maris is, Louis Reed possibly, though I don't think they will be able to start. Just having them back in the squad would be a boost.” ----------------------- Stags will 'fight' for top seven finish - Johnson mansfieldtown.net, Mon 17 Apr 2023 Stags will head in to the five remaining games of the regular season with ‘fight and endeavour’, full-back Callum Johnson said today. The 26-year-old, who joined the club from Ross County in January, made his first start on Saturday at Grimsby since 04 March. The defender has appeared on eight occasions for Nigel Clough’s men since his transfer and is looking forward to the remaining matches, starting tomorrow night at Newport. Speaking in a news conference at RH Academy on the squad’s run-in, Callum was targeting a clean sheet, first and foremost, saying: “It’s massive [if we’re able to get a clean sheet tomorrow night]. “It’s a base to build upon. We look like we’re going to score when we go forward and we’ve got to make sure we keep it tight at the back. “These are the big games. This is what you want as a footballer to thrive off. That’s our job. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2023/april/stags-will-fight-for-top-seven-finish---johnson/ “I am confident, I think the fight and endeavour is going to be massive. That’ll hopefully take us over the line. “We’ve got to keep our heads down, take it one game at a time and go toe-to-toe with every team we play against.” After recovering from two separate injuries, Johnson said: “It’s been 11 weeks since I’ve played over 45 minutes, so it's been a long time. “It was good to be back out there [on Saturday at Grimsby] obviously. I’m not fully match fit [or] match sharp but that’ll have done me the world of good to get out there after a tough few months for me. “Obviously match fitness is massive and you can’t really replicate that in training as much as you try to, but even when I came back from the groin [injury] I felt really good and then in my first start [back at Wimbledon] I did my calf. “Hopefully I can kick on now and get to where I was eleven weeks ago. “It’s the business end of the season now. There’s five games left and there's no room for rustiness [or] tiredness. That’s gone now, that’s behind me. Head down, full throttle and do everything we can to get over the line.” ---------------------- Callum Johnson so happy to be back from injury for Mansfield Town's final play-off push chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Mon 17 Apr 2023 Mansfield Town defender Callum Johnson is delighted to be back after lengthy injury problems in time for the big finale to the club's play-off chase. But, after so many weeks without a full game, Johnson knows he needs to regain match sharpness as quickly as possible. The 26-year-old January signing from Ross County was back in the starting line-up at Grimsby last Saturday after two brief, late substitute appearances and said: “I think it's been 11 weeks since I played over 45 minutes so it's been a long time. “It was good to be back out there. I am not fully match fit and match sharp but it will have done me the world of good to get back out there after a tough few months for me with back to back injuries. “There are only a few games left now so I need to brush off the cobwebs as quickly as I can and get back to how I was when I signed when I was match fit and came straight in. Hopefully I can kick on now and be the best version of myself. “With that first game out the way it's going to be easier from then on as you have that 90 minutes base under your belt. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/callum-johnson-so-happy-to-be-back-from-injury-for-mansfield-towns-final-play-off-push-4108615 “Match fitness is massive and you can't really replicate it in training, as much as you try to.” Johnson had only just come back from injury before being struck down by a new one on his comeback at AFC Wimbledon on 4th March. “I felt really good when I came back from the groin injury as I got back quicker than expected and then did my calf in my first start back which was devastating as it was five or six weeks out,” he said. “I have not had many injuries in my full career and I don't think I have ever played less than 40 games, so I have been quite lucky. “I am quite fit naturally but you need to play games. It's now the business end of the season and there is no room for rustiness or tiredness. It has to be head down, full throttle, and do all we can to get over that line. “These are the big games - these are what you want as a footballer and thrive off. It's our job to do so and I am confident from past experience. “Fight and endeavour are going to be massive, and I think we have those and hopefully it will take us over the line. “We need to keep our heads down, go full throttle, take it one game at a time and go toe to toe with every team we play, get at them and believe we're going to win. “These games are really exciting and I am looking forward to them.” On tonight's tough trip to Newport County, he said: “It's a quick turn around from Saturday and, in my experience, it's not an easy place to go. They had a good result on Saturday and it will be a tough game again.” Stags again look set to be without eight injured players and Johnson said: “It's been mad. I have never seen anything like it, the amount of injuries we've had. “At Accrington, when we were promoted from League Two, I think we went 14 games unchanged and also didn't make one substitution in those 14 games which is crazy when you think about it compared to our season now. “But I do see similarities in our squad to that Accrington side with the mix of youth and experience and a similar style of play. I also think the league has strengthened since the last time I played in League Two.” ---------------------- |
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