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CLOUGH ON SLEEPING OUT, SALFORD& NEWPORT, +JOHNSON
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Boss: We aim to maintain superb points average
mansfieldtown.net, Tues 14 Nov 2023 Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says Stags will aim to ‘try and maintain’ their current average of two-points-per-game in Sky Bet League Two as the club made it 16 league matches unbeaten with a 2-1 win at Salford on Saturday. The weekend’s win at the Peninsula Stadium was Stags’ first-ever at the home of the Ammies. After climbing back into the top three, Mansfield have now recorded eight wins and eight draws with a game in hand on their promotion rivals. Speaking to iFollow Stags in a news conference today, Nigel said: “It was the first time we had won there [Salford]. It wasn’t a comfortable afternoon let’s put it that way. “The way Salford play makes it very difficult for you. We couldn’t play our normal game in terms of pressing and everything. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2023/november/boss-we-aim-to-maintain-superb-points-average/ “If you stay unbeaten, it doesn’t matter where you’re getting your points from. “We’re averaging two points a game which I suppose is your target at the start if the season if you’re looking for automatic promotion. “After the last few games, we’re on that now and we want to try and maintain it. Whether it’s home or away it doesn't really matter as long as you get the points.” On Stags’ injury and suspension latest, the boss said: “He [Callum Johnson] just had a little cut behind his ear. He should be fine. “We’re very pleased with his contribution coming back in and making the second goal for us. “It was a brilliant cross right in the heart of the six-yard box for Davis [Keillor-Dunn] to tap in. “It’s [Calum Macdonald’s suspension] not ideal. I thought he was extremely unlucky to be booked on Saturday. “We’re only a few weeks off the cut-off point for the five yellows. “John-Joe O’Toole should do some training this week. Stephen Quinn will probably be next week, but we’ve got them pencilled in for playing some part at Burton in the EFL Trophy game.” The gaffer went on to discuss the weekend’s opponents, Newport County. “[They’ve been] Decimated through injury, similar to what we were last season,” he said. “Graham [Coughlan] could only name five substitutes on Saturday, including two young players. “I think it’s just injuries that have prevented them being much higher up the table, but they’ll still be resilient without a doubt. “Graham, coming back to his old club, will want to see all of those qualities.” ---------------------- Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough happy with points over performance as they stay on course for top three finish chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Tues 14 Nov 2023 Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough said he would happily now take points over performances as his unbeaten side moved back into the top three with Saturday’s fine win at Salford. Stags host struggling Newport County on Saturday and Clough said: “At any stage of the season you just want the three points but especially now coming into the winter months leading up to Christmas, performances will become less important and just points are the aim. “We are averaging two points a game now which is your target at the start of the season if you're looking for automatic promotion. Now we need to maintain that home or away.” On this weekend’s game he added: “Newport have been decimated through injury similar to what we were last season which has prevented them being higher up the table. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-boss-nigel-clough-happy-with-points-over-performance-as-they-stay-on-course-for-top-three-finish-4409930 “Graham (ex-Stags boss Coughlan) could only name five substitutes on Saturday including two young players. They are having to fight and scrap for every point. But they will be resiliant without a doubt and coming back to his old club Graham will want to see all those qualities.” It was a first ever win at Salford for Stags last weekend thanks to goals by Jordan Bowery and Davis Kiellor-Dunn, and they are now unbeaten on the road since mid-March and unbeaten in tehir first 16 league games. “First of all you have to defend well on the road, but it's also the approach of trying to attack and score goals,” said Clough. “Saturday was probably the least attacking display we've had for some time. “But we still managed two goals and second half, organisation-wise and shape, we defended very well. It wasn't a comfortable afternoon as Salford make it very difficult for you.” Clough will be missing key players again this weekend for the all-ticket visit of the Exiles. Stephen McLaughlin (groin) and Ollie Clarke (thigh) will both be out for another three or four weeks. Calum Macdonald also misses out after picking up his fifth yellow card at Salford. “I though he was extremely unlucky to be booked on Saturday when you look at some of the other tackles that were not punished by yellow cards it was very harsh,” said Clough. "It's only a few weeks to the cut-off point for five yellows and he was just trying to get through.” But Clough hopes to have striker Lucas Akins back after his facial injury and expects Callum Johnson to play, despite a nasty bang to his head on Saturday. "Callum has a little cut behind his ear but he should be fine and I was very pleased with his contribution coming back in at Salford,” said Clough. “Lucas had a little operation on Monday and felt a bit groggy after it. He is having a mask fitted this week and we will see how he is before Saturday.” ------------------------- Nigel Clough: Mansfield boss and ex-England forward says goal celebrations a waste of energy bbc.co.uk Goal celebrations. Are they a euphoric burst of joy to treasure or just a waste of time? Well, as far as former England forward Nigel Clough is concerned, they are not worth the energy - and he has his Mansfield Town side keeping a lid on things. See, the 57-year-old is no fan of celebrating anything until the job is done. Think Rodri's knee slide when putting Manchester City 4-3 ahead against Chelsea, in their thriller that ended in a 4-4 draw. Then there is the shirt off, muscles out, run to the corner flag effort from Anthony Elanga when he put Nottingham Forest 2-1 up against West Ham, who then battled back to down Clough's former side. While Clough himself steered clear of any specific examples, he said: "I don't really see the point of celebrating goals when the game is still in the balance. "If you score a last-minute winner and you know it's almost the last kick of the game, then by all means. But do your celebrating at the end of the game, which is why we [Mansfield] always go over to the supporters." https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67432224 Clough's League Two Stags have had plenty to celebrate this season, having equalled a club record uneaten run of 20 games in all competitions. Still, they remain that last remaining unbeaten side in in the fourth division as they fly high in third. And yet, almost all Mansfield's goal celebrations have been kept in check. When asked about it by BBC Radio Nottingham, Clough unloaded. "Yes, you have that individual moment when you do score, but I think it goes a bit over the top," he said. "Be a bit more reserved about it, save your energy certainly - because when they kick off you have to go get the ball back. "And at the end of the game, if you have been lucky enough to have won, then that's the time to celebrate." "Even the end of the season, because yes you celebrate each win, each unbeaten game, but then if you don't achieve anything it's a little bit wasted. "But the individual games are important to recognise when we have this great record. We have just won for the fist time at Salford when we haven't been brilliant - we dug in and won, scored two good goals and that in itself is worth a little celebration, but nothing over the top." Clough has been in management for 25 years now, overseen a number of promotions at Burton and took Sheffield United to FA Cup and League Cup semi-finals when they were a League One side, but has not forgotten what it was like to be a player. He scored more than 100 goals for Nottingham Forest and went on to bag a few more for Liverpool and Manchester City, after his first spell with the Reds under his father Brian ended in 1993. And what was he like when marking those strikes? "You got a little pat on the back, a pat on the head or someone shook your hand - people like Ian Bowyer or Garry Birtles, who have have won European Cups. "And even when you see them scoring in semi-finals of the European Cup, or even the final, there was no everyone running into the corner flag and everything because they knew then that once they kicked off, you need all the energy you have got to get the ball back to try preserve your lead, or increase it or whatever." -------------------------- Defender ‘loving life’ at One Call Stadium mansfieldtown.net, Tues 14 Nov 2023 Defender Callum Johnson says he’s ‘loving’ life at Mansfield Town, describing the club as the ‘perfect fit’ for the 27-year-old. The January signing has missed seven games this season with a hamstring issue but returned to action recently to provide an important assist for Davis Keillor-Dunn to score the winner in a 2-1 victory at Salford City on Saturday. The former Accrington Stanley man shone at the weekend and hopes his injury issues are behind him as Mansfield look to build on their 16-match unbeaten run at home to Newport County this Saturday. Speaking to iFollow Stags in this morning’s press conference, Johnson said: “I’m loving it [life at the club], absolutely loving it. “Obviously the injury and little setbacks aren’t ideal but when I’m out on the pitch, the way we play suits me down to a tee with the formation we play and what the manager asks of the full-backs. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2023/november/defender-loving-life-at-one-call-stadium/ “I think it’s just a perfect fit and I want to keep going, keep playing and keep winning.” Mansfield’s first-ever win at Salford City was accompanied by a bump to the back of the ear for the defender, which he shared a picture of on social media following full-time. “It’s alright, it’s gone down now,” he said. “It was just a bit of bruising and stuff, but it was fine. There was no concussion or anything like that, just a bit of a headache on Sunday morning.” When asked how he sustained the injury, he said: “Their lad has come in to try and block Rhys’ [Oates] shot and he’s caught me. “It was accidental but it was quite sore. My head hit off the floor and I got a bit of a stud mark on my head, but I’m alright”. Mansfield’s number two was keen to express the importance of the win. “[It was] Massive,” he said. “I think when you have success in football, get promotions and wins over the course of the season, you’re going to have different types of wins and obviously that was a different type of win. “The win on Saturday, in this league you need those nitty gritty wins, you just grind out a win from somewhere. “Winning is the most important thing.” On Saturday’s opponents, Newport County, Johnson said: “They’ll be tough. “They’ll be putting quite a lot of bodies behind the ball, but they’ve got threats on the counter, and they’ll be hard to play against, it won’t be easy. “It will be a different game to Saturday, obviously we’ll have a lot more possession especially at home, and hopefully be able to break them down and again find a way to win.” ------------------------- Callum Johnson delighted to be fit and part of Mansfield Town’s sensational unbeaten run chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Tues 14 Nov 2023 Mansfield Town defender Callum Johnson is delighted to be back from injury and back in the side as Stags aim for a 17th league game unbeaten when Newport County visit for Saturday's all-ticket clash. Right back Johnson, 27, has had to watch much of Stags' sensational unbeaten run from the sidelines after a hamstring injury and he said: “I started the season well on a personal level and quickly built up a good relationship with Aaron Lewis. “But then I had the injury which lasted a bit longer than I would have liked. Then I had another little setback on top of that. “Since then the lads have been on an unbelievable run so I have just had to bide my time. It's a results-driven business and I was cheering the lads on. But it's been nice to play some games this last week and I feel really good.” https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/callum-johnson-delighted-to-be-fit-and-part-of-mansfield-towns-sensational-unbeaten-run-4411405 The former Accrington Stanley man was in fine form in Saturday's 2-1 win at Salford City, providing an assist for Davis Keillor-Dunn's winner with a pinpoint cross and he admitted: “I’m loving life here, absolutely loving it. “Obviously the injury and little setbacks aren’t ideal, but when I’m out on the pitch, the way we play suits me down to a tee with the formation we play and what the manager asks of the full backs. “I think it’s just a perfect fit and I want to keep going, keep playing and keep winning. You can't ask for much more as a footballer.” Johnson ended the Salford game with a big bump behind his ear afrter getting kicked in the head. “It was a bit of a sore one but it’s alright, it’s gone down now,” he said. “It was just a bit of bruising and stuff, but it was fine. There was no concussion or anything like that, just a bit of a headache and soreness on Sunday morning. “I ran across their box and laid the ball off to Rhys (Oates) and one of their players tripped me. Then their lad has come in to try to block Rhys’ shot and he’s caught me. “It was accidental but it was quite sore. My head hit off the floor and I got a bit of a stud mark on my head, but I’m alright.” On the importance of the win at Salford, he added: “Saturday's win was massive. “I think when you have success in football, get promotions and wins over the course of the season, you’re going to have different types of wins and obviously that was a different type of win. “We didn't have as much possession as we had in previous games, though we were comfortable, keeping the ball in front of us for the majority of the game and keeping them at bay. “Goals change games and both of our goals had a touch of quality about them on Saturday. “It was more of a typical away performance and I thought we looked a threat on the counter. “It was a typical League Two winter months game and we can expect more of them.” Johnson continued: “It is unbelievable really to still be unbeaten in mid-November. We have to keep it going as long as we can as know it can't go on forever. “We need to keep our heads down and don't look back or start thinking how good are we? We just need to keep on going like we have been doing. “The win on Saturday, in this league you need those nitty gritty wins, you just grind out a win from somewhere. When you're not playing as well as you can then you find a way to win, and this season we have been doing that. Winning is the most important thing.” On Saturday’s opponents, Newport County, Johnson said: “They’ll be tough. “They’ll be putting quite a lot of bodies behind the ball, but they’ve got threats on the counter, and they’ll be hard to play against, it won’t be easy. “It will be a different game to Saturday, obviously we’ll expect to have a lot more possession especially at home, and hopefully be able to break them down and again find a way to win. “They have played a back five for much of this season with four in front of them and one up front, though they changed it a few times. So you never know what to expect. We just have to impose our game on them.” --------------------------- Mansfield will earn League Two promotion - Newport's Coughlan southwalesargus.co.uk, By Chris Kirwan GRAHAM Coughlan is one of 16 managers to have been in charge of Mansfield Town since they were last in the third tier but he believes his successor Nigel Clough will finally get the job done this season. Newport County AFC are huge underdogs at Field Mill tomorrow afternoon against a Stags side that have started the League Two season with a 16-game unbeaten streak, albeit they have had to settle for eight draws. This is the 11th season that Mansfield have spent in the fourth tier since being promoted from the National League, while the last time they played in what is now League One was the 2002/3 campaign. https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/23930081.mansfield-will-earn-league-two-promotion---newports-coughlan/ Mansfield are often tipped to be in the mix for promotion but lost in the 2022 play-off final then narrowly missed out on the top seven last season. Coughlan, who was at the helm in Nottinghamshire between December 2019 and October 2020, believes his former side are looking good for automatic promotion this time around. “Mansfield will be one of the three at the end of the season, in my opinion,” said the Exiles boss. “Nigel has done a great job, they have been trying for a few years and this might just be their year. “We had two really good battles with them last year and they have high intensity, they are experienced and are a tough team. “They have players who have played in the Championship recently and they have strength in depth, so it will be a huge challenge. We will have to be at our best to get anything out of Mansfield. “They are an experienced team and their system seems to suit their players. They are mobile, big, strong, intense, are tidy with the ball but can also scrap. "Nigel has put together a really good squad over a two or three-year period, and he knows his way around the division.” County did, however, leave Field Mill with a hard-earned point in Coughlan’s second game in charge last October. The Stags have been impressive this season but 50 per cent of their league opponents have finished the game with something to show for their efforts. “Last year we picked up a 0-0 draw and it was probably a game that we should have won,” said the manager. “You never know but you need luck, your goalie and the rest of the team to play well, a couple of decisions to go your way and for Mansfield to be slightly off it. “All I can ask is for our players to roll their sleeves up and give it their all, then if a couple of those elements fall in our favour you never know. “It’s a massive task but no task is impossible, we wouldn’t be getting on the bus and going up the road if we didn’t believe we could take something back with us. “Go and enjoy it, go and compete against one of the big boys of the division and against players that played Championship football last year. It’s a benchmark against one of the best in the division.” ---------------------------- |
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