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Archived News from December 2014

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10th December 2014 19:20


Moore: Trio in contention for U’s cup clash
mansfieldtown.net, 4th December 2014

Coach says frontmen are in contention after eye-catching displays in reserve game.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/trio-in-contention-for-us-cup-clash-2123499.aspx#fBll3uuSDAC7pHFM.99

First team coach Micky Moore says that players who impressed in Tuesday’s reserve team game with Rotherham United could force their way into the squad for Saturday’s FA Cup second round tie away to Cambridge United.

In a remarkable action-packed game against our South Yorkshire opponents, Junior Brown, Ollie Palmer, Rakish Bingham and Matt Rhead all found the target in an incredible 4-4 draw.

Whilst Brown is cup-tied after playing for parent club Oxford United in the first round, at least one change will need to be made to our starting line-up as Kieron Freeman is also ineligible.

“There will be some changes on Saturday, but we got some lads minutes in the reserves on Tuesday, which is good for them,” said Moore. “Whoever comes in [to the squad], they will come in with confidence and belief.”

He continued: “It was a good game - lots of goals, lots of good play, lots of poor play when you concede four goals, but the big thing was that we got a lot of players minutes under their belts, which was more important than anything else.

“Forwards always want to score goals and we had three who all scored goals and it’ll do them a world of good, so they all come into contention for Saturday.”

Moore also insists that our players are firmly focussed on the task ahead of us at the R Costings Abbey Stadium and forecasts a tough, closely-fought encounter.

“With events going off away from the pitch then you can forget that we’ve got a big FA Cup tie on Saturday,” explained Moore.

“Luckily for us, we’ve kept our eye on the football side of things and the players have as well and we’re just concentrating on the things that we are in control of, which is preparing right for Cambridge as it will be a very difficult game.

“Every game is important, but after losing last week we want to get back on a winning track.

“Obviously with the FA Cup, we know what this can bring to Mansfield. Two years ago, when the club played Liverpool, it put the club and the team on the map, so we’re one round away from the big romances.”

He added: “They’ll know a lot about us and we’ll know a lot about them,” continued our first team coach.

“To be fair, they’ve just come up from the Conference [Premier] and when teams do come up, they usually have a little bit of momentum. We found that out last year and they’ve kept it going.

“We anticipate a very difficult tie. They’re a good side and had a good win on Saturday away at AFC Wimbledon, which is never an easy place to go, so they’re in good form, but obviously with the last three games we’ve played, we’re in good form as well.”

A full interview with Micky Moore will be available on Stags Player later today. To subscribe, click here.

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Manager announcement imminent, but Stags told to concentrate on Cambridge cup tie
chad.co.uk, 04 December 2014

Mansfield Town could announce the name of their new manager as early as tomorrow, but first team coach Micky Moore said it was important, amid the speculation, to stay focused on Saturday’s FA Cup second round tie at Cambridge United.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/manager-announcement-imminent-but-stags-told-to-concentrate-on-cambridge-cup-tie-1-6987748

It has been a bit of a sideshow at One Call Stadium over the past week as off-the-field happenings have overshadowed what’s been happening on the field with caretaker boss Adam Murray still the favourite to get the job.

But Moore said: “With the events off the pitch it’s easy to forget this is a football club and we have a big FA Cup tie on Saturday. But we have been keeping an eye on that and the players have as well.

“The manager situation is an uncontrollable so we must concentrate on the football and prepare right for Cambridge, which will be a very difficult game.

“I have no influence on it (the managerial appointment). All we can do is concentrate on the job in hand. I am employed by Mansfield Town Football Club to do a job. We are all in the same boat. Until we are told any different, we will be working and preparing for Cambridge. What will be, will be, though I’ve heard it may be announced before Saturday.

“Adam said to us late on Monday that he had thrown his hat into the ring and we are happy and fully supportive of him.”

He added: “After losing last week we want to get back on the winning track. We know what the romance of the FA Cup can bring from when we played Liverpool. We know we are just one game away from the big romances.”

It’s hardly a trip into the unknown at Cambridge with the sides being in the same division and having already fought out a 0-0 draw at One Call Stadium less than two months ago.

Moore said: “Cambridge will know a lot about us and we know a lot about them. They have just come up from the Conference and have continued that momentum like we did last season. It is a very difficult tie and they are a good side.

“They had a good away win at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday which is never an easy place to go. So they are in good form. But, in the last three games we’ve played, we’ve been in good form as well.

“Last week was manic so it’s been nice to have a blank week this week to help with our preparation. We did a double session on Tuesday and have a long one today too.

“The beauty of the FA Cup is that you don’t have to win on Saturday. We want to win it, but worst case scenario we bring Cambridge back here in 10 days time.”

Stags will definitely be without loanees Junior Brown and Vadaine Oliver but are asking Forest and Derby if they might allow fellow loanees Dimitar Evtomov and Keiron Freeman to become cup-tied on Saturday.

Brown, Ollie Palmer, Rakish Bingham and Matt Rhead, with a penalty, all found the net in a thrilling 4-4 reserves draw with Rotherham on Tuesday, the latter trio all pushing to replace Oliver on Saturday.

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Tafazolli: FA Cup offers huge incentives
mansfieldtown.net, 4th December 2014

Defender ready for challenging second round tie against Cambridge United.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/tafazolli-fa-cup-offers-huge-incentives-2124371.aspx#LsEskDKxjP0baWOU.99

Defender Ryan Tafazolli says the prospect of a glittering third round tie against one of England’s elite clubs will act as a huge incentive for us going into Saturday’s FA Cup round two clash with Cambridge United.

Our team, who missed out on a trip to Liverpool at this stage last term, go into the clash at the R Costings Abbey Stadium as underdogs as our opponents have won their previous three home matches.

“It’s going to be a really tough test for us again,” said Tafazolli.

“We played them earlier in the season and it proved to be a tight affair, so it’s going to be a real test again on Saturday and we need to make sure we’re ‘on it’ and get through to the third round, which would be a great achievement.”

He continued: “I think we’ve had quite a lot of luck when it’s come to big draws. Last year, we narrowly missed out [on the chance of] playing against Liverpool two years in a row, so hopefully if we beat Cambridge we’ll draw someone else who are in the Premier League again.

“Getting to the third round is a massive incentive for us. We know what we could come up against if we beat Cambridge, so fingers crossed that we perform well on the day.”

Looking back at our 1-0 win at Concord Rangers in the last round, Tafazolli added: “It’s always nice to play against your former team and it proved to be a really tough test, so I’m happy we came through it and got into the next round.

“I gave the lads the ‘heads up’ that [the stadium] wasn’t going to be the best facility-wise, so we just knew we had to get there and do the job.”

Tafazolli is also glad to have again established himself in our side over the past few weeks, following a spell on the sidelines through injury.

“It’s always a worry with me when I get injured,” added the centre-back. “I’ve been out for long periods of time before, so I’m happy that my rehab went well with the physio and now I’m back fighting fit so I can try and get a full season behind me.

A full interview with Ryan Tafazolli will be available on Stags Player later. To subscribe, click here.

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Not appointing Murray as Stags manager would be a backward step, says Tafazolli
chad.co.uk, 04 December 2014

Ryan Tafazolli said Mansfield Town’s players have been surprised but just how good a manager Adam Murray is and the defender is adamant it would be a backward step not to give Murray the job full-time.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/not-appointing-murray-as-stags-manager-would-be-a-backward-step-says-tafazolli-1-6988121?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Murray, who had been playing in the side all season, was thrust into the hot seat as caretaker last week when Paul Cox left the club and Tafazolli said Murray had been a revelation and predicted greater things for the 33-year-old.

Stags have completed their interviews for the post and an announcement could be made as soon as tomorrow ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Cambridge.

Tafazolli said: “Muz has surprised a few of us what a good manager he is and how great a manager he can become, though the transition to manager is always a difficult one.

“Tactically he’s been incredible and he’s tried to take things slowly with us. But you can see what he’s done in only two weeks - we have come on leaps and bounds.

“He wants to turn us into a well-oiled machine, start picking up points and provide entertaining football for the fans, which is the main thing as we had a lot of complaints with how it was before.”

After two wins, Murray suffered his first defeat, 3-0 at title favourites Luton Town last weekend, but Tafazolli said: “Luton have had two and a half years, Adam Murray has had two weeks. But we more than matched them at times. Who knows what we are capable of?

“Muz has been absolutely brilliant with us. He wants us to express ourselves and play with freedom. It does feel like the shackles have been taken off.

“We are all now waiting on the new manager and it would be great if it was Muz.

“It would be shame if it wasn’t as we have come such a long way in two weeks I think it would be a backward step if he doesn’t get it.

“But, whoever the new manager is, we will work hard for them.

“It is a fresh challenge and everyone is on trial. Everyone has a clean slate and has to prove themselves.”

To reach tomorrow’s second round tie at Cambridge, Stags had to overcome Conference South battlers Concord Rangers away from home in a tough replay.

As a former Concord player, Tafazolli was happy to advise his team mates what to expect from the spartan surroundings on Canvey Island.

“It’s always nice to go back to play against a former team and they proved to be a really tough test,” he said. “So I am happy we came through it and got into the next round.

“When you are Evo-Stik or Conference South level there is a large turn-around of players and there were only two or three there that I remember from when I was there.

“I gave the lads the heads up that it wouldn’t be the best facilities. We just had to go and do a job and make sure we got through to the next round.”

He added: “Cambridge will be a tough test for us on Saturday and to get to round three would be a great achievement.

“We have had quite a lot of luck with big name draws and just missed out on playing Liverpool two years in a row last season.

“Getting another Premier League club in round three is a massive incentive for us on Saturday. We know what we could come up against if we beat Cambridge. Fingers crossed we can perform well on the day.”

Tafazolli is delighted to be back from recent injury and finding his feet in a new formation.

“It’s always a worry with me when I get injured,” he said. “If you look at my history I have had long periods out before. But I am happy my rehab went well with the physio and I am back fighting fit and trying to get a full season behind me.

“This is the first time I have played in a back four for Mansfield so it’s all new to me. But we have started to work on a few things in training with Muz which have been good and I hope we can prove to be a solid unit and start keeping a few clean sheets.”

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Brown happy with Stags challenge
mansfieldtown.net

Deadline day arrival determined to help team during stay in Nottinghamshire.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/brown-happy-with-stags-challenge-2125163.aspx#pbJpkFyoi6mh4zfA.99

Winger Junior Brown is looking forward to getting more game-time following his deadline day loan move from Sky Bet League Two rivals Oxford United.

The 25-year-old, who played against us for the U’s earlier this term, can play on either flank and is excited by what he has seen since arriving at One Call Stadium.

Explaining why he opted to join us on loan, he said: “It’s one of those things in football. Things happen quickly - you can be in [a team] one minute then out the next.

“It was frustrating at Oxford at times, but the lads have been doing well and you can’t really do much more than that. I’d been training hard, but I wasn’t getting in.

“The opportunity came [to go out on loan]. I spoke to ‘Muz’ (Adam Murray), the management and the lads here and they only had good things to say.

“So it was an opportunity to come, play games, set my stall out and try and put in some good performances, whilst doing well for the club and the team and hopefully getting some points on the board for the lads too.

“It was an opportunity that I couldn’t really let pass. I’ve come here with the intentions of doing well and I’ll see where it takes me.”

Brown, who made over 100 appearances for Fleetwood Town earlier in his career, made his debut in our Sky Bet League Two defeat at Luton Town last weekend and also scored for our reserves in a 4-4 draw at Rotherham United in midweek.

However, he is ineligible for tomorrow’s FA Cup second round tie at Cambridge United, having played for his parent club in the previous round.

“It was good to get my debut out of the way and get up and running as quickly as possible,” he added.

“It was exciting to be a part of things. Obviously the lads did well in midweek [winning 1-0 at Concord Rangers in the FA Cup] so I wasn’t expecting to come straight in and start.

“But it was good to get on when I did [at half-time] and get some minutes under my belt. Hopefully, I’ll be able to build on that in the coming weeks.”

A full interview with Junior Brown is now available on Stags Player. To subscribe, click here.

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Wing wizard Brown excited by Stags loan move
chad.co.uk

Winger Junior Brown will miss out on tomorrow’s FA Cup second round trip to Cambridge United, but he is determined to make his mark at Mansfield Town during his loan spell from Oxford.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/wing-wizard-brown-excited-by-stags-loan-move-1-6988142

Brown is cup-tied tomorrow, but has enjoyed his first week at the club under caretaker manager Adam Murray, who has reintroduced wingers in his 4-3-3 formation.

He said: “I already knew a few of the lads and they’ve all made me very welcome, so it’s all gone really well.

“Muzza has brought me in and I am keen to get up and running. I am excited to get going over the next few weeks and help the club pick up some points.”

Brown turned in an exciting second half cameo in last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at Luton, coming on as a substitute at half-time.

“Luton was always going to be tough with the things that have been happening at the club over the past week,” he said “But I thought the lads acquitted themselves well. They showed the style of play Muzza wanted.

“They are a very good group of lads and capable players. This is an opportunity to express themselves and show the fans a bit more of what they can do. These are exciting times for the club, who are pushing in the right direction.

“It was good to get my debut out the way early. I want to be up and running as quickly as possible. I wasn’t expecting to come straight in and start, so it was good to get on when I did and get some minutes under my belt.

“It was also nice to play in the reserves this week, score a goal and perform well.”

Brown was frustrated to lose his place at Oxford this season, saying: “At Oxford it was just one of those things. You can be in and out very quickly.

“It was frustrating at times but the lads were doing well and I couldn’t really do much more than train hard. I wasn’t getting an opportunity.

“I spoke to Muzza and the players about coming here and I only heard good things so it was an opportunity I couldn’t really pass up.

“I have come here with the intention of doing well and seeing where it takes me. It’s not just down to me, It’s down to the staff and the club. But I have come here to give my all for the club and see what happens. It’s an opportunity for me to come and make a statement here and put myself in the shop window as well as doing well for the club.”

Brow is the sort of winger who will get fans out of their seats with excitement.

He said: “I can play out wide, get at people and run past them.

“But I like to come inside and try to link play too. I can give the best of both worlds. I do track back as, being a former left back, I know the duties as well.

“I can’t play this weekend but it will give me two weeks to work with the lads and understand what we are trying to do. I can gel and bond with the team a bit more.

“Muzza and the staff have been fantastic since I came here. The lads have taken to the new style and are enjoying training and playing.”

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Mansfield could pose a different threat to Cambridge United, says Greg Taylor
By Aaron Mason, Cambridge News, December 04, 2014

Greg Taylor expects Mansfield to provide a different test from their last meeting with Cambridge United when the sides clash in the FA Cup on Saturday.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Mansfield-pose-different-threat-Cambridge-United/story-25099988-detail/story.html?

United were held to a goalless draw at the One Call Stadium in their Sky Bet League Two encounter in October.

But following the recent dismissal of manager Paul Cox, who Taylor worked with during a loan spell that saw the Stags promoted to the Football League last year, the left-back feels Mansfield will have a different approach in the second round tie at the R Costings Abbey.

He said: "At Mansfield, we had quite a bit of the play and a few chances. I think we hit the post as well and it was unfortunate we couldn't break through.

"If we'd got the goal, we'd maybe have got a couple more, but I think we'll be getting a different Mansfield team on Saturday.

"They've got a new manager in charge and they're maybe not as direct as they were when we last played them.

"They might bring a different game plan to us, but we'll know what they've got and what they haven't got because we'll be working on it and doing our best to win.

"We've got home advantage and the fans will add pressure to the away team."

Having reached the fifth round with Luton following a 1-0 win at then Premier League club Norwich City in 2013, Taylor hopes to ensure United will be in the hat for the third round on Monday.

He said: "Playing Norwich was a very good experience and it's good to know you can go those extra couple of rounds if you get that bit of luck.

"If you can get past the first and second rounds, you're always looking at the big boys, knowing you could get one of the top four away."

But Taylor said the most important thing was to ensure last weekend's 2-1 win at Wimbledon can put an end to United's inconsistent streak this term.

He said: "It was a positive step to go to Wimbledon and win because they're a good team and we knew we'd have a difficult task with their threat up top.

"After the first goal, we managed to put it to one side and carry on with the job in hand and get the win.

"It's difficult to get win, win, win, but let's hope we can have a good go on Saturday and then take it forward into the Christmas period looking a lot better."

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