Archived News from March 2015
|
CHELTENHAM PREVIEWS
|
 |
|
Adam Murray: Mansfield Town look to 'wash hands' of relegation
bbc.co.uk, 6 March 2015 Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray wants a "marginal gains" approach to staving off relegation, even going as far as making sure his players learn how to wash their hands properly. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31752635 And Murray told BBC Radio Nottingham the every-little-helps mindset may make the difference in their survival bid. "Teaching the lads to wash their hands properly could cut 2% of illness, which might win us three points," he said. Murray, who took over as manager after Paul Cox left in December, has been keen to make the most of the tactics famously adopted by the British cycling team that were so successful in the 2012 Olympics. "We need to take everything up a notch," said Murray. "I am somebody who looks for the 'one per cents'. "I have a guy I work with whose main role is [identifying] marginal gains. He goes into some of the top companies and looks at where he can make them better. "I am working with him on certain things at the moment - the sports scientists, the analysts, the strength and conditioning guys, the youth set-up. "We are trying to revamp everything and put fresh ideas in to it. Obviously that is a lot of work. "We are dealing with a sports psychologist who comes in once a week and does group work and individual work. It is going down to the grains of the details, which one per cents we can change, then we throw them all back together and see if we get a better percentage coming out." Murray, whose side have won two of their last three matches, but are still 17th in the table, said getting results had been tough but the club was united in support for his innovative approach. "When you have the infrastructure in place you can solely focus on picking points up," he added. "There is loads to change and the good thing is everybody is on the same page." ---------------- Stags boss Murray happy with selection headache for Cheltenham six-pointer chad.co.uk, by John Lomas, Thursday 05 March 2015 Adam Murray has a major headache over team selection for Saturday’s six-pointer at Cheltenham - and the Stags boss is delighted. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/stags-boss-murray-happy-with-selection-headache-for-cheltenham-six-pointer-1-7141080 After so many injury problems this season, Murray finally has a stable squad to utilise and six changes to bring in fresh legs at Newport on Tuesday saw his side chalk up a second win in four days. They have a new manager and new players down there and will be playing with a lot of enthusiasm. We have to go out and kill that and put our game plan onto them. ADAM MURRAY Now Murray has the headache of picking 11 to face fellow strugglers Cheltenham and smiled: “I’ve had headaches for three months now so it’s nothing new. “I wanted to be in this situation. Everyone is in a high level of performances at the minute and it’s a great problem to have. “It’s not about individuals or me. I am trying to create a selfless group here, sometimes having to give yourself up for the team. If that means horses for course, that’s the way it is.?“I looked to make a few changes on Tuesday for Newport to freshen things up. People were put in for a reason as I thought they were best to get the best out of the situation on that particular night. “We’ve got a decent bunch of players here and we are okay on injuries at the minute. The lads who came in were superb “It is important to look at a batch of fixtures and make sure there is freshness so we can play at a tempo and keep energy levels high. I trust these players, I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.” Cheltenham currently occupy one of the bottom two relegation berths, seven points adrift of Mansfield and have won once in 10 games. Murray said: “It’s another big game. We have had a good six weeks, now it’s important we continue that and put our foot down again. “These boys are focused and there is a lot of confidence. We are getting these results because of our work ethic and the work and preparation we do on the training ground. “We want to get as many points on the board as we can.” Murray said Stags were going to Whaddon Road to win. “We like to get on the front foot,” he said “It is about us trying to put ourselves on the game as quickly as we can. “They have a new manager and new players down there and will be playing with a lot of enthusiasm. We have to go out and kill that and put our game plan onto them.” Stags are now on 41 points and Murray said: “Safety has always been about 50-51 points, though I think it will be lower this year looking at the schedules teams in and around us as they have some tough run-ins, including ourselves. Teams have got to play each other and take points off each other. “There are a few tired legs and a couple of niggles, but hopefully we will have everyone raring to go. “Saturday will be a slightly different game plan that I feel would be beneficial for this game. That may be different to Tuesday, but it’s all about getting the three points.” Loanee keeper Lenny Pidgeley is available again for Mansfield after being unavailable to play against his parent club, Newport on Tuesday. ---------------- Stags loanee Kee starting to show his class chad.co.uk, by John Lomas, Thursday 05 March 2015 After almost two months since arriving on loan from Scunthorpe United, Stags fans finally began to see the best of striker Billy Kee this week. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/stags-loanee-kee-starting-to-show-his-class-1-7141088 He came on as substitute to set up last Saturday’s winning goal against Dagenham & Redbridge before a superb display as lone striker in Tuesday’s win at Newport. Manager Adam Murray said: “Billy’s attitude has been superb since he’s been here. “I knew I couldn’t throw him in and expect him to play every game as he hadn’t played for two and a half months. “He is someone who needs constant work and constant game time. He wasn’t ready to be up there and play that role on his own before. But on Tuesday night he was immense. “He is one of the best strikers in this division and I told him to go out and show everyone that.” Murray added: “He is a great character and gives a great energy to the group. Everyone loves the banter and enjoys what he gives the group. “But it was important to see the serious side of him. I love the fire of him and the focus of him and they are what make him one of the best in our league. “When he gets that right he is more than a handful.” ---------------- Billy Kee can be one of best strikers in league, says Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray (comment by Martin - Murray actually said: Kee IS one of the best strikers in this league) Nottingham Post, by Sarah Clapson, March 05, 2015 Billy Kee is beginning to show he is one of the best strikers in League Two, according to Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray. Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Billy-Kee-best-strikers-league-says-Mansfield/story-26125857-detail/story.html?#ixzz3TXDysPG3 After a slow start to his loan spell, the Scunthorpe United front man has made a big impact in the last two games. He made a difference from the bench in Saturday's win over Dagenham and Redbridge before playing the lone forward role superbly at Newport County in midweek. "The simple fact of the matter is he's one of the best strikers in the division and I just told him to go and show people what you do," said Stags boss Adam Murray. "Billy's a great character. He's bubbly, he's lively and he gives a great energy to the group. "But it's been important that the group and the club see the serious side of Billy Kee (pictured). "Everyone loves the banter and the energy he gives the group. I love the fire and the focus of Billy Kee; for me, that's what makes him one of the best in the league. "When he gets that right, he's more than a handful." A lack of game time for the Iron this term had left Kee needing to build up his fitness. And Murray admitted he didn't think the 24-year-old was fit enough to play up front on his own before Tuesday night. "Bill's attitude has been superb since he's been here. It's been getting him right," said the manager. "We knew we wouldn't be able to throw him in and he'd be able to play every game. Before he came to us, he hadn't played for two and a half months. "He's someone who needs constant work and constant game time. "Because we changed the formation, in my opinion, he wasn't up to the level of fitness to play that role on his own a couple of weeks ago. "But he's worked hard and he was immense on Tuesday night." ----------------- McGuire: Positive atmosphere in the camp mansfieldtown.net, 5th March 2015 Midfielder believes confidence is high ahead of trip to Cheltenham. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/mcguire-praises-positive-atmosphere-in-stags-camp-2316571.aspx#1JoZCmMQFbDQEvex.99 Midfielder Jamie McGuire is pleased with how the past week has unfolded for our team. On Saturday, we picked up all three points by beating a stubborn Dagenham & Redbridge side at One Call Stadium, before we registered our first away win in six matches on the road, courtesy of Reggie Lambe's late strike in a win over Newport County in midweek. McGuire, 31, said: “It’s a massive week for the club; starting with Dagenham, winning 2-1 at home, and then to go away to Newport and win 1-0 - especially with them being in the play-offs. Back-to-back wins is the main thing and we’re ready for Cheltenham on Saturday. “I think we did everything right as a team on Tuesday. We defended well. We attacked well and we were a lot more organised." The Liverpudlian midfielder was quick to praise manager Adam Murray and his approach to our midweek game at Rodney Parade. “You have to give a big shout out to the gaffer," continued McGuire. "He made six changes for Tuesday and there would have been a few people outside questioning that. He made the changes and freshened up the team and you could see the lads who came in and got the result. “I think the main thing for Tuesday was focus, which the gaffer implants in us. The team played really well and I think the substitutes made a big impact when they came on. You saw Reggie (Lambe) score again and he is in good form at the moment and long may that continue. “The formation is working well. The squad knows what it has got to do and is trying to take what the gaffer has been trying to implement on the training ground into games." Ahead of Saturday's match against Cheltenham, the 31-year-old refused to pay too much attention to the situation of our opponents, who currently sit in the bottom two. He added: “It’s all about us to be honest. We go into the game knowing that we can win it. The squad is buzzing at the moment. We go to Cheltenham now with a lot of positive thinking. We go in with confidence and hope we can get the three points." Despite starting the game against the Exiles, McGuire is happy to play whatever role he has to in the squad: “I’m always cheering the lads up, I’m always lively and I’m always a character. I’ll always give 110% for this club and that’s me. It’s not just me but everyone else. We’re all together and we go into Saturday all as one. “We all want to achieve what we want to achieve to stay in this league and that’s what we’re doing at the moment. Whatever team the gaffer puts out, we know we’re all in this together." ------------------ All for one and one for all at Stags, says McGuire chad.co.uk, by John Lomas Stags midfield general Jamie McGuire underlined how Mansfield Town’s united dressing room and squad mentality was the key to their current run of success. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/all-for-one-and-one-for-all-at-stags-says-mcguire-1-7141119?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed After gaining a season’s best 10 points from six games in the month of February, Stags made it back-to-back wins to open March at Newport on Tuesday, despite manager Adam Murray freshening the side up with six changes. Ahead of tomorrow’s six-pointer at fellow strugglers Cheltenham Town, McGuire said it was important that players were all behind each other, whichever 11 were selected to start matches. “Everyone knows their job, whoever is picked for Saturday,” he said. “A big shout-out to the gaffer, he made six changes on Tuesday and a few people outside probably questioned that. “But, fair play to him, it freshened the team up and the lads who came in got the result. “It (Newport) is a horrible place to go. The lads have had some big battles with them over the years, in the Conference especially, but the main thing was that we got three points. “The subs made a big impact when they came on - Reggie (Lambe) scored again and long may that continue. “It’s all about us at Cheltenham. We go into the game knowing we can win and the whole squad is buzzing at the moment Whatever team he plays, everyone will be ready. “I am 110 per cent for the team like everyone else. We all want to achieve staying in this league. “It’s been a massive week, getting back-to-back wins.” Stags had the second worst away record in the division, so Tuesday’s 1-0 win at play-off chasing Newport was a big boost. “That was a big one for us, getting that off our backs,” said McGuire. “Mentally it will make a big difference to this Saturday. We know we can beat anyone on our day.” McGuire skippered the side at Newport and put in a superb performance. However, he knows he could find himself on the sidelines tomorrow. But he said: “It doesn’t really bother me. The gaffer knows what team to put out and, if I am back on the bench, then so be it. We are all together as one. “I kick every ball and I head every ball from the bench. You saw with Junior’s goal last weekend how we all celebrated as one. That had a big impact on Tuesday. “I am always cheering the lads on and I am always going to be character. If it’s a bit quiet before a warm-up I will make sure I am there with my mouth. I am not everyone’s cup of tea but I will always give 110 per cent for this club. “The gaffer deserves praise for the work on the training ground, which is where this is coming from. “This is not just for the club but also for the town. We have been down in the Conference. We know what it’s like and we don’t want to return there.” ------------------ |
Latest | March 2015