Archived News from December 2020
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Stags should ‘relish’ Cambridge challenge - boss
mansfieldtown.net, Tuesday 1st December 2020 Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says his players should ‘relish’ the challenge of taking on high-flying Cambridge United in front of a home crowd on Wednesday evening. The U’s sit third in Sky Bet League Two heading into the fixture and are the joint-highest scorers in the division with 26 goals in 13 games. The boss hopes that Sunday’s dramatic extra-time victory over Dagenham & Redbridge in the Emirates FA Cup can give his players an additional boost for their upcoming league outing. “When you win the [Dagenham & Redbridge] game, it’s a different feeling,” he told iFollow Stags. “If you lose in extra time or on penalties, then everybody is a little bit down and it takes some getting going. “But with the victory, I would hope that we’ll be okay physically and mentally for Cambridge. “We’ve seen little bits of Cambridge and they’re obviously a major threat. We’ll have to defend very well to keep them out. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2020/december/nigel-clough-pre-cambridge/ “But we want to make sure we pose a threat ourselves. You can’t go anywhere and defend for 90 minutes, and we don’t like doing that. “We want to be as positive as we can, while recognising the threat that Cambridge pose. “If as a footballer, if you like a challenge in the face of adversity, you have to relish it. You can’t think negatively. “You go the other way and say ‘right, everybody expects Cambridge to win this comfortably, so let’s have a go and see if we can surprise a few.’” Wednesday night’s match will be played in front of up to 2,000 home supporters at the Abbey Stadium, after Cambridge was listed as a Tier 2 restricted area under the government’s new coronavirus regulations. The boss says that although having supporters back can serve as an ‘advantage’ for some clubs, he welcomes the ‘return to normality’ that having fans back brings. “I think it’s been that long without fans, nobody knows what difference it’s going to make [to have fans back]. “It’ll be an advantage for League Two clubs, because if they end up getting four or five thousand, it’s about 50% of the capacity. “But it’s hopefully now on the way to a return to normality in terms of playing football. It doesn’t matter if there’s two or three thousand, it means something to those people. “It’s such a vital part of the game to have that passion from supporters. It makes the game.” Nigel Clough also offered his thoughts on Monday evening’s Emirates FA Cup Third Round draw, with the Stags set to face Cheltenham Town away from home in January 2021. “The draw could’ve been kinder,” he added. “There were so many exciting draws coming out early on, and then to be left to the last two, I just hoped our friend Robbie Savage would pull us out first so we could be at home. “But it’s an opportunity to get to the Fourth Round. If you get a Championship club away, it’s unlikely that you get through. “We have somebody in our own league - one of the better teams - but it gives us a chance. “The prize money and the potential of what you could get in the Fourth Round, [we’ll go into the Cheltenham game] no different than how we did against Dagenham. “It’s all about what it could bring if you get a result. The prize money, in these circumstances, anything that we can get in is helpful.” The manager then provided an injury update on winger Stephen McLaughlin and defender James Perch. “Stephen McLaughlin is very doubtful [for Wednesday]. He got a nasty whack on his ankle, so we’re probably talking a week or two for him. “We’ll just assess James Perch and see. We were delighted with Ryan Sweeney stepping in, with how well he did on Sunday. “With so many games coming up, and as it’s a hamstring injury, if it goes again he [Perch] will definitely be ruled out for the Christmas period. We’ll make sure he’s right before we put him back in.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Nigel Clough’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. -------------------------- Nigel Clough says Mansfield Town are a work in progress still chad.co.uk, By Shane MacDermott, Tuesday 1st December 2020 Nigel Clough has stressed Mansfield Town are still a work in progress as they head to high-flying Cambridge United. And Clough has urged onlookers to be “realistic” with their expectations in his first season in charge. Renowned managers Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola all took time finding their feet before moulding their styles in the Premier League. “There are a lot of pieces to go in the jigsaw,” admitted Clough. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-clough-says-mansfield-town-are-work-progress-still-3053937 "I’m happy with the progress that’s been made but there’s still a long way to go. “It makes me laugh sometimes when you’ve had three weeks and people ask ‘is that the final piece of the jigsaw?’ “Jose Mourinho’s just completed a year at Tottenham, one of the best managers in the world, and they are saying ‘Tottenham are now beginning to look like a Mourinho team’. “He’s working with some of the best players in the country, some of the best players in the best, he’s one of the best managers and it’s taken him over a year. “It took Jurgen Klopp the same, the same with Pep Guardiola, but we start at the bottom of League Two and people are saying ‘are you getting there?’ Come on, let’s be realistic.” The Stags are fresh off the back of a dramatic 120th-minute FA Cup winner on Sunday. And Clough is desperate to use that as a building block to climb away from the dreaded drop zone to non-league football. He said: “We were talking about it after the game on Sunday about a time when I was at Sheffield United and we beat Fulham in extra-time in the 120th minute. “We were bottom of League One at the time and we went on a great run after that. “We ended up finishing seventh and getting to the semi-final. Now I don’t think we can do that, I don't think we'll finish seventh and I don't think we'll get to the semi-final - but I think it can have that sort of effect because it’s great for the confidence.” Clough stressed his side will have to defend well and be more clinical in front of goal to come away with all three points. “We’ve had 43 chances in the last two games and only scored twice - that’s very telling,” he added. “They’re a really good side and we know that. “It seems like every team we play away at the moment are flying high in the table. “It’s important we get points against the teams in and around us, but points are points at the end of the day. “We’re going to have to defend well and try our best to get a clean sheet and still provide an attacking threat.” ---------------------- Mansfield Town boss happy to see fans back at football chad.co.uk, By Shane MacDermott, Tuesday 1st December 2020 Nigel Clough is delighted fans will make their long-awaited return for Mansfield’s trip to Cambridge United. Two thousand home supporters will flood into the Abbey Stadium for the first time in almost nine months tomorrow night. But Mansfield will have to wait to let fans in at Field Mill due to government guidelines placing Nottinghamshire in Tier 3. "Fans being in will be an advantage for some League Two clubs, as if you can get 2,000 fans in, that's half capacity at some places," admitted Clough. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-boss-happy-see-fans-back-football-3054027 “But hopefully it shows that we're on the way back to normality and back to playing in front of a crowd again. “I think it’s great for both teams. We’re obviously just disappointed there will be no away supporters there. “It will be nice that we’ll be playing in front of a crowd again. “It’s a gradual process for the players to get used to it. I just wish we could let some in at home. “It’s ironic that we moved the game to Wednesday because of the cup match on Sunday. “If it had been on Tuesday you wouldn’t have been able to have any fans.” Clough has been in top-level management for over two decades and has found football without fans “eerie”. “It’s been very strange, especially the first few games,” admitted the former Derby boss. “Going to Sunderland was the weirdest. Normally you would have 30,000 Mackems in there cheering them on. “That gave us a good indicator early on about how eerie it is at times. “Every game since has been the same. I’d like to say you get used to it, but I don’t think you do, and we don’t want to. “Supporters are absolutely vital for football, and all other sports as well, because they’re so engaged with it and play such a part in a game. “Hopefully we can get them back in as soon as it’s safe.” ------------------- Cambridge United head coach Mark Bonner reading nothing into Mansfield Town's lowly position in Sky Bet League Two cambridgeindependent.co.uk, By Mark Taylor, 30 November 2020 Mark Bonner will not be reading anything into Mansfield Town’s position in Sky Bet League Two when they visit the Abbey Stadium on Wednesday (December 2). While Cambridge United are flying high in third place, the Stags are third from bottom, on the same number of points as Scunthorpe United, who occupy the second relegation place. However, after sacking manager Graham Coughlan and assistant Joe Dunne and replacing them with Nigel Clough on November 6, Mansfield have won three cup games, and won one, drawn one and lost one in the league. “They didn’t start the season well and I know Graham Coughlan and Joe Dunne really well, so I was disappointed to see that,” said U’s head coach Bonner. https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/sport/cambridge-united-head-coach-mark-bonner-reading-nothing-into-mansfield-towns-lowly-position-in-sky-bet-league-two-9143342/ “But they have brought someone in who has lots of experience on his CV, and did a magnificent job at Burton. “They have had an upturn in results, they look a harder team to beat now, they look like they’ve had a decent goal threat. “They will be pleased with their recent run of results. We’ve got to make sure that we’re at our best level of intensity and quality to make sure we’re competitive and take points from the game. Of course, as they do, we want to win it. “They have good players, a good squad and invested well in the summer. There are massive expectations in the club to be promoted, with a run of results in this league anything can happen. “We certainly won’t be taking their league position for granted in any way. They have had good form return, and I think they have a really solid, experienced team with some match winners in there.” United have a clean bill of health to report, with the exception of long-term absentee Liam O’Neil, and with only one game in the past 16 days, it has given them a chance to recharge the batteries. ------------------------ Mark Bonner relishing the return of fans to the Abbey for Cambridge United’s clash with Mansfield Town cambridgeindependent.co.uk, By Mark Taylor, 02 December 2020 Mark Bonner is delighted to see that “the soul to the stadiums” will be back at the Abbey tonight (Wednesday, December 2). Cambridge United will be one of the first clubs in the country to see fans’ return when they play host to Mansfield Town (kick off 7.45pm). After the government eased restrictions, the U’s will be able to see have a 2,000 supporters through the gates. United were one of the clubs that piloted fans going back to grounds in September, for the EFL Trophy clash with Fulham under-21s, and so were raring to go when given the green light. “I don’t think any of us quite saw it coming at this time but credit to the club,” said United head coach Bonner. “The fact that we were front of the queue in the summer and had already run pilot events means we were good to go. “It’s impossible to please everybody because the number of people allowed in just doesn’t allow it to be quite right, and those that live in Tier 3 areas can’t come in so it isn’t quite normal. “We have to be sympathetic to those that can’t come or don’t feel that it is right for them to [do so] at that moment, but certainly for us to have people back in the stadium will make a difference and start to bring a bit of soul back to the stadiums again.” Teams in Tiers 1 and 2 areas are allowed fans to attend, but it is not permitted in Tier 3 regions. It means that United could play in front of crowds in five of their six matches in the run up to Christmas, but not at Bradford on December 19. “The abnormalities of the season haven't disappeared yet,” he said. “I think there is still plenty of that to deal with and cope with, but we want to see that people in our ground can give us a lift in our performance but ultimately we wanted to set out to be a team that people wanted to come and watch. “There will be 2,000 supporters that are really excited to come back to the stadium and see us play in the flesh for the first time.” Bonner stressed that the squad just has to continue dealing with things as they are placed in front of them, and that concentrating on the performance is all that matters. “I just think the message for the season for us is never settle and never get comfortable - whether that is performances, results, the environment we work in, the arrangements on matchdays,” he added. “Fans is just another example of that. We can’t afford to get comfortable at any point. “We have to stay focused on the things most important, and that we can control most which is our work ethic, our attitude, our preparation, our performance and hope that pays off for us. “We’ve done that well so far, and we need to maintain that.” ------------------------- |
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