Archived News from December 2020
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CLOUGH AND SWEENEY PREVIEW SCUNTHORPE
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Boss targets fruitful Christmas period
mansfieldtown.net, Wednesday 23rd December 2020 Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says a good run over the busy festive schedule can set the Stags up positively for the second-half of the campaign. The amber and blue have lost just twice under Nigel Clough’s reign, but find themselves with a need to turn many of their results from draws into wins. The boss revealed that the players will be off on Christmas Day, adding that ‘really good’ days of training on Wednesday and Christmas Eve will put them in good stead ahead of the Boxing Day clash at Scunthorpe United. “The lads will be off on Christmas Day,” he told iFollow Stags. “We’ve done it over the years where we’ve had players in, but generally, to spend a day with the family - especially in these strange times - I don’t think will do them any harm at all. “We’ll do two really good [training] days on Wednesday and Thursday and that will set us up nicely for Boxing Day and beyond. “It [Christmas] has always been a good family time, but work has always been there, and with football, it’s inevitable. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2020/december/nigel-clough-pre-scunthorpe/ “We have nine points up for grabs in a week, and what you do over the Christmas period can make a big difference to how you go in the second-half of the season. “If you can stay unbeaten and grab a couple of wins, then it will make a big difference to the table. I just hope we maintain that good level of performance - we could do with a win or two, just to boost that confidence.” The manager looked ahead to the Stags’ upcoming Boxing Day clash away at Scunthorpe United, a game he believes will be ‘totally different’ to the last meeting between the two sides, a Papa John’s Trophy group stage fixture in November. “[It will be] totally different [to the Papa John’s Trophy game],” he added. “We both changed our teams on that day and we were already out of the competition, so it gave us an early opportunity to have a look at everybody. “But we still played well that night and it was good to win the game. I think it will be a hard-fought battle on Boxing Day. “If it’s wet, and with the pitches in League Two struggling at the moment, I think it will be a battle out there. “[When picking the team] we look at the performances over the last two or three games. Our selection will be based on that, so there is certainly a possibility of us making changes.” With the January transfer window just around the corner, the boss explained the club’s current stance in terms of potential transfer activity. “We’re discussing quite a few [possible transfers] at the moment. We would hope to get two, three or four in and maybe two, three, four out. “We’ll see how it plays out. But we always have a golden rule; the ones we bring in must be better, or at least different, to the ones that we are replacing. “We look for good players, people who are going to improve the team and squad, and help us get towards safety in the next three or four months. “Within reason, we will take anybody in terms of position. There is scope to bring in [players] from numerous positions. “I don’t think there is one area we are short in or over-manned in. So we’ll judge it on the merit of the player.” There was also an update on striker Nicky Maynard, who missed Saturday’s match at home to Southend with a hamstring issue. “He’s still tight and it’s still a little nervy in there. He’s going to be scanned this week just to make sure there’s no serious damage in there. “He will be touch-and-go for Boxing Day and we’ll see how he is after that.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the manager’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. --------------------------- Nigel Clough knows festive games could be key to rest of Mansfield Town's season chad.co.uk, By Stephen Thirkill, Wednesday 23rd December 2020 Stags travel to Scunthorpe on Boxing Day before they have successive home games against Salford City and Port Vale. And Clough knows nine points could be just what Stags need to fire some momentum into their faltering campaign. “It's always been a good family time, but work has always been there too,” he said. “We have nine points up for grabs, and what you do in the Christmas period can set you up for the rest of the season. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-clough-knows-festive-games-could-be-key-rest-mansfield-towns-season-3077161 “The lads will have Christmas Day off. We'll have two really good training days on Wednesday and Thursday. “I expect us to maintain our good standard of performance. Saturday will be a very hard-fought battle on Boxing Day." Clough also wants his side to come out of the traps firing following their slow start in the 1-1 draw at home to Southend last time out. "We're still disappointed with how we started the game,” added Clough. “We created enough situations in the second-half to win the game. “We're pleased with the reaction in the second-half, we just wish we didn't have to ask for that. “Our selection for the game will be based on the last two or three performances and changes could be made.” Striker Nicky Maynard is a doubt for the trip to Scunthorpe as he looks to shake off a hamstring injury. --------------------------- Nigel Clough has business in mind as January transfer window closes in chad.co.uk, By Stephen Thirkill, Wednesday 23rd December 2020 Boss Nigel Clough says he has a number of irons in the fire ahead of the January transfer window. It will be Clough’s first transfer window as manager as he looks to stamp his own authority on the squad. But the key to any business done will be making a clear improvement to his squad. “We are discussing quite a few moves at the moment and we would hope to do some business, probably three or four in and two, three or maybe four out,” he said. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-clough-has-business-mind-january-transfer-window-closes-3078105 Clough knows good festive results could make all the difference to rest of season “We will see how it plays out, but the rule is those that we bring in must be better, or at least different, to those that are leaving or there is no point bringing them in. “We look for good players, people who will improve the team and the squad and hopefully get us towards safety.” The boss also believes there is no one position in the Mansfield squad desperate to see players in or out. “Within reason, we will take anyone in terms of position,” he added. “There is scope for bringing people in for numerous positions. “There's not one particular area where we are short or overmanned, we will judge it on the merit of the player.” ----------------------- Stags want positive end to 2020 - defender mansfieldtown.net, Wednesday 23rd December 2020 Defender Ryan Sweeney reflected on a ‘hectic’ year in Wednesday morning’s news conference, a year the Stags are aiming to end on a high with their remaining two fixtures in 2020. Sweeney has been a mainstay in Mansfield’s defensive line of late, and has found the net twice under the management of boss Nigel Clough. The 23-year-old, looking ahead to the busy festive schedule, says that the Stags want to end 2020 in positive fashion. “It’s been a bit of a hectic year with COVID and what’s gone on around the world. From a football point of view, it’s been strange,” he told iFollow Stags. “We wanted to kick on from last season, and we were a bit disappointed, so that’s probably carried on into this season. “We haven’t started as well as we would’ve wanted. But as we end the year, we want to end it on a positive note. “We have a few games coming up now and that can set us up for the rest of the season. We’ve got Scunthorpe and Salford coming up before the end of the year and we want to finish it [year] positively.” https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2020/december/ryan-sweeney-pre-scunthorpe/ With Mansfield having drawn the most games of any team in Sky Bet League Two this season, the defender says that an improvement in both boxes can turn the tide on Stags’ season. “From a defensive point of view, if we keep a zero on the scoreboard, I fancy us to beat anyone with the attacking options we have in the side,” he added. “That’s been a bit disappointing from a defender’s point of view. You always want to do better and want to keep as many clean sheets as possible. “At the other end, it’s about being clinical and taking those chances when they come along. I think it [drawing games] can be a mixture of both boxes. “When you look at the performances as a whole over the last five to six weeks, I think they’ve been a lot better. “I think Saturday [against Southend] in the first-half, that’s probably the one we’d be most disappointed with. “But on a whole, they [performances] have been pretty decent. It’s just now about turning those draws into wins. “We’ve lost a similar amount of games to the teams that are in the play-offs or are in and around it, so it’s just about now trying to get those wins on the board.” Sweeney also looked ahead to Mansfield’s upcoming Boxing Day match away at Scunthorpe United, adding that ‘doing the basics right’ will be important in Saturday’s ‘physical battle.’ “It [Scunthorpe] will be a tough game. I know Coxy [Neil Cox, Scunthorpe manager] from my time at Wimbledon. “He’ll have them right up for it and they’ve picked up of late too. It’ll be a physical battle there, like most League Two games. “It’s about doing the basics right, that we didn’t do in the first-half against Southend on Saturday. “We want to go there and express ourselves. When you’re struggling for wins on the board, that’s the main thing, to go there and express yourself.” After finding himself operating in a back-three system for the majority of his time at Mansfield, the appointment of Nigel Clough has seen Sweeney be positioned in a back-four. The former Stoke City man touched on this slight change of role, and added that the competition for places within the defensive ranks at Mansfield pushes him to improve. “Consistently, I think it’s probably the first time I’ve played in a back-four here. I think we have good competition for places, and that helps as well. “You look at the defence and the goalkeeper to be the base of the side, and to give the flair players [opportunity] to work off that and go and do their bits. “But we have good competition for places in defence. Rollin [Menayese] came in for the Cambridge game and did really well, Perchy [James Perch] is coming back now too. “From Monday to Friday it’s about driving each other and getting the best out of each other.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Ryan’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. ------------------------ Ryan Sweeney knows Mansfield Town must be up for the fight at Scunthorpe United chad.co.uk, By Stephen Thirkill, Wednesday 23rd December 2020 Mansfield begin a trio of festive games against United on Boxing Day with both sides scrapping for crucial League Two points. And Sweeney knows his side will face a tough battle if they are to bring any points back home. “They have picked up of late and they will be right up for it,” he said. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/ryan-sweeney-knows-mansfield-town-must-be-fight-scunthorpe-united-3078089 “It will be a physical battle like most League Two games and it's about doing the basics right that we probably didn't do in the first half on Saturday. “We need to win the first contact and second balls and then go down and express ourselves. When you're struggling to get wins, the main thing is to express yourself. “When you look at the performances as a whole over the last five to six weeks, I think they’ve been a lot better." The defensive stalwart is also keen to end the year on a positive note following a disappointing first few months of the season. “It’s been a bit of a hectic year with COVID and what’s gone on around the world. From a football point of view, it’s been strange,” he told iFollow Stags. “We wanted to kick on from last season, and we were a bit disappointed, so that’s probably carried on into this season,” he added. “We haven’t started as well as we would’ve wanted. But as we end the year, we want to end it on a positive note. “We have a few games coming up now and that can set us up for the rest of the season. We’ve got Scunthorpe and Salford coming up before the end of the year and we want to finish the year positively.” Mansfield could still be missing Nicky Maynard who is rated a doubt as he battles to recover from a knee injury. ------------------------ Manager provides pre-match news and views ahead of Boxing Day scunthorpe-united.co.uk First team manager Neil Cox is enjoying a rare full week on the training ground as United prepare for the Boxing Day home encounter against Mansfield Town (1pm kick-off). https://www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk/news/2020/december/manager-provides-pre-match-news-and-views-ahead-of-boxing-day/ Due to the season starting over a month later than usual, there has been a large volume of midweek fixtures so far this campaign which has meant a quick turnaround between matches for the Iron. Cox said: "Training has been good. We did a lot of analysis work at first on the last game, but we're back into it now. We were on the training pitch on a Tuesday for the first time in a long time this week, as we've had a lot of midweek games. We got a lot of quality work into the boys out there, as well as hard work into some of them that have missed some minutes. "It's excellent to have a full week. It's what we've needed. We've given some of the boys who had bumps and bruises a couple of days off to rest it, while the rest of them have been on the training ground working hard and getting ready for a busy Christmas schedule." With the number of midweek first team fixtures calming down in the New Year, Cox is looking forward to helping develop the players at the club. He said: "It will be good to have that chance to get on the training pitch and try to make the players better, especially the younger ones. It's been difficult this season for all clubs but we have 28 big games left and want to push up the league. "I've been disappointed with the last four games. We haven't picked up enough points after being on a good run of form. We had to dig in sometimes, but lost, but we have 28 matches left and let's try and win every one, and see where we end up at the end of the season." As previously mentioned, the players and coaching staff will be in on Christmas Day preparing for the encounter with the Stags. Cox continued: "It's part and parcel of life as a footballer. You come in and get on with it. We play on Boxing Day so we're in, and we do all our work ahead of a difficult game on Saturday. "We're working on what we need to do, how we're going to play, our set-plays and also aspects of what they do before getting off home and trying to enjoy the day as much as we can." The boss also provided an update on the injuries to Harrison McGahey (hamstring) and Junior Brown (thigh), while he also had news about striker Ryan Loft. He said: "Harrison has been on the training ground jogging but still isn't ready to join in fully. He will probably be back nearer the end of January now, but you never know. "Junior has been on the training ground and joined in half a session, so he's well ahead of schedule which is good for us, but we have to make sure it's done properly as we don't want him to get injured again. "Lofty is struggling with a sore ankle/shin and didn't train on Tuesday so we have to be careful with him and see what happens." The Under-23s fixtures come thick and fast from next Wednesday when the Iron host their Huddersfield Town counterparts, and Cox said: "We have the Under-23s games scheduled in again from next week and that will really help in terms of getting people back to fitness, and also some of the boys who haven't played so much in the first team in recent weeks. We are looking at sending a couple out on loan to get some further experience." Mansfield visit on Boxing Day for the second time this season, having defeated United 2-1 in the Papa John's Trophy group stages in November when both put mixed sides out. Scunthorpe, who hadn't won at home since September until the start of this month, have won two of their last three home fixtures and Cox is looking to build on that as he seeks to make the Sands Venue Stadium a hard place for teams to come. Cox said: "Nigel (Clough) won't change the way he plays and worry about what we do, and I will be the same. I'm not going to worry about them. It's what we do on the day and the way we set our stall out. We have to be aggressive in both boxes and do the right things. We need to make sure our set-plays are spot on, and put a battling performance in. When the ball is down there to be played on the pitch, we need to try and play some good football. "I believe we've thrown points away in the last few weeks when we should have picked more up. We had a battling performance against Barrow where we didn't play very well, but managed to win the game. Sometimes we have to dig in and fight for the three points, and that's what we need to do. "There is still no crowd, which is difficult, as it would have been a good crowd on Boxing Day and they would have brought a few fans as well, but we have to get on with it. We're getting ready for when the fans can come back in, and hopefully turning the corner and winning more home games can create a good situation for them to return to." ----------------------- |
Latest | December 2020