Archived News from December 2014
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ADAM MURRAY ANNOUNCED AS NEW MANAGER
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Adam Murray appointed manager
mansfieldtown.net, 13:00 5th December 2014 Murray takes permanent charge of Mansfield Town F.C. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/adam-murray-appointed-manager-2125365.aspx#sA5Fj89k56S79u03.99 We are pleased to announce that Adam Murray has been appointed as the new permanent manager of Mansfield Town Football Club. The 33-year-old, who becomes the youngest boss in the Football League, succeeds Paul Cox, who departed the club by mutual consent last month. Murray has transformed the fortunes of our team in recent weeks - leading us to a 1-0 win over Plymouth Argyle in his first game in caretaker charge, before overseeing a gritty 1-0 victory at Concord Rangers in the FA Cup. His first game as permanent manager will be tomorrow’s FA Cup second round tie away to Cambridge United. Our new boss said: "After much thought and consideration, I feel the time is right for me to take this step into management. "I'm excited about this challenge and new adventure and I believe I have the knowledge, ability and contacts throughout the game to be successful." He added: "This is the proudest day of my career to date." Murray has amassed a wealth of experience and contacts within the professional game, having made over 500 appearances during his 17-year playing career and winning promotion no fewer than five times. He started his career in the Premier League at Derby County, making his debut for the Rams against West Ham United in April 1999, before going on to feature on 32 occasions in the top flight. In the 2001/02 campaign, he joined us for the first time - on loan from Derby - and played a crucial role in helping us to win promotion to the third tier, scoring six goals in 13 appearances. His second stint with us was in 2004/05, when he featured on 37 occasions before joining Carlisle United, for whom he was a twice a promotion winner in just 17 months at Brunton Park. After spells at Torquay United and Macclesfield Town, the midfielder moved to Oxford United in January 2008 and skippered the club to a long-awaited return to the Football League two years later. Following a short stay at Luton Town, he returned to One Call Stadium for a third time in September 2010 and helped us reach the FA Trophy Final at the end of that season. In a combined captain/assistant manager role, Murray then made 38 appearances as our side defied the odds to win the Blue Square Bet Premier title in 2012/13 - and with it achieve promotion back to the Football League. A press conference will take place at One Call Stadium at 1.00pm this afternoon. --------------- Murray: The time was right mansfieldtown.net, 5th December 2014 New manager speaks to media for the first time since his appointment. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/murray-the-time-was-right-2125848.aspx#Jetbc5dfE7AxasaL.99 Adam Murray is relishing the prospect of stepping into management, after being unveiled as our new manager earlier today. The 33-year-old, who becomes the youngest manager in the Football League, stepped up into the role on a caretaker basis last month following the departure of previous boss Paul Cox. Murray indicated that his initial focus will be solely on management, but hasn’t ruled out the prospect of playing in the future. Our new manager said: “Today is one of the proudest moments in my career. It took a lot of thinking and deliberating to reach the decision and the over-riding feeling that I had was this was the right time and the right moment for me to make the step. “I think I’ve got a good belief and confidence in my own ability. I’ve got a group of players here that are behind me and have bought into the ideas that I’ve put forward. “I’ve had a successful playing career and I feel it’s just the right place and the right time for me to make the step. “At the minute, I’m going to be concentrating on managing. As I’ve found over the last two weeks, it’s an intense business and I’ve not had the time to focus on the playing side of things, so my focus will be on managing and we’ll see how that goes. “First and foremost, I think I’ve been given the role and the job based on my ability. I’ve had 17 years as a professional player, amassed over 500 appearances, and managed to get five promotions. “Over those years I’ve made a number of friends and a number of contacts in the game from the bottom of the pyramid all the way up to the top. “I’ve got people who have given me great information over my career. People who I can lean on if need be, but I’m my own man, I’ve got my own ideas and I’m willing to take the step forward. “[My backroom staff] are going to stay as they are. I think in Micky Moore I’ve got one of the best coaches around at the minute. “People in football know how good Micky is and what he brings to the training good. In Richard Cooper, I’ve got someone who I know is loyal, hard-working, and he’s on a journey as well and I’m happy with that. “[The squad being behind me] was a big factor in me making this decision. Obviously being part of the group as a player, I understand them and they understand me. A big thing for me was the reaction I got from them. “I think people have seen over the last two weeks the way I look at the game and the way I want my team to play. The boys have bought into that and moving forward that will be a massive thing. “As everybody knows, my relationship with the fans and the commitment I’ve had to the club [is huge]. I think it’s a great club and I’ve got a great passion for it, but at the same time I’m not naïve enough to believe that’s going to be enough to make me a successful manager. “I’d like to think that over the years I’ve amassed a lot of knowledge, I’ve learned a lot and the ideas and the way I want to take things can be successful.” Chairman John Radford also praised Adam Murray on his new job and stated that it was a unanimous decision by the board to appoint him in the role. “Firstly, I’d like to congratulate Adam Murray on becoming the new manager of Mansfield Town Football Club,” said Mr Radford. “The interviews were harsh and the candidates of quite a high standard. Adam put his hat into the ring in the final hour. “It was a hard decision to make, but after interviewing him it was a unanimous decision by the board that Adam Murray should be the new Mansfield Town manager. “We feel that with his loyalty and service to the club, he deserves this opportunity.” ------------------- John Radford told Jason Harrison on the Mansfield 103.2 Friday Night Football Forum: We interviewed on Tuesday, and we thought about it for a couple of days. It was down to two managers in the end. Adam was competing with one other that had come for interview. We put it to a vote and all 5 votes (*) went in favour of Adam Murray. Everyone knows I want to be in the Championship and hopefully Adam can be the man to take us there. Adam has just done his A licences, so he's got the latest techniques on coaching. Adam deliberated for a long time about whether to apply and he decided he was 100% behind it. (* The directors of the club are John & Carolyn Radford, Paul & Tina Broughton, Steve Middleton, Andy Sutton, James Beachill (finance) and Darren Shaw (fans rep). Darren did not interview (as explained on SFU website), and nor did Carolyn and James Beachill to my understanding, so the other 5 were the interviewers who voted) full programme at: https://soundcloud.com/mansfield-103-2/friday-night-football-forum-s04e18-5th-december-2014-adam-murray-appointed?in=mansfield-103-2/sets/friday-night-football-forum-1 John Radford told David Jackson on Radio Nottingham: I think he'll have no problem in keeping us in this league anyway. ------------ Adam Murray confirmed to Sarah Clapson of the Nottingham Post that his contract is until the end of the season - see also article below -------------- Mansfield Town chairman John Radford will back new boss Adam Murray in transfer window By Sarah Clapson, Nottingham Post NEW Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray will have funds made available to him in the January transfer window. Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Mansfield-Town-chairman-John-Radford-new-boss/story-25256256-detail/story.html#ixzz3L6eEBhVU The former captain and assistant manager has been confirmed as the replacement for Paul Cox, after impressing during his time in caretaker charge. And chairman John Radford has been very clear about what he expects from the new man - promotion to the Championship. The Stags sit 18th in League Two, seven points above the relegation zone. Radford says a play-off push should not be ruled out, and is prepared to put his hands in his pockets to assist with that when the transfer window opens. "He knows he's got money available, so it's a case of Adam now getting on with it," the chairman told the Post. "I'm going to let him make all those decisions. "I'm sure we'll have a chat if he comes too much over budget, but he's got plenty of room to manoeuvre." When asked if some players will have to leave to help balance the books, Radford added: "I'm one for a squad being a squad and gelling as a team. "There's no need to panic. The last few games we've seen them play, they have gelled and played well, so there's no need for massive movement at all. "The season is not over for us. "We've got to get at least 1.8 points per game now to have a chance of getting back into the play-offs. "It is doable, we'll see how the next few games go. "I certainly think he can consolidate us and keep us in this league. "I would like us to have a go at trying to get to the play-offs." The long-term goal though, is much more ambitious. "I want to be in the Championship," continued Radford. "That's my target for Adam - to get into the Championship, hopefully in three or four seasons. "Hopefully he can do that and he'll get my backing to do that." Murray was one of seven candidates interviewed for the post, and clinched the job with a unanimous vote from the board of directors. In his three games since taking temporary control, he has beaten Plymouth in the league and secured passage in the FA Cup by toppling Concord Rangers. His next task is to earn a place in the third round of that competition, at Cambridge United today. At 33, Murray has become the youngest boss in the Football League on an initial deal until the end of the season. But he was still the standout candidate for the job. "We interviewed six managers prior to him and they were all very similar," said Radford. "The first one came in and the other five were a carbon copy of him. "Adam was totally different. "I think that's because he hasn't been a manager before and the rest knew the process. "Some of the new ideas Adam was coming out with impressed us, and his enthusiasm impressed us. "You look at the pros and cons. "Probably the biggest con against Adam would be the fact he's got no experience as a manager, and if we were to bring an ex-England player or Premiership player to the club as manager, that would be a big name. "But this was an opportunity to give one of our own a chance to get into management." ------------------ Adam Murray: Time is right for Mansfield Town to have a fresh change By Sarah Clapson, Nottingham Post THERE was one question Adam Murray shied away from during his unveiling as Mansfield Town manager. Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Adam-Murray-Time-right-Mansfield-Town-fresh/story-25256251-detail/story.html#ixzz3L6dZBQZz Will he be a shirt and tie or a tracksuit man on the sidelines? 'Hmm, I haven't decided yet," was the reply. There is though, plenty the new boss has decided on. Murray is very clear on the philosophy he wants to implement, the changes he wants to make and the standards he expects. It might have taken him a while to decide whether to submit his job application, but you get the sense he has been planning for management for some time. Some will question his age - at 33, the youngest to occupy a hot seat in the Football League. But with a 16-year playing career which has taken in stops at Derby County, Notts County and Oxford United among others, as well as a long association with the Stags, Murray has plenty of other experience - and managerial influences - to draw upon. "I've got a lot of knowledge from the career I've had," he told the Post. "I've had 20-odd managers, and some top class managers. "As a player who's always got one eye on the coaching side of things, you take bits and bobs you like and bits and bobs you don't like. "I'm fortunate enough to have a phone book where I can call on people if I need their advice. Half past 11 on Thursday night, I had an ex-England manager trying to find me a goalkeeper. "I'm not short if I need somebody's help. And I've got a structure around me that enables me to do that." So, which of his managers have had the biggest impact on him? "I've had an array of different kinds of managers and coaches," added Murray, who was assistant to Paul Cox at the One Call Stadium before the previous incumbent's departure two weeks ago. "I've gone from Jim Smith, who was a very good man manager - he liked to deal with people and manage people - to coaches such as Steve Round and Steve McClaren, who are known in the modern game as top coaches. "They've been massive guidances in my career, both as a player and since I've been on this route. "The last three years have been massive for me; I learnt a lot off Paul - how he did things, how he didn't do things, things I thought, 'that's really good', things I looked at and thought, 'I'd probably tweak that a little bit'. "I know as a young manager, the first question everybody always says is, 'what about the lack of experience?'. "I'm not fazed by that. The question is always going to be raised because I'm 33, but it's not an issue for me." Murray was a late entry into the managerial race - only throwing his name into the mix at the start of this week after making what he describes as 'the toughest decision of my life so far'. He hasn't ruled out still pulling on his boots, having made 15 appearances in amber and blue this term. But his focus is very much getting things right on and off the pitch. And he has wasted no time in making a start on that, pushing a more entertaining style of play during his three games in caretaker charge and yesterday handing youth team striker Dan Fletcher a professional deal. "I've got a lot of hunger, desire and passion in everything I do. I want my team to show that," said the midfielder, ahead of today's FA Cup tie at Cambridge United. "I was brought up to play football; that's always been my upbringing. "That's how I would like my team to play. I would like it to play with a lot of energy and pace, and a lot of intelligence. "I'm also aware that the league we're in can be a sawdust kind of league, so we've got to get the balance right. "I'm not going to say we're going to go out there and play like Barcelona every week because I don't think that would be effective for where we're at at the minute. "But we'll allow players to show what they've got and play with a freedom within a structure. "We're in a massive transition period. We're changing everything from the training methods, style of play and the formation. "I think the club is in a period where it needs a freshness. "We've had a lot of good times over the last few years and I would like to think I've been a big part of that. "It's not a slant on what's been done, I just think at the time in the club's journey, it's time for a fresh change. "To put my mark on things and to plant my philosophy into the club, then a lot will be changed. "At the minute we're in a transition period, everything from the way the lads think, to eat, to train; everything is changing. "Within that change, I have to make sure we're getting points." --------------------- Adam Murray's 'proudest moment' as he is unveiled as new Mansfield Town manager By Sarah Clapson, Nottingham Post, December 05, 2014 BECOMING Mansfield Town manager is ‘one of the proudest moments’ in Adam Murray’s career. Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Adam-Murray-unveiled-new-Mansfield-Town-manager/story-25214406-detail/story.html?123#ixzz3L2t0Lrk9 The 33-year-old has been officially announced as Paul Cox’s replacement following a successful spell in caretaker charge, on a deal initially until the end of the season. Murray, who becomes the youngest boss in the Football League, will keep the backroom team of Micky Moore and Richard Cooper in place. And though he hasn’t ruled out pulling on his boots again as a player, he says the time is right to make the step up. “Today is one of my proudest moments in my career,” said Murray. “It took a lot of thinking and deliberating to come to the decision I did, but the overriding feeling I had was this is the right time and the right moment for me to make this step. “I think I’ve got a good belief and confidence in my own ability. I’ve got a group of players here who are behind me and have bought into the ideas we’ve put forward. “I’ve had a successful career playing and it’s just the right time for me. And I think it’s the right place to take this step.” Murray was given the chance to take on the role full-time following two wins from three games, against Plymouth and Concord Rangers - the latter in the FA Cup. Luton Town got the better of the Stags last weekend, but the midfielder decided to submit his application for the job earlier this week and had his interview on Tuesday. It marks the culmination of a long association with the club, who Murray first played for in 2002, when he joined on loan from Derby County. The former Oxford United player has had four separate spells in a Stags shirt, most recently joining them permanently from Luton Town in 2011. Since then, he has notched up more than 110 appearances and skippered the team to the Conference title in 2012/13. Murray faced some tough competition for the job, with six outside candidates interviewed by chairman John Radford and the board of directors, including the likes of former Stags, Notts County and Nottingham Forest defender Colin Calderwood and one-time Scunthorpe United boss Ian Baraclough (comment by Martin - Baraclough was not one of the interviewees). Tomorrow’s trip to Cambridge United in the second round of the Cup will be his first game as manager. ---------------- Murray sees off international rivals to take Stags job chad.co.uk, by Stefan Pidluznyj, 05 December 2014 Mansfield Town’s new boss Adam Murray beat international managers to the hot seat as the man in charge of the Stags, the club has revealed. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/murray-sees-off-international-rivals-to-take-stags-job-1-6990923 John Radford said: “We interviewed a lot of experienced managers. We also had international managers and players who applied for the job and gave good interviews. However, I would say that Adam’s was 20% or 30% better than anyone else’s and I’m sure he’ll do an excellent job. “He bleeds amber and blue, has captained us to a league championship, and has always had a special relationship and affinity to the club and town. “His enthusiasm is second to none and he shares my ambition of seeing the club progress. “We both believe that the club can reach the playoffs this season and the ultimate goal still remains becoming a Championship club.” As for the new manager, he was clearly delighted with his new job. “This is the proudest day of my career to date,” said Murray. “ I’ve got great belief and confidence in my own ability and I believe it was the right time for me to step up as manager. “We’re in a transition period as a club. We’ve had successful seasons in the past few years but I think now we need a fresh outlook and philosophy in order to move on to the next level. “So far, I have tried to give the players the confidence to express themselves and the emphasis in the training sessions has been on being brave in possession and evolving our style of play, while at the same time understanding that it’s a results-based business and we need to pick up points to climb the table. “We’ve got a great set of fans who are a major part in the success we have as a club and act as the 12th man when we’re on the pitch. I appreciate the support they have given me and will strive to give something back to them, and make the town proud of its football club once again.” -------------------------- Club legend Adam Murray ready to make further history with Mansfield Town by Stephen Thirkill, 05 December 2014 Fifteen months ago it seemed that new manager Adam Murray’s illustrious time at Mansfield Town was about to come to an end. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/club-legend-adam-murray-ready-to-make-further-history-with-mansfield-town-1-6990173 The inspirational midfielder joined Rainworth MW on a month’s loan after having a major fall-out with former boss Paul Cox. Murray was then shipped out to Worksop Town as he continued to be frozen out at Mansfield Town. But, as we all know, Murray is the epitomy of determination and the tough-tackling midfielder refused to leave the club that he loves as he eventually won his place back in the side after he and Cox patched up their differences. Murray, who began his pro career at Derby County, first donned the Mansfield Town shirt in February 2002 on loan from Derby, during which he helped Stags seal a memorable promotion. Murray then returned to Mansfield Town on a permanent basis during the 2004/05 season when he played 32 times. The Birmingham-born midfielder began his third spell at Stags on 1 October 2010 from Luton, with a view to a permanent move, which took place in January 2011. On 21 June 2012 Murray became assistant manager at Mansfield following Micky Moore’s decision to leave. During his third spell Murray has made more than 100 appearances for the club, before taking over as caretaker manager following the departure of Paul Cox on 21st November. After much consideration over whether to throw his name in to the hat for the new manager’s job or to extend his playing career, Murray was interviewed for the role. The fans favourite, who beat Plymouth in his first game in charge as caretaker, is certain to have the players playing for him and, equally as important, have the club’s supporters fully behind him, which had become a major issue at the end of Cox’s time in charge. ------------------ |
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