Archived News from November 2013
|
COX ON CUP DRAW / BRISCOE ENDS LOAN AT NUNEATON
|
 |
|
Paul Cox full press interview 11th November 2013 http://www.player.mansfieldtown.net/latest-news/article/3532938/date/20131111144200/page/0/name/Cox-on-cup-draw-and-big-month-ahead ------------- Boss believes in squad potential mansfieldtown.net, 11th November 2013 Manager Paul Cox believes our players can achieve great things, if they can produce consistent displays on a game-by-game basis. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/boss-believes-in-squad-potential-1168850.aspx?#A4oXGeZMJpydFvrf.99 Our side recorded their first win since September on Saturday, as they struck eight goals to thump St Albans City in the FA Cup with Budweiser First Round. But now, having made it to Round Two where we will travel to either Wolverhampton Wanderers or Oldham Athletic, our boss has re-iterated previous statements about consistency. “I know I’ve got some good young players at this football club and it’s my job now to get consistency out of them on a game-to-game basis,” said our boss. “It’s no good having one good game and three averages games. We need [players] to produce seven-and-a-half performances out of 10, on a consistent basis. “If we get these boys playing consistently well and adapting to what we want them to do, then there is nothing that they can’t achieve. “They’re young players and good players, who are technically gifted, and a lot them are going to play at a higher level, but consistency is the key.” Reflecting further on Saturday’s emphatic victory over St Albans, in which Sam Clucas scored four goals, Cox added: “To sum it up, I think it was a professional performance. “The boys deserve an incredible amount of credit. To score eight goals against anybody is a feat in itself. “We spoke before the game and we wanted [to put in] a [good] performance and I thought the boys looked as though they were back in ‘our mode’.“ Cox continued: “I want to give credit to my players, because those games are horrible games to play in. “We come away from it and people shrug their shoulders and go ‘Well you deserved to win!’ but it’s more than that. “I thought the mindset that we showed went back to that of [what we had] six or seven weeks ago, when we were in our mode. “People will say ‘It’s only a team from Step 7’, but you have to earn the right to win a football match and we did that on Saturday.” Our boss also had kind words for St Albans, who were unbeaten in 11 matches ahead of Saturday’s encounter. He added: “I’ve got to give credit to St Albans, because I don’t think the scoreline really gave an indication of their level of performance. “I thought they were a decent side. Everyone who went to the game will testify that we had to work hard, especially early on, in order to win it.” -------------------- Briscoe returns from Boro mansfieldtown.net, 11th November 2013 Winger Louis Briscoe has returned to One Call Stadium following a month-long loan at Nuneaton Town. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/briscoe-returns-from-boro-1167971.aspx#207DQx3oEV0cKuJ9.99 Due to injury, Briscoe featured just twice for Boro, who currently sit on the fringes of the Play-Off zone in the Skrill Premier. The 25-year-old is expected to remain out of action for at least the next fortnight. “Louis has had a problem with his medial knee ligament and he’s going to be out of action for at least the next two to two-and-a-half weeks,” said boss Paul Cox. He continued: “As quick as we can get him back in our squad, the better. “He’s a fabulous player and a goalscorer, and he’ll add to us at what I would call a really important time [of the season]. “We’re coming towards the busiest time of the year, building up towards the Christmas period, and we need as many people fit as we can. “We need [players] not just fit, but also ‘chomping at the bit’ and as many of those as we can get, the better it is for the squad.” Meanwhile, young centre-back Jason Gregory has also left the club by mutual consent. “Jason has been a great kid to work with,” added Cox. “Potentially I thought he was pushing on and he had a good loan spell at Rainworth, but the lad has decided he wants to look further afield in terms of his future. “He’s looking to go into plastering and maybe playing part-time, so we wish him all the best.” ----------------- Stags boss Cox happy to be FA Cup underdogs chad.co.uk, 11 November 2013 Stags manager Paul Cox is very happy for his side to be underdogs against League One opposition in the next round of the FA Cup. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/stags-boss-cox-happy-to-be-fa-cup-underdogs-1-6235652 Stags trounced non-League minnows St Albans 8-1 in round one on Saturday and yesterday’s second round draw paired them away to either Wolves or Oldham Athletic, who will replay a week on Tuesday. “They are both good ties for their own reasons,” said Cox. “With Wolves you are really talking about a Premiership club with their set-up and fan base while Oldham are former FA Cup semi-finalists. “So both have a bit of romance about them. “I am sure our supporters will do what they have done all season and follow us in their thousands to either game. “We took a lot down on Saturday and they were pro-active in getting behind the lads. They are true supporters of this club and deserve a massive pat on the back. “We are underdogs which is a tag I kind of like. The tough games are the ones like St Albans and Slough last year. We are now in the same positions that Slough and St Albans were against us. “We can relax and go and enjoy the next round. That doesn’t mean we will take our foot off the pedal and accept we are not going through, though. We want to get into the third round again. “I know what these boys are capable of when they are focused and hungry and their mindset is right as you saw against Liverpool last year.” Cox was delighted with the way his side bounced back from trailing 1-0 for much of the first half at St Albans to bag two in the last minute of the half and then destroy them with with a ruthless six-goal second half. He said: “It was a professional performance. In these kind of games you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. “Some people are saying you should win these games. If you lose they want your head on a plate. “But as you have seen elsewhere there were quite a few scalps taken. It just shows how hard these games are. So I think the boys deserve an incredible amount of credit. “I said before the game it didn’t matter who we played, I just wanted a performance. To score eight goals is a feat in itself and I though the boys looked back in our mode and the mindset was good, especially in the second half. “Credit to St Albans, I don’t think the scoreline really gives an indication of their level of performance. They are a decent side who were 11 games unbeaten in all competitions. “The supporters who went down there know how hard we had to work, especially early on, to earn the right to go on and win it. “If I am going to be ruthless, I would say we could have scored more as we had a couple of one-on-ones with their keeper as well. “Credit to my players, these are horrible games to play in. “Games are played over 90 minutes and these boys work hard on their fitness so credit to them. “A few things were said at half-time, but I would not be dong my job if I didn’t. I called for a response and the boys chucked it down my throat which pleases me, “Now it’s all about consistent performances. These boys have set their levels and I am not going to let them drop below that.” Star of the show was youngster Sam Clucas, who netted four times in 16 electric second half minutes. “Sam is a fabulous kid and I am his biggest fan. He now needs to add consistency to his game,” said Cox. “But I thought Junior Daniel was the best player on the pitch by a country mile. In the first half I can remember a 70-80 yard run he made to get in a challenge that stopped them going 2-0 up. It is a fine line.” Despite some superb finishes, Cox was in no doubt that Lee Stevenson’s 44th minute equaliser was the most crucial. “There were some sublime finishes in the second half. But it was the first goal that was so important to us,” he said. “Stevo does what he does. Some people love it and some people hate it. “But no one can question his goals to games ratio. I am chuffed for the kid as he has been up and down of late and I hope the goal has done him the world of good. “The longer the game went on at 1-0, psychologically St Albans became invincible and hard to break down. “That first goal put a chink in their armour and the second came at the right time.” ----------------------- |
Latest | November 2013