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Archived News from January 2020

COUGHLAN, MACDONALD, GARY BOWYER REACTION
29th January 2020 22:15


Let’s build on win, says boss
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 25th January 2020

Manager Graham Coughlan says his charges ‘set the standard’ in today’s dominant 3-0 victory over Bradford City, and has challenged the Stags to now maintain this afternoon’s level of performance.

Two headed goals in the first-half from Danny Rose and Nicky Maynard were added to by Andy Cook in the second period to secure three points in emphatic fashion.

The boss says that his team ‘showed what it means to play for Mansfield Town’ with their outstanding ‘attitude, work rate and commitment.’

“The lads have worked their socks off,” he told iFollow Stags. “The front three up top absolutely epitomised our work rate and our attitude.

“The lads have been excellent today. Let them enjoy their evening, and we go again on Monday morning. They’ve set their standards now, they’ve set their press, they’ve set the work rate - now you need to maintain it.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2020/january/gaffer-post-bradford/

“But it was really, really pleasing and they responded really well because they’ve been hurting over the last few weeks.

“Today we’ve set the standard and I want us to continue it. The work rate has been there, the fitness levels have gone up and the intensity of training has risen.

“Their attitude, work rate and commitment has been there for all to show - we were just making some basic errors. Today, we’ve put our bodies on the line and showed what it means to play for Mansfield Town Football Club.

“We will get fitter, we will grow and we will improve. One thing I’d like to emphasise is: ‘let’s not get carried away.’

“Over the last 12 months, inconsistency has been an issue at this football club. It’s up to the lads now to push on and show consistency.”

The 45-year-old added that the resounding win must be dedicated to the ‘magnificent’ Mansfield supporters.

“It was a massive relief to win. Yes, I can talk about the clean sheet or individual performances - but I don’t think I don’t think I’ve been at a club where we’ve been cheered off at half-time.

“We were cheered to the rafters today from the fans. The fans just want to see a little bit of endeavour and hard work. The players gave that to them today.

“I thought the fans were absolutely magnificent today. You must take your hat off to them. They kept us on it and to sing us all the way home yet again, that victory has to be dedicated to the thousands that turned out.”

There was also a word on new signings Joe Riley and Harry Charsley - who both started today’s game - but said that all of his players deserve credit for a superb display.

“Each and every player today showed the commitment, the work rate and the attitude that I expect. I thought Joe Riley was very, very good and I thought Harry [Charsley] was excellent.

“His [Charsley’s] pressing and closing down set us off. He handled the ball well. It’s been really pleasing all round.

“To single one or two players out - the lads will have a go at me on Monday morning if they do! I’m going to give each and every one of them a little bit of praise this evening.

“But I’ll praise them even more if they put in another one [performance], and another one, and another one, to show that consistency.

“The players should be given credit this evening because they’re the ones who go out and execute the game plan.

“We went out and executed the game plan last week away at Plymouth and it didn’t quite work for us. We were the better team last week and were the better team this week - the pleasing thing this week is that we come away with the three points.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the boss’ interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.

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Delighted Graham Coughlan demands consistency after energetic Mansfield Town shoot down high-flying Bradford City
chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Saturday 25th January 2020

Mansfield Town manager Graham Coughlan was delighted with his side's convincing 3-0 home win over promotion-chasing Bradford City today.

But Coughlan warned no one should get carried away and now he wanted to see some consistency after players underlined what they are capable of.

A dominant, energetic display saw Stags deserved victors and Coughlan said: “I am delighted. The lads have worked their socks off.

“But I've told them one swallow doesn't make a summer. You have set your standards now, now you need to maintain it. Now we're looking for consistency.

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/delighted-graham-coughlan-demands-consistency-after-energetic-mansfield-town-shoot-down-high-flying-bradford-city-1375720

“Let's not get carried away. Inconsistency has been a problem at this club.

“Today they showed what it means to play for Mansfield Town Football Club.

“They have been hurting the last few weeks. I've been hurting and the fans were hurting.”

He added: “They have had a bit of negativity chucked at them this season and rightly so, they've not performed to the best of their ability.

“Today we set the standard and I want us to continue in that vain.”

Stags' fitness levels have shot up since Coughlan arrived and employed a high-pressing game and he said: “The front three absolutely epitomised our work rate and our attitude.

“The lads were excellent and let them enjoy their evening before we go again Monday morning.

“Today was their 10th session of the week and their fitness levels have gone up. We were making basic elementary errors but today they put their bodies on the line.

“It was about time those lads in the changing room got what they deserved.”

He was also delighted with the part the home supporters played in the afternoon with their wall of noise.

“ I don't think I have been at a club in my career were the fans have cheered us off like that at half-time,” he smiled.

“They cheered us to the rafters. We gave them what they want to see - hard work and endeavour. From start to finish the fans were absolutely magnificent.

“That victory has to be dedicated to the thousands that turned out today.”

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Emphatic win is no fluke - midfielder
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 25th January 2020

‘Unbelievable’ was the term midfielder Alex MacDonald used to best describe Mansfield Town’s 3-0 victory over promotion chasers Bradford City this afternoon.

A scintillating performance below the One Call floodlights produced both three points and three goals during 90 minutes of Sky Bet League Two action.

Headers courtesy of strikers Danny Rose and Nicky Maynard in the opening period set Mansfield on their way to victory, before substitute Andy Cook placed the contest beyond reasonable doubt with his first touch.

Subsequently, MacDonald could only think of one adjective to sum up Saturday’s result.

“It was an unbelievable performance from the players, the stadium, the fans and it was one we needed,” the No. 7 told iFollow Stags.

“[After] everything we’ve been working on, this performance is no fluke. We’ve been so close in terms of performances but we’ve just been a little bit naïve at the back.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2020/january/macdonald-post-bradford/

“Today, we were solid and it felt like we could have stayed out there all day without conceding.

“We had the right mentality going into the game, a fantastic week on the training pitch and you put them together with the hard work.

“When you’ve got front players who are starting you off and starting the press, as a team you’ve got to back that up and we did that all over the park today.”

The former Burton Albion man also stressed the importance of their willingness to press the Bantams as a key facet to earning their seventh league victory this season.

“We’ve been desperate to develop that [pressing] into our game. The second the manager walked in he was all about that.

“It’s an all-action performance and it started from the front. When you do that at home, as well as what we started, and when we’ve got the Stags faithful behind us in their numbers this is a difficult place to come.

“Before I joined it was always the case. We know we haven’t had the best of seasons, we’re under no illusions, but we’ve just said in the changing room: that has to be a start now.

“That’s the benchmark of what we need to do and the way we need to do it. Hopefully, we can replicate them performances and come away with great results like today.”

And the 29-year-old spoke highly of manager Graham Coughlan’s endeavours to alter the mentality since his arrival in mid-December.

“[He’s] tried to change the mentality, to bring in a real winning mentality,” MacDonald stated.

“We’re going out there not to see games out - and I think you’ve seen that in games we’ve played.

“We went down to Plymouth, who are arguably the best footballing side in the division, and for large parts of the first half we played some great stuff.

“We put them under pressure and we were on the front foot. We’re showing everything that he [Graham Coughlan] wants but we just need to keep the ball out of our net.

“It came today, but over the last couple of performances everyone has seen what we’re capable of.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Macca's interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.

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Big win over Bradford City was exactly what the doctor ordered for Mansfield Town says midfielder Alex MacDonald
chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Saturday 25th January 2020

Mansfield Town midfielder Alex MacDonald said today's 3-0 victory over high-flying Bradford City and a first clean sheet for new boss Graham Coughlan were just what the club had needed.

Stags dominated from start to finish and never looked back after Danny Rose headed an inch-perfect MacDonald cross home after only seven minutes.

Stags had only won once in 13 games and only two home league games all season, so MacDonald smiled: “That was a big win and an unbelievable performance from the players and the fans.

“It was just what we needed - that performance and a clean sheet. And the fans from minute one were just unbelievable.

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/big-win-over-bradford-city-was-exactly-what-doctor-ordered-mansfield-town-says-midfielder-alex-macdonald-1375751

“When you start like that at home and you have the Stags faithful behind you, this place is a really difficult place to come for opponents.”

But MacDonald said the win was no fluke after Stags had recently failed to capitalise on other excellent performances.

“This was no fluke - it's everything we've been working on,” he said.

“It's all been there on the training ground for the last three or four weeks.

“ We have been so close in terms of performances, but just been a little naïve at the back.

“Today we were solid. I felt we could have stayed out there all day and we were not going to concede.”

MacDonald is now hoping they can build on today and move up the table.

He said: “We are where we are for a reason, but we've said in the changing room that now has to be a start.

“It's the benchmark of what we need to do and hopefully we can replicate that performance.

“We had the right mentality going into the game after another fantastic week on the training pitch.”

He added: “Our front three covered some miles today and when you have a front three like that starting the press off, as a team you have to back that up.

“We did that today and scored three great goals and, most importantly, we got the clean sheet.

“Today everyone has seen what we're capable of.”

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John Radford on facebook

‪Resilience, fight, flair... in abundance this afternoon.‬

‪An excellent performance from our men who wore our badge with pride.‬

‪That’s what you call a Mansfield Town performance.

‪Our supporters had the One Call rocking and played their part magnificently.‬

Well done to Graham, the boys, and our fans.

‪Onwards and upwards.‬

COYS!!!

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BANTAMS REACTION: Bowyer feeling heat from angry fans
By Simon Parker, thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

GARY Bowyer said sorry to City’s furious fans as they called for his head at Mansfield.

Today’s 3-0 defeat at a side with the league’s worst home record brought angry chants against the manager.

When asked if he felt under pressure, Bowyer said: “This goes on up and down the country and it always gets asked from a journalist to a manager.

“Ultimately I can’t answer that. It’s nothing to do with me.”

Bowyer, who will bring the squad in for extra training tomorrow, admitted City were “second best all over” as Mansfield cruised to their first home win since October. He could understand the away support venting their feelings.

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/18187350.bantams-reaction-bowyer-feeling-heat-angry-fans/

“That’s football and I’m responsible for the picking of the team and the performances,” he added.

“Today I can’t say anything but an apology for the way that we’ve performed.

“We had a great opportunity after three or four minutes through Dylan Connolly and then we were second best after that all over.

“You have to stay at it. There are no excuses.

“It’s the first time that we can say for 90 minutes we were second best. We have to accept that.

“I was shocked at the way they can go from how they were on Tuesday (at Colchester), and people giving them the plaudits and rightly so, and producing that performance today.”

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We were second best all afternoon for the first time admits Bradford City boss Gary Bowyer after Mansfield Town mauling
chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Saturday 25th January 2020

Bradford City manager Gary Bowyer had nothing but praise for Mansfield Town as they put his promotion-chasers to the sword with a 3-0 home win this afternoon.

Goals from Danny Rose, Nicky Maynard and Andy Cook shot them down a month after the 2-0 defeat at Bradford to register only Stags' third home league win of the campaign.

“Credit to Mansfield,” he said.

“We obviously watched them when we played them and we've watched them since then and we knew what they were going to be about.

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/we-were-second-best-all-afternoon-first-time-admits-bradford-city-boss-gary-bowyer-after-mansfield-town-mauling-1375725

“We told the players that and prepared properly so they knew what to expect.

“But I think this is the first time I can say we were second best for the full 90 minutes. We have to accept that.

“We had a great early opportunity with Dylan (Connolly), but after that we were second best all over.

“There are no excuses today.

“I am shocked how they can go from producing what they did on Tuesday to that performance today.

“All three were ridiculous, soft goals. It's just not good enough.”

Despite being in the play-off places, Bradford fans chanted angrily against Bowyer during a fifth game without a win and he said: “I totally understand it.

“It's football and I am responsible for the picking of the team and the performances. Today I can't say anything other than an apology for the way we performed.

“So the anger and frustration we're feeling, we have a chance to go and put that right on Tuesday.”

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BOWYER BEMOANS MANSFIELD SHOWING
https://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/news/2020/january/bowyer-bemoans-mansfield-showing/

Gary Bowyer labelled his side’s performance in a 3-0 defeat at Mansfield Town as their “worst of the season”.

The Bantams, having fallen 2-0 down at half-time, were unable to take anything from the game as the hosts sealed all three points after the break.

Bowyer was disappointed at his side’s showing and accepted responsibility for the defeat.

He said: “It was our worst performance of the season. After making a decent start, we were second best all over the pitch.

“We have been good all season in defence and from set pieces, so are massively disappointed with the manner of all three goals we conceded.

“I am responsible for the picking of the team and the performances, so cannot do anything but apologise for the way we performed.”

Despite disappointment, Bowyer is looking ahead to his side’s return to the Utilita Energy Stadium on Tuesday - against Cheltenham Town.

The Bantams boss believes the 7.45pm clash represents an opportunity to bounce back and is looking for his team to react.

Bowyer added: “We were looking for a reaction after the first half and did not get it. We have to give credit to Mansfield for the way they controlled the game.

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Latest | January 2020