The Official Mansfield Town Match Thread (Sponsored by Birthday Laxatives "for all your party pooping needs")

[Captainreblue]

It will be interesting to try to work out whether Clem realised that and has tried to emulate NH's approach for the remainder of the season as it suited the players, before putting together his own team so we can properly go in another direction next season.

It may explain why it has been difficult to see a major difference in approach.

The three things we've lacked most this season is pace, energy and a goalscorer.

You can't coach 2 of those into players and the third is something that is set by your pre season fitness, which is determined by the way you want to play.

There is no excuse for a lack of energy for a proffesional footballer IMO, but we've shown it it spades this season. Question is is it down to fitness (which is determined pre season) or players desire and willingness to run and work.

Can't remember too many times this season where you watch a game and think we're fitter and have out run/worked the opposition. Plenty of times I've thought the opposition have out run/worked us. That has to change next season, we have to be able to run for 90 minutes, either with these players fitter, or with different players. From what I've seen this season ,I'm not convinced alot of our current squad have the desire, will, hunger or commitment, for that.

 

[markinkent]

Thing is, it was watching whats happening on the pitch that got me into football all those years ago and not looking at flashing adverts and pretty pictures of ex players but if thats how success is measured now maybe I'm not a proper football fan.

Do you accept that the flashing adverts provide increased revenue that allows investment in better players ? For the first time in ages we are actually spending serious money on allegedly better players.

The off field work is the foundation that the football team will be built on.

 

[markinkent]

Google rocks. It was stated crystal clear nearly a month ago.

Gillingham boss gets chairman’s backing

Gillingham head coach Stephen Clemence has the backing of the chairman regardless of whether the club make the League 2 play-offs this season.

www.kentonline.co.uk

“Culturally and personality-wise they are fantastic, they fit our organisation perfectly and they absolutely have my support, they are very excited, play-offs or no play-offs, to get the first transfer window in the summer to get everything right and I have every expectation that next season we will see us come right out of the gate and continue where they left off.”

It was - it couldn't be clearer and then a couple days after Harrogate Brad sent that tweet.

He probably didn't mean changing the coaching staff but we'll find out soon enough.

 

[ME2blue]

I'm confident Clemence will come back a better decision maker next season, with his own team and having most of a season of L2 experience. Plus a pre season.

Hopefully...

This season has been massively forgettable. Clemence noting one of our biggest achievements was hitting three goals in a couple of league matches.

I don't think we need worry about the defence, been impressive all season. But the forward situation totally cost us again for the third season on the trot.

I read Brad is personally worth £80m, you're telling me he can't push the boat out and buy a couple of decent strikers out of his pocket change?

 

[nibbles]

I read Brad is personally worth £80m, you're telling me he can't push the boat out and buy a couple of decent strikers out of his pocket change?

Depends what his philosophy is. He talks about sustainability a lot so won’t want to start throwing money at it and once that starts where does it end?

He might have the money but might also see using too much of it as a kind of ‘cheating’.

 

[shotshy]

It was - it couldn't be clearer and then a couple days after Harrogate Brad sent that tweet.

He probably didn't mean changing the coaching staff but we'll find out soon enough.

The stakes are high for next season and every season spent in league two gets higher.
I assume Brad is talking about players rightly so.
Two quality forwards are needed to add to Andrews and Hawks.
That’s what is needed and that’s what we should break the bank to get.
Ooh! And get Jeffries to sign a new contract.

 

[GillsBluenose]

Depends what his philosophy is. He talks about sustainability a lot so won’t want to start throwing money at it and once that starts where does it end?

He might have the money but might also see using too much of it as a kind of ‘cheating’.

He also doesn't own 100% of the club either so throwing any more of his own personal money at it, aimed at increasing the value, will be lining other pockets disproportionately, as well.

I think that will always mean that investment will be limited beyond what the club generate naturally.

 

[wxgill]

The stakes are high for next season and every season spent in league two gets higher.
I assume Brad is talking about players rightly so.
Two quality forwards are needed to add to Andrews and Hawks.
That’s what is needed and that’s what we should break the bank to get.
Ooh! And get Jeffries to sign a new contract.

There was talk a couple of months ago about player(s) had been offered extensions but they were not named.

I'd assume Jeffries plus one.

 

[Therealwaldo]

He also doesn't own 100% of the club either so throwing any more of his own personal money at it, aimed at increasing the value, will be lining other pockets disproportionately, as well.

I think that will always mean that investment will be limited beyond what the club generate naturally.

The thought that anyone comes into club ownership at any level on the expectation of making money is at the upper end of delusional. In general terms in football takeovers it’s taking on liabilities and potential debts that is the concern.

 

[Play up Brompton]

Having watched NH & SC's managerial efforts this season has convinced me that we need a proper manager and not a chief coach.
A manager should be capable of analysing what is going on "live" and making changes that the players can understand and implement. The second half of the Harrogate and Mansfield games illustrates my point. We dominated the first half of both matches and we led by a goal. The opposition managers worked out our tactics at half time and made changes which we should have responded to. We did not have a plan B and only made the routine substitutions which had no effect.
I want a manager who makes changes that I do not understand at the time but someone with a better knowledge of tactics can explain to me later. We have a very talented squad of players which a proper manager would be capable of moulding into a winning .team

 

[Solent Knight]

Do you accept that the flashing adverts provide increased revenue that allows investment in better players ? For the first time in ages we are actually spending serious money on allegedly better players.

The off field work is the foundation that the football team will be built on.

Yes I do accept that and was sure you would probably remind of that. But that alone is still unlikely to attract people to watch a football match I'd have thought unless flashing lghts is your thing I spose. Always agreed with the words from Pulis all those years ago myself, you can have posh stadiums with prawn sandwiches but if the footballs shit who's gonna bother.

 

[markinkent]

Yes I do accept that and was sure you would probably remind of that. But that alone is still unlikely to attract people to watch a football match I'd have thought unless flashing lghts is your thing I spose. Always agreed with the words from Pulis all those years ago myself, you can have posh stadiums with prawn sandwiches but if the footballs shit who's gonna bother.

Agreed but we need the revenue streams to allow money to be channelled to the playing budget.

People come to watch successful teams first, entertainment second so I agree with you on that. Spending cash on things that don't generate money is pure vanity - the water feature being the best example of that.

 

[Defenestrator]

Fek me where's this team been all season.

Picked this quote out as I guess we were all thinking that. Thankfully, the real Gillingham came out second half

I'd like somebody to prove me wrong on this next statement, but it's something I think I've noticed recently about our style of play.

When Josh Andrews is buzzing around up front, the whole team seems more assured. Our passing seems to be crisper and we move forward more. That's my impression.

Now, Josh got injured by a tackle and when he got up, he was still limping (he went down again later). But from that first incident, he definitely didn't appear to be as mobile as he had been. And I remarked to the guy next to me that we seemed to have stopped going forward for some reason. We seemed to have lost our confidence that we could make something happen in the box.

Now, my opinion of Hawkins is that if the ball gets to him, he'll do something with it, but what he doesn't do is go to get the ball. Which I think Andrews does. And that seems to lift the team.

 

[Therealwaldo]

Agreed but we need the revenue streams to allow money to be channelled to the playing budget.

People come to watch successful teams first, entertainment second so I agree with you on that. Spending cash on things that don't generate money is pure vanity - the water feature being the best example of that.

The water feature was one of the items that the club picked up when the Millenium Dome closed as an attraction. It was part of making the conference facility attractive. Over the years it’s been one of the best money spinners for the club.

 

[Therealwaldo]

Picked this quote out as I guess we were all thinking that. Thankfully, the real Gillingham came out second half

I'd like somebody to prove me wrong on this next statement, but it's something I think I've noticed recently about our style of play.

When Josh Andrews is buzzing around up front, the whole team seems more assured. Our passing seems to be crisper and we move forward more. That's my impression.

Now, Josh got injured by a tackle and when he got up, he was still limping (he went down again later). But from that first incident, he definitely didn't appear to be as mobile as he had been. And I remarked to the guy next to me that we seemed to have stopped going forward for some reason. We seemed to have lost our confidence that we could make something happen in the box.

Now, my opinion of Hawkins is that if the ball gets to him, he'll do something with it, but what he doesn't do is go to get the ball. Which I think Andrews does. And that seems to lift the team.

I think that’s a very astute observation. When we didn’t have Hawkins the team had no focus at all. When Hawkins returned we gained a focus but it was very one dimensional. Attack down the wings, get a cross into Hawkins. Problem is Hawkins has been off form in an attacking sense. He’s missed a load of chances that last season he was putting away. Against Barrow we suddenly seemed to gain another option which was trying to hit a runner down the middle. It was fascinating to me that having succeeded with that once through Andrews we then did it again with Mahoney who seems to have been very reluctant to make those runs before.

I think it goes to show that the team could be effective with Andrews and another striking option with a bit of pace. The Barrow game showed that we can hit incisive forward passes if midfield have confidence that someone might actually be running to get onto them.

 

[markinkent]

The water feature was one of the items that the club picked up when the Millenium Dome closed as an attraction. It was part of making the conference facility attractive. Over the years it’s been one of the best money spinners for the club.

I believe it did spin to be fair. If you really think that people booking conference facilites look for a water feature as one of their "must haves" then I give up.

This is a whoosh right ?

 

[Rob_b100]

The water feature was one of the items that the club picked up when the Millenium Dome closed as an attraction. It was part of making the conference facility attractive. Over the years it’s been one of the best money spinners for the club.

And obviously doubled up as a toilet too.

 

[Therealwaldo]

I believe it did spin to be fair. If you really think that people booking conference facilites look for a water feature as one of their "must haves" then I give up.

This is a whoosh right ?

Yeahh, no businesses make the surroundings attractive to encourage clients. Have you ever visited a hotel conference facility ? You’re talking bollocks.

 

[markinkent]

Yeahh, no businesses make the surroundings attractive to encourage clients. Have you ever visited a hotel conference facility ? You’re talking bollocks.

Suggested order of things when looking for a conference centre:

1. Location
2. Capacity
4. Availability
5. Price
6. Catering options

99999999. Spining ball Water features

If you think that was a good way to spend the clubs limited funds then so be it. It was a vanity project and nothing else.

 

[Therealwaldo]

Suggested order of things when looking for a conference centre:

1. Location
2. Capacity
4. Availability
5. Price
6. Catering options

99999999. Spining ball Water features

If you think that was a good way to spend the clubs limited funds then so be it. It was a vanity project and nothing else.

It’s just a fxxking agenda with you. You could just as well say who the heck decides to go to a football match because there are portraits of legends under the Rainham End. Is that a vanity project ?Anyway I’m not in the mood. I’ve muted you.