"An awful lot of potential!" Nigel Clough wants to turn Mansfield Town into title challengers within 18 months

Nigel Clough wants to transform Mansfield Town from relegation battlers to title chasers within 18 months.
Clough has an 18-month plan for his Stags side. Photo: Frank Reid.Clough has an 18-month plan for his Stags side. Photo: Frank Reid.
Clough has an 18-month plan for his Stags side. Photo: Frank Reid.

Although the new manager admits making improvements to the League Two outfit will be a step-by-step process, he has laid out his long-term goals - beginning with climbing further away from the foot of the table.

"First of all to get Mansfield safe and then improve," said Clough when asked what his targets at One Call Stadium will be.

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"Then build towards challenging at the top of the league. That's the next 18 months, hopefully.

Clough during his time at Sheffield United. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)Clough during his time at Sheffield United. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)
Clough during his time at Sheffield United. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

"I'm very pleased to be here and excited about the next 18 months or so. This club's got an awful lot of potential."

Clough's first aim - moving away from the drop zone - will take graft but also, he says, belief.

"First we have to survive. The team is down there and we've played nearly a quarter of the season," the Stags boss said.

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"Let's be realistic and say let's get away from the bottom of the league and let's get to safety then we can start improving from there. It's survival then improvement.

"The way to get out of it is hard work, there's no escaping that. There has to be hard work on and off the pitch.

"That gives you the best chance, but maybe we need to relax a bit and not worry too much about our position.

"If you get too obsessed with being down the bottom it will drag you down. We've got to play as though they're half way up the league, with an element of freedom.

"Only by doing that can you achieve that position.”

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A look at Clough's CV - his promotions with Burton Albion and steadying of the ship at Derby County and Sheffield United – suggests the Stags have the right man for the job in the dug-out.

"I hope I have got the skills as we're backing ourselves to do that," Clough said.

"We took over a squad in Derby in a similar position, with a whiff of relegation around the place. At Sheffield United we were in the bottom few.

"It was only when I went back to Burton a second time that I inherited a team top of the league, which is highly unusual in this business.

"The experience I got will hopefully stand us in good stead."