LOMAS ON MANSFIELD TOWN: The only way is up as new boss Graham Coughlan gets his troops fit for the fight

Despite the disappointment of yet another home defeat last weekend, I get the feeling that Mansfield Town’s poor season has bottomed out and the only way now is up.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

New manager Graham Coughlan was quite right that the 1-0 home defeat by Grimsby Town had been a bridge too far in terms of current fitness levels as a fifth game in 15 days saw their tank run empty.Some fans have said that is no excuse as all clubs played a glut of games in that short Festive period.But the new management team have already said they feel the squad is not fit enough, have worked them harder then ever when it’s been possible, and asked them to play a much faster, aggressive pressing game, all of which would take its toll on any side.The good thing is Stags are starting to cut out the errors at the back, Conrad Logan is having less saves to make, and the forwards are finally starting to get the service they have craved all season.It has gone more direct at times, but John Dempster’s patient build-ups and possession football produced little in the way of results aside of October’s purple patch and had fans screaming to play the ball forwards.Grimsby were certainly fortunate to leave with all three points in the end with Nicky Maynard so close on two occasions and only an own goal proving the difference.Mal Benning said a few weeks ago that he wasn’t hitting the net as often as he’d hoped he would this season.But I am sure his decisive finish against Grimsby was not what he had in mind.Coughlan could not have come in at a worse time with so many games and no time to spend on the training pitch with his new charges to implement his ideas and raise fitness levels.Players will certainly have been apprehensive as to what lay ahead in training this week – Coughlan’s first full week of it – with extra sessions and higher intensity promised.On top of that, Coughlan and his team are sifting through the long lists of available players and seeing if any would be worth drafting in during the current transfer window.Coughlan confirmed on Saturday that the current players needed help and he would bring new faces in though I doubt there will be too many unless there is an exodus in the other direction.But the squad that Coughlan wants to chase promotion with may take longer to build.There is little doubt the current squad has a wealth of talent, some of whom have failed to find top gear consistently this season.

But that gear is still there if Coughlan can find it and, if he can get the best out of players Dempster was unable to, that will be a huge chunk of his work done.Then it will be a case of bringing in ‘Coughlan’ players, who will be committed, eager and hard-working.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We will see some arrive this month but the squad will take a much more solid shape for the manager over the summer by when he will know and see who of the current squad want to stay and play for him and the badge.More immediately, what fans want more than anything is a home win – the last of which was three months ago – starting on Saturday against Forest Green Rovers.