Stags boss Murray excited by quality signings

The arrival of Bury striker Danny Rose was followed by the signing of 6ft 5ins centre half George Taft from Burton Albion, a move made to cover the likely loss of player of the season Ryan Tafazolli, probably to Peterborough United.

“The big thing about these two signings is they are both winners,” said Murray.

“They are both young guys, both 22, with an unbelievable hunger to not only be successful for Mansfield Town and the team they are coming into, but also to be successful in their own career and push on again.

“Both can play at a much higher level than League Two and both have a fantastic drive to achieve that, and to do it with Mansfield Town.

“It’s great to have two young guys in who have already got promoted from this league - to have that focus and that vision, that know-how of how to win.

“We spoke about it last season. You need to know how to win. For some individuals that’s just ingrained in you from when you are a whippersnapper in nappies. I believe these two guys we’ve brought in are winners.

On the arrival of Taft, he said: “With the way the situation with Ryan was unfolding as the season was going on, we needed to have some plans in place.

“We feel that George is potentially one of the best left-sided defenders around. He is only 22, has already won League Two, and comes from a great pedigree.

“I watched him a lot at Leicester in their U21s. Then he went to Burton and had a great time. So we had our targets set early doors

“Obviously things take time to come to the point where you get to dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, but we’ve finally got it done.

“He has a bit of an injury last season, so we had to make sure everything was okay on that front. Then we’ve come to a deal that we feel is right for the player and right for the club.

“Now we can’t wait to get going. He brings a massive presence to us.”

Murray added: “He is 6ft 5ins so we’ve gained an inch on Ryan.

“He has a superb left foot and his ability to play out from the back and his distribution forward are of a very high quality.

“He is very intelligent, has decent pace, reads the game well and commands his back four and 18 yard box. So we are chuffed to bits to get this signing done. I am really, really excited by this one and can’t wait to work with him.”

Despite his height, Taft is equally at home at left back.

“When Jimmy (Hasselbaink) first put him at left back at Burton in the promotion season I watched him play there a few times, as he had a good few appearances there, and he was outstanding.

“It was surprising to have someone so big playing a full back position. “It’s not very often seen, but he was fantastic in that position and I think the ability to play in multi-positions, as we saw with our squad last season, is vitally important. It allows you to play different shapes.

“But I have brought him in to fight for a place at centre half and to be in that role. Because of the transfer windows next season, if we do need to shuffle things around, we have got that ability to do that.

“We’ve got people like Lee Collins who can play left, right, centre or centre of the park. Tafty can play centre half and left back, so defensively it gives us good cover.”