League Two promotion hopefuls Mansfield have bolstered their squad ahead of the new season by signing former Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester goalkeeper Kevin Pressman. The 37-year-old arrives at Field Mill on a one-year-playing contract and will also double up as the club's goalkeeping coach. Carlton Palmer knows Pressman well from their time together at Hillsborough and the Stags' boss was delighted to finalise the move after beating off a number of other clubs interested in the services of the veteran stopper. Givemefootball's Mark Shail is the man armed with the questions.
Q:HOW HAVE YOU SETTLED IN AT MANSFIELD?
A:It's gone very well so far, I'm really enjoying it. I;ve played a couple of pre-season games already and now it's just a case of preparing for the first league game of the season.
Q:HOW DID THE MOVE COME ABOUT?
A:I've known Carlton for a number of years from our time at Wednesday and he called me a couple of weeks ago to ask how I was and whether I was still keeping fit. At the time, I thought it was a social call but a few days later he called up again and asked if I would be interested in coming to Mansfield primarily as player, but also to coach the young goalkeepers at the club.
Q:THERE WERE OTHER CLUBS INTERESTED, WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO JOIN MANSFIELD?
A:I was impressed by what Carlton had to say and it's very clear they are an ambitious club. Carlton and his assistant Peter Shirtliff are on the first steps of the managerial ladder and hungry for success. They feel we have a chance of getting Mansfield out of this division and I want to be part of that success.
Q:SO YOU THINK PROMOTION IS A REAL POSSIBILITY?
A:Definitely. It's important to set yourself goals and targets and promotion has to be the aim this season. Obviously there's a long way to go, but if we stick together as a group, and produce the form we are capable of, we should be right up there in the thick of things.
Q:ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR COACHING ROLE?
A:Yes I am, I've had some experience of coaching at my previous clubs and it's something I want to pursue in the future. But, first and foremost, I'm a player and I want to secure a place in the first team. I know I have to be on top of my game to do that and it's up to me to maintain the standards that I have set myself in the past. If I don't do that I won’t expect to be in the first team.
Q:HOW LONG DO YOU WANT TO CARRY ON PLAYING?
A:It's hard to say, I feel very fit at the moment but I don't want to say I can play for another two or three years because you never know what will happen in the future. I've got a one-year contract so I'll get through this season and take it from there. The way I'm feeling at the moment, I still feel I've got a lot to offer as a player.
Q:WHICH MANAGERS HAVE HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR CAREER?
A:I'd like to think I have learned a little bit from al of them, but if I had to single out a couple I would say Howard Wilkinson and Ron Atkinson. Howard taught me the benefits of hard work, discipline and commitment while Ron showed me how important it is to be a good man-manager – he could light up a room with his charisma.
