Boss Paul Simpson today revealed he had already decided the fate of most of his Shrewsbury Town squad as he starts to turn his attention to next season.Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Wrexham means Town have all-but secured their League Two status for another year, and Simpson is wasting no time in planning for the future.
The new manager expects to be busy in the transfer market over the summer months, and has had enough time with his squad now to decide who will stay and who he wants to ship out.
There are only a handful of players actually out of contract in the close season, but Simpson is confident he can “wheel and deal” to make the changes he wants.
“I’ve made my mind up on most of them already,” he revealed. “I’m going to leave it until the time when I think it’s right to speak to them, though.
“Some may be spoken to before the end of the season and there will be others where I will wait a while.
“But we have to make sure we move on. This season has been disappointing but we have now got ourselves in a position where it’s more than likely that we will stay up and we have got to start planning for next season.
“My hands are tied a little bit by the number of players who are under contract beyond the summer but that’s something I’ve got to work with and it doesn’t scare me.
“It might have to be a case of wheeling and dealing to move players on if they are under contract.
“We have the nucleus of a good squad for next season and it’s just a case of adding a few bodies.
“I know what I’d like to bring in and the discussions I’ve had with the chairman on finances have all been positive so far.”
Meanwhile, Simpson admitted morale within the club had received a big shot after the victory over their cross-border rivals - their first win in 16 games.
“You could tell in the changing room straight after that there was a sense of relief at getting a win under their belt because it’s a long time since they had that feeling,” he said.
“The whole club had got into a losing habit and it was good to get that win. Hopefully we can play with more freedom now, and we’ve done that in the last two games anyway.
“When I look back over the seven games I’ve been in charge, there’s only really the second half at Chesterfield where we have been absolutely dreadful.”
By Chris Hudson
11 Comments
Did anyone else notice Jamie Tolley in the stand on Sunday? You couldn’t miss the radioactive glow! Jake King was there too.
Who will stay and who will go? I have concerns that if too many players are shipped out that it could be a case of “throwing the baby out with the bath water” if we are not careful.
Did you see my mum there too?
I think Paul should stick with what hes got more the less . But I think he should a few new recuits and just trim fat. Not have a full clear out.
No- your mum wasn’t there. I think Ben Davies will lose the captaincy so I wonder whether he might want to go???
Ben Davies is too good a player to let go,he’s having a poor run of form at the moment,but we all no what a talented player he can be.
as far as I’m concerned, the class of 2007-8 have underperformed to a man. Time for a shake-up.
when the team are well motivated and encouraged and not called pathetic, publically the team will show its metal as it did at morecambe and against wrexham. good luck in the final 3 games. let us turn -7 goal difference into a positive difference. i would be surprised if paul simpson has had time to judge all his squad in the short time he has been in charge. 9 more goals and 9 more points please
Ben Davies should go. He is definatelty not captain material, and is over rated as a player.
Devon, 4pts in 2 games and much improved performances after being called “pathetic” sounds like good motivational butt kick to me.
Forget encouragement thats for mamby pamby mummys boys not rough and tumble basement league players.
i think for paul to say pathetic in public was poor management and an act of desperation. i am glad it is behind us, and we look forward to a`vastly improved 2008/9 season with good results, great goal difference and a well motivated squad, praised by the manager in the press when the team frequently performs well and on those rare occasions if they have a poor game a good old rollicking behind closed doors would suffice. this surely is the basics of good management which hopefully will be self evident next season.
in the meantime the clear out should commence and some useful talent brought in to mount our automatic promotion push next season