Shrewsbury Town urged to relish TV test against Walsall
Shrewsbury Town have been urged to relish their Super Sunday screen test as they prepare for their local derby with Walsall tomorrow.
Town entertain their Midlands rivals in a League One match which will be televised live on Sky Sports (3.30pm kick off).
Shrewsbury have claimed just one victory in their last 10 outings in all competitions – but boss Graham Turner is hoping his side will rise to the occasion in front of what officials hope will be a crowd nudging 7,000.
“It’s a derby, it’s live on television and it should be a good crowd and atmosphere – what more could you want?” he said.
“It’s a good day for professional footballers because they want to be in this sort of scene. We hope we respond to that.
“Walsall are a good passing team. I saw them pre-season against West Brom and I was impressed with them then.
“They’ve got an energetic young side with plenty of movement but it’s a question of what we do.
“We have to stop giving the silly goals away and we have to be able to control things during the course of the match.
“I think we are quite capable of beating anybody in this league.”
Turner admits he is anxious for his players not to lose heart after a testing sequence of results which has left them in 18th place in League One at the start of the weekend.
“The performances have been far better than the results,” he added.
“You can let fly at players, you can make wholesale changes, you can do all sorts of things. (But) What you have to recognise is exactly what is required.
“I’ve no problems with the way the players have worked and their attitude to everything we have asked them to do.
“What you don’t need is the confidence of players to be knocked back too far.
“It’s keeping the lid on things and encouraging the players to play in the manner we want to play and the results will turn.”
Shrewsbury’s scheduled home reserve clash against Rotherham has been rearranged for January 22.