Shrewsbury v Rochdale preview: Ramsay’s sessions have created a buzz

The unfamiliar face of Eric Ramsay will be assisting Danny Coyne in the technical area at Montgomery Waters Meadow tomorrow.

Ramsay is Coyne’s temporary No.2 at Shrewsbury while the club work to appoint a replacement for John Askey, writes Lewis Cox.

The duo led their first coaching session at Sundorne Castle yesterday after a team meeting, in which players were introduced to academy manager Ramsay, was out of the way.

But once an intense couple of hours out on the grass was over, there was no Shrewsbury squad member wondering who Ramsay was.

The bright, young coach helped prepare Coyne’s charges for the Checkatrade Trophy win at Crewe on Tuesday and will do so again against Rochdale tomorrow in a crunch clash near the bottom of League One.

Ramsay is a coach educator on the UEFA A Licence course for the FA of Wales and his level of precision and detail has certainly caught the eye of the Town squad and fellow staff.

“It’s been brilliant. Eric was the first person I thought of, because I didn’t really have anyone else last time I was in this position,” said Coyne, who was previously in temporary charge of Town before Paul Hurst’s appointment in 2016.

“Eric is the right man to step up, he’s got the right experience. I’ve seen him coaching before, he’s an excellent coach.

“He’s got a great manner, he’s really organised, his session plans and how he goes about his training with high intensity is exactly what we wanted.

“The lads have seen him for the first time in a training session and are all talking about how he was, which is really positive.”

Coyne, who lost all four of the matches he took charge of two years ago, believes he is in a more settled position to handle the transitional period this time round.

And he feels better prepared, mainly thanks to the input of former Swansea under-21 and under-18s coach Ramsay, who joined Town in March 2017.

“We had a chat about how we wanted training, the standard and level of it,” continued Coyne.

“I had a meeting with all the players, told them the situation, what I expect and with Eric we spoke about how we wanted it to go – and it went well.”

Phil Smart is acting goalkeeper coach while Coyne takes managerial duties – another asset Town’s acting boss has been blessed with this time around.

“Phil is helping me, which is brilliant,” added Coyne. “I can just concentrate on the whole team.

“He’s a great coach in himself. Another with a great manner. We’ve got the right characters in looking after the lads.”

Captain Mat Sadler could not speak enough of the session that had been put on by Ramsay, while Coyne overseeing the squad as a whole.

Sadler: “The first session with Eric and Danny was this morning. Training was intense.

“Eric’s credentials are second to none in the game – and you can see why.

“He’s very detailed and knows exactly what he’s talking about. I think the lads responded in the session. It was tough, hard, and enjoyable.

“I had to have a shower straight after I was that wet through!”

Rochdale have won twice in four league games after a winless run of five.

LIKELY LINE-UP

Subs: Coleman (GK); Emmanuel, Laurent, Colkett, Sears, John-Lewis, Okenabirhie.

THE OPPONENTS

Rochdale somehow managed to keep themselves in League One last season – by the skin of their teeth.

At one point towards the back end of the campaign, while Shrewsbury were battling in the top three, the Dale were 11 points adrift of safety, albeit they had five games in hand.

And Keith Hill’s men miraculously staved off the drop on the final day of the season, beating one of Town’s play-off opponents, Charlton.

Nine League One reporters from the 24 tipped Rochdale to be relegated again this term. Not a massive percentage, but there is a feeling that the Spotland outfit may be facing another term battling to stay up.

Their form so far has been totally inconsistent. Five wins, five draws and seven defeats from 17 is the sign of a club who are neither here nor there, incapable of putting together a meaningful run, not too dissimilar from Shrewsbury this season.

Indeed, Rochdale’s best league run without defeat is three games back at the beginning of September.

They have, for the last few seasons, packed a punch going forward. This time, though, they are leaking goals with issues at the other end. Rochdale’s defensive record is joint-second worst in League One.

There has clearly been issues with keeping clean sheets but Hill may just have found a formula as his side’s last two league games have brought back-to-back shutouts.

In Matt Done, Oliver Rathbone, Callum Camps, Joe Thompson, Brad Inman and Zach Clough, Rochdale have some very impressive technical players. All of these support talisman Ian Henderson up front, while 39-year-old Aaron Wilbraham is a veteran who knows where the net is.

No wins from five from September into October had Dale fans worrying about how the season would pan out but, in the most recent games at least, Rochdale seem to have discovered their defensive know-how.

There were nine goals across two games between these sides last season. A 3-2 Shrewsbury win last August and a 3-1 Rochdale win in March. Entertainment was plentiful.

For temporary Town boss Danny Coyne any win will do. He will be keen for that first league win on his CV after four defeats last time out. For Shrews, back-to-back league victories for the first time this season is the aim.

DANGERMAN

Ian Henderson is simple a modern-day legend with the Dale.

The centre-forward, who turns 34 in January, is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down having netted eleven goals in 20 appearances this season, including his 11th for the club.

The former Colchester man is a real nuisance and one of the best in League One.