Shrewsbury Town hope to have new manager in for Northampton game
Shrewsbury Town are down to four or five candidates in their search for a new manager – and hope to have a new boss in place by the weekend.
It is the first time chief executive Brian Caldwell has put a timescale on the position, 12 days after former boss Micky Mellon left the club to join Tranmere Rovers.
It is understood the club have been frustrated in their venture to appoint a new chief, with conversations between targets – both employed and out of work – dragging on for longer than ideally hoped.
But ahead of the visit of Sheffield United, Caldwell has revealed that the target is for a new boss to be installed before Saturday when Salop host Northampton Town.
"I appreciate at Walsall people were coming at us during the game asking to get a manager in quickly, the players are keen for it as well – we're all keen for it," said the chief executive.
"We all want it in as soon as possible and ideally – here's me that doesn't like putting timescales on it – but hopefully we can have somebody in place for the weekend.
"Our aim has to be Saturday, to conclude things. Unfortunately things haven't moved as quickly as we wanted them to.
"It's not that we're delaying anything, it's just the process. If you think about it, it was only last Saturday that Danny took his first game, it feels like he's been in charge for weeks, maybe that's just how the week has been, but it's been 10 days (since his first match)."
After previously revealing the shortlist was down to 10 candidates, Caldwell now believes the club have their select few to go through a formal interview process.
Caldwell added: "I'm at four or five just now, around that number. We're obviously keen to appoint as soon as possible."
Former Inverness boss John Hughes is the bookmakers' favourite for the role. During his playing career Hughes signed for Ayr United, when Caldwell was at the club, in 2000.
Morecambe chief and former Telford skipper Jim Bentley and current Wolves first-team coach Rob Edwards are also thought to be in the running.
Ex-assistant Mike Jackson has completed a move to join former boss Mellon at Tranmere.
Meanwhile, Town have been drawn at home to Barnet in the first round of the FA Cup.
The sides have never met in the competition, their last encounters coming in 2011-12 when Town completed a League Two double.
