Bernard McNally: Honeymoon period is over for Shrewsbury Town

If there were any doubts as to the enormity of the task, then Tuesday night at Fleetwood has answered those,

He'll really realise the enormity of it now – if he didn't before. You're looking at that bottom four in League One at the moment and all Town can be aiming for is the top of that bottom four.

The manager read the riot act to his players after the poor showing against the Cod Army and the squad must realise that it's their responsibility as well.

He'll now be thinking that at some point these players will need to improve drastically with an amazing transformation, or that he'll need three or four players to strengthen the squad and survive.

Football can be amazing. The defeat at Sheffield United ended Paul's unbeaten run. But having nine men in the second half you would expect to, maybe, lose five, six or seven-nil.

It was a tremendously respectable result in all honesty. But then they go and put that performance in at Fleetwood with 11 men.

It's going to be a tough task now. Are these players good enough individually and collectively? That's what Paul will be asking himself.

And at the moment, on this present form, it's a no to both. That's the harsh reality of football. He may not want to say that as manager and at times it's nice when somebody else says it for you!

The players have really got to be looking at themselves. Asking whether I can do better as an individual, can we do better as a back four or can we act better as a midfield?

When you're losing games they seem to come too fast. Particularly this week with Port Vale coming on Saturday – that's a massive game.

The game is a must win for them.

Paul has inherited this squad and the Shrewsbury fans will realise that. That's in his favour.

He was right after the game by questioning the players' futures. Managers will be looking from all divisions and wondering why Shrewsbury Town are struggling.

Five points is a massive gap and the recovery will need to start very, very soon.

It's a big old few months for Town and these players, individually.

The manager has told the players a few home truths. As players you don't like to hear that. I remember in my playing days, you always want to hear the nice things.

Unfortunately, football isn't like that. It's brutal. You really have to take the home truths on the chin. There are more knocks in football than pats on the back.

The players might sulk for half-an-hour but then they all need to prove they're good enough. All of them need to do that.

I remember our games against Port Vale. Along with Wrexham and Hereford back in the day, and when we used to play Wolves, those are your local derbies.

They're mid-table and in a more confident place. They'll be looking to go right at Shrewsbury and go for the jugular, turning supporters on the team at the Meadow.