Paul Hurst hails the work of Shrewsbury Town scouting guru
Paul Hurst has hailed Shrewsbury recruitment administrator Adam Henshall as a 'buffer' and applauded the work rate he carries out.
Henshall, a one-time regular in the stands at Gay Meadow and Greenhous Meadow, took the role in February last year and is a key cog working alongside the management staff, particularly when summer comes around.
Boss Hurst, who enjoys keeping a tight circle when it comes to dealing with transfers – according to the club's hierarchy, works closely with Henshall in identifying and contacting potential signings.
Lead performance analyst Michael Vernon departed alongside Micky Mellon and Mike Jackson last year, meaning Henshall's role increased to analysing on Town's matches home and away.
He regularly attends matches and provides reports to both Hurst and Town assistant Chris Doig.
"He's constantly in contact and throwing various names at me and so on," said Town's boss.
"It's just trying to get a bit of a buffer because, genuinely, if you did everything you wouldn't get a second so that support helps.
"You need trust.
"Straight away from when I've come in. He works extremely hard. He clearly gets on the phone, speaks to a lot of people and that's part of his role.
"It'd be foolish not to tap into."
Hurst cut his teeth as a manager in non-league football with Ilkeston, Boston and then Grimsby Town and has been used to working with fewer staff before his step up to Shrewsbury.
He has, on occasion, been noted by chief executive Brian Caldwell as working within a narrow circle. Hurst carries out negotiations with agents and players in a different, more guarded, way than former boss Mellon.
But Hurst sees keeping his cards close to his chest as a natural way of working.
"Brian and the chairman think I'm quite guarded. I think I'm quite open and honest – maybe we have a difference of opinion there," he smiled.
"I'm not going to shout to everyone about every single player I look at. What's the point? We're not going to get them, you're only going to end up in disappointment along the way.
"I don't really like building anyone's hopes up, perhaps they'd be disappointed from the start!
"Until something's there to be reported, there's enough speculation without managers having to add to it."
