McNally column: Trust is why Shrewsbury Town are backing Paul Hurst

I had an old chairman say to me that one thing he hated most was ‘trust me’ – that’s not something you want to hear from a manager!

Paul is proving that he is able to do it in the transfer market with the players that he’s bought in and the blend that he’s put together.

Then you think the latest signing, defender Omar Beckles, will add even more to the side. I think Town are really going for it.

Paul is building one heck of a squad there and he’s now added a six-figure defender this week. You think that the lad is good enough to go straight in.

It’ll be interesting to see what he does next, is it Mat Salder or Toto Nsiala that drop out of the team or does Beckles sit on the bench? Paul might even go for a back three.

Without doubt players like Toto, Jon Nolan and Stefan Payne have given the chairman and club confidence in the manager, that’s why they’ve backed him.

The chairman wants to know that the person in charge of the team is able to cut his his cloth accordingly and get in the right players.

Perhaps in recent times, prior to Paul, the chairman has had his fingers burned a little bit and he’s thought that he needs somebody more trustworthy.

I think that Paul is putting together a very good side. The performance against Rochdale was tremendous.

The side now have the ability to bring people on that you could argue should been on from the start, that’s how he’d want it. If things are a little bit stalemate they can change the game around, as was proved with Stefan scoring the winner.

Town still haven’t conceded from open play. They’re working as a team, there’s big expectations already, these players want to work together.

Shrewsbury are on the verge of a club-record four straight opening wins and what that does for confidence!

The pressure comes straight off you, if you’ve lost a couple early on there’s already immediate pressure, now it’s off there’s the excitement about the toughest test yet at Oxford.

The hosts are a good side but Town are confident. Shaun Whalley is running at players, he created his penalty for himself against Rochdale, Alex Rodman put in a peach of a cross for Carlton Morris’ goal too.

Carlton’s working his socks off as the lone man, his physicality is brilliant and he brings people into play. If you’re thinking between three or four for your man of the match then that’s a great position to be in.

The thing I like about Paul is that he’s so down to earth, when he said ‘we’ve only won three games’ and it’s great when they can do that.