Shropshire Star

High-flying Shrewsbury Town are the perfect fit

Shrewsbury's older heads are in prime shape and still have plenty in the tank, according to boss Paul Hurst.

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The Town manager made no secret of demanding the fittest side in League One before a ball was kicked this season.

An intense camp in Portugal and tough sessions at their new training base at Sundorne Castle under the influence of physio Chris Skitt have helped Shrewsbury look stronger and quicker than most of their rivals this season.

Hurst believes his core of experienced squad-members are all crucial to his side's high-energy tactics.

"People like Rodders (Alex Rodman), Shaun Whalley, Junior (Junior Brown), Sads (Mat Sadler), Abs (Abu Ogogo), quite a few of those are what people would consider their prime age, the best they're probably going to be in their careers," said the boss.

"The so-called 'older' lads I've mentioned are all fit lads as well. That helps us play the way we want to with and without the ball.

"It doesn't faze me how old somebody is, if I think they're good enough to be in the team then they'll play.

"We have got some younger lads, the team in general – compared to some teams we put out in pre-season – has had the older heads in.

"Without a doubt they've got a lot left to give."

Town's starting XI at Walsall on Saturday had an average age of a little over 26. A fledgling Town side beat Villa in pre-season with an average age of 23.

Only Sadler (32), Louis Dodds (31), Whalley (30), Rodman (30) and goalkeeping coach Danny Coyne (44) are above 30 within Town's squad this season.

But Hurst pointed to his mainstay wingers, Rodman and Whalley, as an example of fitness levels.

"Rodders annoys a lot of the other players when we do the running," said Hurst. "He doesn't look like he breaks sweat or that it's hurting him.

"He's a really good athlete. That's credit to him, there's no doubt some genetics are involved, but it's credit to how he looks after himself.

"I'm one of the first to criticise him for certain things but if you look at his work rate stats – that wide players are sometimes pulled upon – him and Shaun are often up there.

"Then we expect them to deliver too, still have that energy to produce the moments of quality needed.