Paul Hurst tells Shrewsbury Town to dream about Wembley trip – and addresses Louis Dodds' future
Paul Hurst will send his Shrewsbury team out tonight thinking of Wembley – while he suggested that Louis Dodds still has a future at Town.
Returning Port Vale hero Dodds has started just five of Shrewsbury's 19 League One games this season but is expected to get the nod as Hurst's side target Checkatrade Trophy progression at Vale Park tonight.
Shrews are just four wins from a cup final at Wembley in the much-maligned Trophy as the knockout stages get underway tonight.
And Town's boss is focused on going all the way in the competition. Hurst will drum the possibility of a Wembley showpiece to his players as he prepares to field a strong line-up.
"I said to the players after Saturday that it was one game down, another to go," he said.
"In January I want to be in good shape in the league and in two cup competitions.
"I want to do well in the competition. This is a competition we can genuinely win.
"Sometimes I look at them and think 'they know they're not bad', other times do they really believe it?
"I said it last week and certainly will say it ahead of kick-off – the final is held at Wembley and as it stands we're the second-ranked team. Why can't we have a chance?
"If we can win tonight and the next one then suddenly I guarantee everyone will be talking about Wembley."
Hurst revealed that the door is not shut on last season's top scorer Dodds playing a big part for Town moving forward.
The boss added. "I know he wants to play. We had that conversation earlier in the season.
"At this moment in time he'll be part of the club for the season. January is a chance for everyone to reassess.
"Louis might come to me at that point and say that he'd want to leave – I'm sure the conversation would be along the lines of him not wanting to leave, but needing to play because he's out of contract in the summer.
"But the door's not shut for anyone here. I'm very open minded.
"Why wouldn't I want someone like Louis Dodds in the squad?
"Football changes and squads evolve. I dare say there will be some changes, whether Louis is one of those, it's not on my mind to think he will be."
