New boss John Askey calls on Shrewsbury Town to reproduce their form ready for unfinished business
New boss John Askey checked in to Shrewsbury Town challenging his players to reproduce last season’s form and carry out unfinished business in League One.
Former Macclesfield chief Askey was confirmed as new manager at Montgomery Waters Meadow on a three-year deal.
The 53-year-old admitted the move from the National League champions was too good to turn down and revealed the challenge of continuing on from Paul Hurst’s success was ‘unusual’.
But the Silkmen legend – who spent 34 years as player, coach and boss at Moss Rose, winning non-league’s top title by 10 points last season – is relishing the challenge. “I’m looking forward to working with them. One of the reasons they’ve done well is because they’ve got hunger,” said Askey, who will name a No.2 – somebody he has previously worked with – in due course.
“They wanted to prove themselves and that’s what they’ve done. The most important thing now is reproducing that, that’s what good players do.
“Most of the players that are here, I’ve seen them play and I know a lot about them.
“It’s down to them to push themselves. Hopefully they’ve improved as players as the season went on.
“They’ve realised they can cope at this level. It should only give them confidence moving on.”
Chief executive Brian Caldwell, who praised Macclesfield for handling the move and compensation package ‘fairly’, had said Town do not have to lose their prize assets.
And Askey believes his new star turns will be keen to remain in Shropshire after what what they achieved last season and the affinity they built with supporters.
“You always want to keep your best players,” he continued. “It’s important that we do and hopefully that’ll be the case.
“They’ll see it that if they’ve done well at the club, there’s a good feeling and they’re liked by the supporters then I can’t imagine they’ll want to leave. They’ll feel as though they’ve not quite finished the job and I’m sure they’ll be wanting to get into the Championship next season.”
Stoke-born Askey, a forward in his 19-year playing career with Macclesfield, revealed he is keen on players having the correct attitude.
He added: “There’s a lot of quality. Not only ability-wise but attitude. That’s what I like, players with good attitude that want to work hard and train a hard.
“Shrewsbury were one of the fittest if not the fittest team in the league. That’s why they got the results. I’m looking forward to working with the players.
“There’s a good base. Usually when you go into a football club it’s because the manager’s been sacked and the team’s not done very well.
“So to come to a team who performed like that last season is a nice position to be in.”
