Andy Cooke: Shrewsbury need competition for places

Town have so far added Coventry City midfield man Jordan Shipley to their squad as the manager recruits in his second summer in charge.

Cotterill worked with a small squad last season. At times, with a couple of injuries, Town required youngsters to fill the substitute bench on their way to a finish of 18th in League One.

Cooke, the play-off semi-final goalscoring hero and Radio Shropshire summariser, said: "I saw a lot of positives in games I was at.

"The squad at the moment is not bad. The nucleus of the squad is pretty decent.

"Moving forward the only problem is competition for places – how do you create and generate decent competition for players?"

Cotterill released first-team players including Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Aaron Pierre, Shaun Whalley and Josh Daniels while Josh Vela has opted to sign elsewhere.

The manager has stated he prefers to work with a tight group.

Cooke said: "The cream will come to the top eventually, because unfortunately your Sunderlands found a way, your Sheffield Wednesdays will be looking to find a way, your Derby Countys and Portsmouths will look to find a way.

"Marlon Pack (released by Cardiff and linked to Town) would be a great signing but when Championship clubs and top end League One clubs are looking, they might look to go elsewhere.

"Unless Steve or the board can produce something massively in the bag then it comes back to my point, you aren't going to do enough.

"The manager might have an unbelievable relationship with these players, and he could get a 'come on and sign for us then'."

He added: "They might not openly admit it but I think they would love more depth.

"At times in games when things aren't going your way, you make that change and think 'tell you what that lad should've started anyway and now he's coming on'.

"It's a hard thing to do in League One when you're on a tight budget, to have competition in every area.

"Only so many can get on but all need to be fighting for a spot."

Cooke wants to see more options in attack. He continued: "All my life as centre-forward I was constantly fighting with big players in order to play.

"If I was left out I would be like 'right I'm going to show you a reason not to leave me out, so I'm going to come on and score'.

"I think there's desperately need for competition for places.

"For Daniel Udoh and Ryan Bowman is just a little bit comfortable. When they haven't scored for a little run of games there's nobody to come in, no disrespect to (Tom) Bloxham, who is still quite raw.

"I just don't think there's enough as a triangle of centre-forwards."