Paul Hurst: Shrewsbury Town must believe they can beat Derby

Hurst’s team make their way to Pride Park on Saturday seeking to do the double over the promotion-chasing Rams.

He says Town have to go there with belief and has shown them the 1-0 victory earlier this campaign – where Conor Hourihane scored an own-goal – to give them confidence.

“We have to go there with belief,” Hurst said. “We can talk (as staff), but I can’t get inside the players when they step over that white line, do they really believe they can compete? I honestly think they can, and we have tried to show them or reference some examples of it.

“One of them being one of the victories this season was at home against Derby.

“So if they have beat them once, can they go and do the double? It is important, and it is a cliche, but they play the game and not the occasion, or the surroundings.

“That can also turn out to be a negative for Derby because everyone at the weekend, and a lot of Shrewsbury Town fans, will be expecting Derby to win the game.

“I get that, but that is not the approach, and it is not the message we are having here at the training ground and within the group.

“Some teams can be beaten before they get to the game because they are fearful of the name Derby, they may be fearful of some of the names they see on the teamsheet.

“I am sure in terms of punters who may be having a little bet, it might be one of the first fixtures they look at, well let’s try and spoil anyone’s coupons then if that’s what they are doing.”

Meanwhile, Hurst has responded to comments made by Hull City head coach Liam Rosenior, who criticised the way Shrewsbury handled the termination of Brandon Fleming’s loan.

“From my point of view, I had three conversations around Brandon, so Hull knew my thoughts on that, and I am sorry if that did not get communicated to Liam because I think it was pretty clear from my point of view,” he added.

“It is difficult. For one, it is in print, well what I have seen. I think sometimes that can come across a little different. From my point of view, any negativity for our football club, I do not like to read, hear, see or whichever word you want to put on it.

“I don’t like it, as in I can only comment since I have been at the football club and I know full well that I have had two conversations with people at Hull, well three actually, with two different people around that situation.”