'I hope he has an off day' - Gavin Cowan on facing Shrewsbury Town favourite Shaun Whalley
Gavin Cowan admits he is an admirer of former Shrewsbury Town favourite Shaun Whalley - but hopes he "has an off day" for Accrington Stanley.
Salop visit Accrington today looking to secure a fourth consecutive League Two victory. The last time they recorded three wins in a row was three years ago during a seven-game unbeaten run, which coincidentally came to an end at Accrington.
Today's clash will see Whalley face his former club. The winger made more than 200 appearances for Town during seven years at the Meadow, scoring 34 league goals. And new boss Cowan has revealed the respect he holds for the 38-year-old.
"Shaun’s been a talent for years and he's an incredible professional, an unbelievable guy," Cowan said.
"It's a conundrum that we've got to try and solve. He's a top player, they've got some very good players. I love their ethos of taking players out of non-league.
"They've been really wily about taking some players into the Football League and really developing them and trusting them as well, which takes a lot of courage.
"We've done our due diligence, but ultimately it'll be about what we do. It'll be about us being strong and resolute, being really aggressive on the front foot and making sure we're the best version of ourselves.
"I'm a big fan of Shaun’s, like everybody else, especially what he contributed to this football club. But he's an excellent pro. Behind closed doors, he's a great guy as well.
"I do wish him all the best. I watch out for his results and we message each other from time to time, but tomorrow I just hope he has an off day."
Town currently sit seven points clear of the relegation zone following their recent upturn in results. However, rather than setting a points target, Cowan insists his focus remains firmly on the next fixture.
He added: "The big thing for me is every game has got to be the focus. If we look past that, I think that's the foolish thing.
"We try and stay really in the present, learn from the past, be optimistic about the future but we have to be really in the present.
"I get it, everybody wants to hear, there's got to be a points tally we've got to get to and I know that makes it a little bit more exciting for the supporters but, the authentic and honest answer is that we're really focused on Accrington.
"I want to put all of my energy into that, maybe have a rest after the game, cuddling three points, and then Sunday go again."
