Gavin Cowan is striving to strike the right balance this summer at AFC Telford

The Bucks boss will spend the next couple of months, despite uncertainty surrounding dates for next season's National League campaigns, assembling a squad as he targets further improvements on this season's finish of 13th.

Cowan has been in talks with existing players, letting them know if they are part of his plans for 2020/21 or free to look for new clubs.

Telford have three players contracted for next season, skipper Shane Sutton, fellow defender Ross White and striker Aaron Williams. But having opted for continuity last summer after an impressive promotion push, Cowan admitted players could not handle 'going again' in a bid to replicate the success.

When asked of his transfer plans, the New Bucks Head boss said: "It's tough, I wouldn't have changed what I did last year because the players had a good year (the season before) and deserved to go again but proved they couldn't.

"Even though I felt like we'd improved the squad they couldn't do it. At this level it takes an enormous amount of energy to do it.

"I think you've got to get the balance about keeping some form of continuity and injecting fresh impetus.

"That's probably another thing I've learned from two years."

Cowan will embark on a third season at the helm of the club he served as a defender between 2008 and 2010.

The boss, who lives locally and reiterated his honour of managing Telford, believes finishes of 8th and 13th have been overachievements and highlight the improvements made during his near-24 month tenure. But Cowan is still striving for more.

"I relish it all, the good and the bad, you've got to trust that process, that saying is still there," the former Shrewsbury stopper added.

"I'm very honoured and privileged to be in the position I am. I'd like to think I'm doing the best job I can.

"If we're talking from a financial perspective we've overachieved at the two seasons I've been at the club.

"Prior to that we spent a number of seasons struggling in the relegation zone. There's been improvement and I'm happy about that.

"But I want more improvement, I'm a perfectionist."