Omar Beckles wants to stay in the Shrewsbury Town team on his own merit
Omar Beckles is aiming to stay in Shrewsbury Town’s team on his own merit rather than rely on absentees.
The Town stalwart is enjoying a run in the team after being left on the bench by boss Sam Ricketts on the opening day of the season.
But shortly into the second League One match at MK Dons, Ro-Shaun Williams picked up a hamstring injury and Beckles, 27, has filled in seamlessly.
The defender is playing in his natural position, on the right side of a centre-half trio, and has impressed in Town’s solid back line.
And Beckles wants to ensure that he is featuring on the back of playing well. He said: “It’s a tough job for the manager to make decisions and keep people happy, he’s not always going to do that.
“Obviously I was a bit disappointed (to not start the first match) but these things happen and it’s early in the season. I’ve just got to keep my head down.
“Naturally I don’t want to be relying on people to be injured or going away for me to get game time.
“That’s not what I’m about. Of course these things happen, that’s normal, but I want to be out there because I feel I deserve to be out there, not because you’re just out there for the sake of it.”
Town lose fellow centre-back Aaron Pierre to international duty with Grenada after Saturday’s trip to Ipswich. Pierre will feature for Ricketts’ side at Portman Road before jetting off.
But Williams is not yet scheduled for a return from the muscle injury.
Beckles, who will make his 100th Town appearance at Ipswich, added: “I don’t think they’ve seen me play on the right of a two let alone a three.
“I guess it’s a bit foreign, I’m getting used to it again because I haven’t been on the right side for a long time.”
