Trip to strugglers is a new test for Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town’s response under Steve Cotterill has been nothing short of sensational and fans are very much back on board – but new challenges are ahead.
All five of Cotterill’s league games in charge so far have been against sides the top eight, which makes the unbeaten run and points haul of 11 from 15 a phenomenal effort, writes Lewis Cox.
But Boxing Day’s trip to second-bottom Wigan Athletic, a crisis club with troubles off the field resulting in their Championship relegation last season, poses an entirely new test for this manager and Town’s players.
Cotterill is the very last manager to take anything for granted ahead of the trip to the Latics, who have only won four of their 18 league games this term. The wily 56-year-old has been around the block several times in his 25 years in management and knows how it works.
The boss will be acutely aware that, for the first time in the league under his tenure, Town head to Wigan as favourites to win the game, with expectation risen from a fortnight ago.
The trip to fellow strugglers Wigan always felt like a huge clash for Town, as both sides occupied a spot in the drop zone earlier in the season. Salop’s remarkable trio of away victories has eased that pressure, but the challenge of ‘opening up’ and taking a game to the opposition more is not lost on Cotterill.
“If you’re asking me would I have expected it (the three wins) then I suppose if I’m honest I wouldn’t have expected it,” Cotterill said.
“I think what’s happened is we’ve put a lot of work in and limited those top sides to very few looks at our goal, which is a credit.
“The only thing is when you start opening up and going the other way, you’re going to open up those issues.
“It’s very difficult at the moment and at this moment I would say results have been more important than performances, however the performances have to be good to come and win at places like this.
“We were a lot better in the second half, got about them a lot more, the changes worked, which doesn’t always happen, but is a credit to squad.”
Recent Wigan results have been chaotic at best. From a 1-0 win at Sunderland, to beating Accrington 4-3, to being thumped 5-0 at home by Rochdale.
But the Latics, with an inexperienced squad under caretaker Leam Richardson following John Sheridan’s departure for Swindon, are only four points from safety.
Cotterill, however, is focused on the strides his side have made. He said: “I hope so – I don’t sit in there and talk to them and ask them if they are in a great place or not.
“They hear my voice throughout the week so when they are tired at the end of the game I think they just want to enjoy it with their phones and what everyone is saying about them – hopefully they are nice things! I’m not standing here thinking ‘they’re great, they’re listening to what I’m saying’, it’s just sometimes some things work and hopefully they can continue.
“There will be bumps in the road here, then it’s about how we deal with those.
“There’s a really good spirit about them, they’re training hard, they’re a good group and we’re looking forward to being better.”
For 22-year-old Town stopper Ro-Shaun Williams, going to work to train on Christmas Day is no big deal.
Williams plans to see his parents for Christmas dinner after training at Sundorne before re-convening with his team-mates in preparation for the trip to Wigan.
“It’s nice but it doesn’t really make a difference to me, I haven’t got kids to celebrate Christmas with or anything,” Williams said of the festive period.
“I’m older now so I don’t believe in Father Christmas anymore. It’s just about doing our job and watching the Premier League games that’ll be on Sky!
“I’ll be in Shrewsbury because we’re in training and then I’ll probably see my mum and dad, have Christmas dinner with them and come back down for the game.
“I’ll just get on with it. It’s not a big deal for me. The gaffer explained it’s part of the job, whatever level, it doesn’t matter what days you’re in, people in other jobs work on Christmas days, the NBA traditionally play matches on Christmas Day.
“The lads will still get an opportunity to watch their kids open presents. We’ll get on with it.”
