Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill happy to be back home
Aaron Wilbraham says manager Steve Cotterill still isn’t close to returning to the Shrewsbury dugout – but the boss is glad to be out of hospital and back home with his family.
Cotterill, whose Town side host MK Dons tonight, spent 33 days in the Bristol Royal Infirmary after contracting Covid-19 back in January.
The 56-year-old returned home on Friday and – as he has with all the matches he has missed – watched Salop’s game on television and phoned in instructions.
But while it is a huge plus he is out of hospital, Wilbraham confirmed he isn’t yet ready to return to work in person.
“He is in a good place and feels a bit more comfortable being back at home and with his wife,” the assistant boss said. “He is in better surroundings to watch the game. And he is starting to get back to people – because he has had hundreds and hundreds of messages.
“I know he’s been out for a few walks.
“But he is nowhere near ready to be jumping about in a technical area
“The game at the weekend was the first he has watched without oxygen so it took it out of him a little bit. He’s had oxygen all the other times. But he’s very happy at home, definitely heading in the right direction and recovering well.”
More good news for Shrewsbury is that Matthew Pennington won’t need surgery on the shoulder injury he picked up last month. Town sent the Everton loanee for a scan last Friday.
“It’s good new for Matty – he doesn’t need surgery,” Wilbraham added. “We thought he wouldn’t because we could see he was improving.
“He is coming along really well. He is able to do some resistance work with his shoulder so we are really pushing him and he is looking strong.
“He is outside running which is really good news.”
