Shrewsbury to ease Shaun Whalley back in
Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill has revealed Shaun Whalley will be eased back into starting contention after four months out injured.
Whalley was introduced for a five-minute cameo for his 250th Town appearance against Oxford on Saturday following his long-term thigh problem.
But the fans’ favourite, 34, is not yet ready to land a starting spot as 18th-placed Salop welcome relegation-battling Morecambe, in 22nd, for tonight’s rearranged League One fixture.
“I’m sure there will be a time he comes into the starting line-up, it won’t be at this moment in time because he’s only been back full training for a week,” Cotterill said of Whalley.
“With the time he had out, there’s no point something going wrong again now and at the end of the day the team are in good form, it’s difficult to put Shaun in the team where it’s gone and done well.
“When Shaun got injured he was in the team and anybody out of the side would’ve found it hard to get him out of the team, it works both ways.
“He’ll give or do something along the way. The form of the team at this moment has made it really difficult for anybody to get in the starting line-up.
“Shaun will have to be patient just like any other boys on the bench. We won’t chop and change it based on a result or two. The performances have been excellent, I didn’t chop and change it when he was in the team and fit.
“You have to show a degree of loyalty to players doing really well.”
Meanwhile, Town defenders Tom Flanagan and Aaron Pierre have been called up for international duty by Northern Ireland and Grenada respectively.
The pair could feature in two friendlies for their nations and will miss Town’s home league fixture against Lincoln on March 26.
