Shrewsbury youngsters won't be going on non-league loans

Salop recently signed Rob Street from Crystal Palace and Bournemouth’s Christian Saydee on season-long loan deals to bolster Town’s attacking options for the season.

But this means talented youngsters Tom Bloxham and Charlie Caton, who play in similar areas of the pitch to Town’s new recruits, are less likely to get game time.

And the Town boss believes at this moment in their careers, they will be better off staying at the club to continue their development, rather than going on loan to the non-league.

He said: “When we talk about some of our young players, what people don’t know is sometimes what those young players go through in their development, whether it is their personal life or professional life.

“They won’t be going on loan into non-league anywhere.

“We don’t want that anyway.

“We make sure we will be keeping everybody indoors, certainly at this moment in time.”

Bloxham made 41 appearances for the club last season, scoring five goals – including a sensational bicycle kick which was the 18-year-old’s first goal for the club.

Caton on the other hand has made nine senior appearances for Salop, including one league start.

Meanwhile, Cotterill has also said how important it is for the team to adapt between formations.

Last week Town switched away from a back five for the first time this season.

They had switched to a four at the back during the game against Wycombe, as they pressed for a winner, but had never started a game in that manner.

Matthew Pennington moved away from his usual role on the right side of a back three to right-back, and George Nurse moved from left wingback to fullback.

And Cotterill said he feels with the squad of players he has to select from he now has more options to change formation – a position he believes he has not been in before.

“It is very important,” he said when asked how key being able to play different formations is.

“Whether it is individual players or the team. We have got that in us at the moment now. Which I am really pleased about.

“There were aspects of last week that you think to yourself yes I was pleased with that. And there are other aspects to last week where you think hang on a minute we would have done that better if we would have played in a three.

“Well, that is important to have for the future.

“I think being able to do that was very important, and the players we have got allow us to do that now.

“Whereas I don’t think I have been able to do that before.”