Shrewsbury’s versatility is vital says boss Steve Cotterill

This summer the Salop boss has brought in a number of players who can play in multiple positions – including loanee Taylor Moore, who has operated at both centre-back and central midfield.

Elsewhere, Jordan Shipley can play in central midfield, but has also featured at right-wing-back.

Carl Winchester, who arrived on deadline day, can play in the middle or out wide as well – and players already in the squad can occupy different positions, including the likes of Luke Leahy and Rekeil Pyke.

Cotterill admitted the players are ‘right into’ the way Salop can switch in a game, and asked if he had put an onus on bringing in more versatile players during his time at Salop, Cotterill said: “Yes, 100 per cent. And not just that, for within games too. You are able to flick a switch in a game and it messes around with the opposition like you wouldn’t believe.

“They might be set up to do one thing, and then all of a sudden they can’t do that because you have changed within a game.

“I like the idea of that, and the players are right into it too. Sometimes there will be a team selection where I think, am I going to have to flip or stay with what I am doing.

“And I’ve been able to do that for the first time this season too, so versatility is very, very important. Even more so when you have small squad. Wherever I have been I have always had quite small squads.”

Cotterill is also happy with the size of his squad this season – and believes when everyone is fit they have a strong enough squad to deal with the tightly-congested fixture schedule. And he revealed that in previous season he has been worried about players picking up injuries through playing too many games, but this season for the first time he has the luxury of rotating a bit more.

He added: “I’ve said it before we have far too many games, and it is dictated to by finances and money and what comes into the coffers, rather than player welfare. I think this year might be better than the other couple, I have worried about (injuries) since I have been here, I’ve had to.

“When everyone is fit, we have a strong enough squad to change and rotate a little bit more this year. It has taken until this year, whereas it was harder in previous years going with the same lads and then worrying about injuries for sure.”