Steve Cotterill: It’s good to talk at Shrewsbury
Steve Cotterill says he encourages debate among his Shrewsbury players in a bid to ensure they understand what he is asking from them tactically.
Salop have won their last two home fixtures at the Meadow against Peterborough United and Lincoln City – with two commanding performances.
In both games, Shrews have looked very comfortable after taking the lead – not allowing their opponents a route back into the game.
And the Town boss says he asks questions of his players in team meetings to make sure they understand what he is asking of them from a tactical perspective.
“I encourage debate with the players all the time when we are in meetings, especially when we stop at something on the big screen,” the vastly experienced boss said.
“Asking them ‘what do you see there?
“And tell me what you would do in that instance?’
“Quite often, you could get in a team meeting, and you say ‘do you know what I mean by that’.
“I want them to talk because I want them to understand what they are looking at.”
Cotterill’s side have been plagued by serious injury issues this season, with five first-team squad members currently out with injury.
Their bench has been made up of young players, and Cotterill has had very limited options to change things in game or freshen up the starting XI if he needed to.
But regardless of that fact Shrews have been competitive in pretty much every game – even during their six-game winless run – and this is down to how Cotterill sets them up.
And he believes the players communicating well plays a big part in that.
“That is the important thing about having a good dressing a good set of lads and a good squad, and a good set of staff,” he continued.
“We will all have our moments when we will disagree with things.
“But when we disagree with things, I always think if somebody can explain why they are disagreeing with someone else in the dressing room.
“Just show what you mean and when someone questions you back – make sure you have the answer.
“Sometimes you have to have that opinion and that dialogue, and you have got to get to know what team-mates like to do when they play together.”
