Steve Cotterill says incomings were always unlikely for Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill says incomings were always unlikely in January with the club’s transfer budget being tight.
Town signed nine players in the summer, four on permanent deals and five on season-long loans, and they currently sit ninth in the League One table with almost two-thirds of the season gone.
Killian Phillips, a long-term target of the Salop boss, arrived early in the month making a big impact on loan from Crystal Palace.
Aiden O’Brien and Julien Dacosta were moved on by the club on deadline day, and fans were hopeful that with the pair out of the door an incoming could be finalised – but it did not materialise – with the boss saying it was never likely to.
“It would not have mattered if I would have had to panic,” Cotterill said when asked if he was glad the club did not have to panic in the final days of the window due to the strength of the current squad.
“As I said at the start of the transfer window, I had no money going into this transfer market.
“So it would not have mattered if I was panicking at all – it wouldn’t have mattered.”
Dacosta’s time at the club was frustrating for Shrews, he looked bright in the early part of his loan putting in some eye-catching performances at right wing-back.
But he struggled with injuries, and when Phillips arrived at the start of the month, it meant the Frenchman could get not get in the squad, with Shrewsbury having six loans and only five being allowed in the match day 18.
“It was just one of those things really,” Cotterill said about Dacosta joining AS Nancy.
“If there was an opportunity for Julien that he may get longer than what we were committed to or what Coventry were committed to then maybe he has that agreement.
“I am not party to that agreement.
“He came in very early the other day to collect his boots and all of that, and then it was a quick turnaround for him going back to France.
“Obviously, it is not as simple as going back home to the UK and travelling down the motorway.
“He started great for us Jules and we did not have him for such a long time there was an opportunity for him to move on so it was probably best in the end.”
