Matt Taylor: Shrewsbury Town boss says players must ask questions of new coaching set-up
- Published
Matt Taylor recently succeeded Steve Cotterill
Shrewsbury Town head coach Matt Taylor says he wants the players to "question" everything as the new-look management team prepare the squad for this season.
Taylor has been in charge for just over a week since replacing Steve Cotterill, with Marcus Bignot coming in as his assistant two days ago.
"A lot of information is going into them," Taylor told BBC Radio Shropshire.
Town start their League One campaign at home to Cheltenham on 5 August.
With pre-season under way, Taylor is assessing his squad ahead of the new campaign in his first managerial job since being sacked by Walsall in February last year.
"We need to get the players in the best physical shape," Taylor said.
"I'd love us to be the fittest team in the league. We need to push the barriers.
"I want them to question the new things and the new ideas they're being given. I don't expect everything to stick.
"There's no point in us talking to them all the time. We need to make sure the information we're given the players stays in, because that's going to underpin our season."
Shrewsbury 'lucky' to have 'exceptional' Bignot
Taylor's is not the only new voice in the dressing room, with former Birmingham City Women manager and Cheltenham Town first-team coach Bignot joining the backroom set-up.
Taylor said he "knew of" Bignot but did not "know him", but was convinced the former QPR player was the right fit for the club.
"I spoke to some very influential people within game who do know him and asked them 'what do you think? What do I need?'
"Marcus is an exceptional coach. He fills the gaps in my knowledge. I think we're very lucky to have him. The detail that he goes into is immense for our players."
And it is that volume of new information that Taylor is keen to make sure does not become too overwhelming.
"It's going to take them time to understand how we work," he said.
"The relationships within the coaching room will become organic. The conversations that I've had with the players have been open and honest.
"I have to understand them as people first, so let's try to build those relationships over time because I'm going to ask them for everything they've got every time they're in the building.
"It will take a bit of time to change that but we're well on the way to achieving that.
"It's vital that the players and staff are seen as one. The players need us and we need the players to be successful. I want us to have a one-club mentality."
Aiden O'Brien began his careeer with Millwall, where he spent nine years and played more than 200 games
Taylor chasing more signings
Taylor has already overseen the recruitment of midfielder Carl Winchester on a permanent deal from Sunderland and Carlisle defender Morgan Feeney.
He says new chief executive Micky Moore is "working extremely hard" on further signings but that talks with potential targets are "protracted".
"My conversations with him (Moore) are not for minutes but hours in trying to move things forward," Taylor explained.
"If we don't sign anybody in the next four to five days, I'm not concerned.
"The players we're trying to sign have other clubs after them because they're good players. We want players who want to be part of what we're trying to build here."
Taylor added that striker Daniel Udoh and defender George Nurse, who both missed most of last season through injury, are in "fantastic physical condition" and hopes they will both be available "as soon as possible" when the season starts.
The future of forward Aiden O'Brien is "up to him" according to Taylor, after the Irishman struggled for fitness following his move from Portsmouth last summer.
He made only six substitute appearances last term for Town before a loan move to Gillingham where he scored twice in 14 games.
"His mindset is exceptionally positive," Taylor said. "He's our player and scored a lot of goals at this level and is an asset we need to use.
"I've had a few conversations with him and what's happened, happened. He's now got to perform and I believe he will do."