'I'll probably upset a few players' - Appleton

Shrewsbury Town head coach Michael AppletonImage source, Getty Images
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Michael Appleton was unable to save Shrewsbury Town from relegation after joining in March

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Shrewsbury Town boss Michael Appleton said he must deal with "baggage" left over from relegation as the club look to improve on their poor start to the season.

The Shrews are 20th in League Two - with one point and without a goal - after three games following Saturday's home defeat by Colchester United.

Town have won just once in 21 games, stretching back to last season, and were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup last week by Grimsby Town, and Appleton has blamed the poor start on low confidence levels.

"There's a little bit of baggage there with players that were here last year that I need to deal with and need to manage," he told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"It's a difficult situation for us, but I'd like to think there are enough characters and enough leaders in there to get us through it.

"I have to ask more questions of the players, which I'll do, and I'm probably going to upset one or two players, but the reality is we need some kind of effect."

Appleton said he is also prepared to take over transfer dealings in this window after the departure of the club's director of football, Micky Moore, on Friday.

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Appleton: 'I need to deal with baggage left over from last season' after Colchester loss

Appleton joined the Shrews as head coach in March and signed a new two-year deal just two months later, but said he will take on the duties of a manager's role if needed.

"There's probably one or two players that need to leave the building, and that's a role that I've done in the past when I've just been a manager without a director of football," he said.

"If I have to do that, then I will, because it's part of my job - and bringing players in.

"I know there's a lot of people out there that I can rely on in terms of getting favours and being able to try and improve the squad and get a little bit more quality into the group."