Gav off the Championship and GT brings in cover
Shrewsbury Town are seeking a new goalkeeping coach after Gavin Ward accepted the chance to join Championship club Nottingham Forest.
The experienced Eric Steele, who has just left Manchester United where he was goalkeeping coach under Sir Alex Ferguson, will help coach the Town keepers for a few days next week while Graham Turner considers a long-term replacement for Ward.
"Gavin's been offered a job at Nottingham Forest and has been keen to accept it," said the manager. "I can understand his reasons. It's a big club and it's happened very rapidly, in the last 24 hours.
"He wanted to join them on their way to Portugal for a training camp.
"The goalkeepers got on well with him. Gavin worked well with them, he's a good coach, there's no doubt about that, and we all got on well.
"From talking to our two goalkepers, Chris Weale and Joe Anyon, they're quite laid back. They said I'm sure you'll get somebody else in for us and that will be it.
"I've got somebody in for next week and then we'll have a look on a more permanent basis."
GT added he was delighted that a goalkeeping coach of the quality of Eric Steele had agreed to help out at the Greenhous Meadow in the short term.
"I've got a friend of mine coming in, Eric Steele, who has just left Manchester United," he said. "I've known Eric for a long time and on the odd occasion he's done me favours so I'm sure the goalkeepers will enjoy working with him.
"He was keen to come in and help me out so that will fill in the gap for a couple of days, otherwise the goalkeepers feel a bit neglected.
"It is a specialist position, obviously, and they need specialist training. The days have gone when you just lump them in with all the other players.
"They do need something special and to have somebody of the calibre or Eric coming in for a couple of days, I'm sure, will given them a boost."