Youngster not back for pre-season yet after not signing contract
There was one face missing from pre-season training that manager Micky Mellon had hoped he would see back.
Youngsters Josh Ginnelly completed his scholarship with Town at the end of last season and was offered a pro deal with the club. Despite on going talks since then Josh hasn't signed the deal as yet and wasn't back at the club to start the pre-season.
The Gaffer has spoken about his desire for Josh to stay but as we stand he's not not returned as yet.
“I don’t know where he is - I presume he’s going round looking at his options.”, said Micky.
“But I haven’t had contact with him for a few days now and he’ll no doubt be getting on with what he’s doing.”
“We’re busy here training the first-team players so there hasn’t been a lot of time to chase things like that around, but I’m sure it will come to a head at some stage.”
Micky spoke to the press about Josh and was asked what could be read into Josh not returning with the rest of the players for pre-season;”I don’t know - I’ve got to be careful what I say because we’re guessing like everyone else.
“But he’s certainly not taking part in pre-season training with us.
“So I’d be guessing at whatever else he’s doing because I don’t know.”
With Josh coming through the youth ranks at Shrewsbury Town any other club who wanted to take him would need to get in touch with Town before approaching him. As it stands Micky hasn't received any calls;“I’ve had no contact personally from anyone about him.”
Micky gave Josh his chance early on last season while he was still in the second year of his youth scholarship. Since then the manager has brought him into first team training and involved him again in a number of first team games.
Josh is still developing as a young player but Micky believes the best place for him to continue that development is at Shrewsbury Town;“I’ve spoken to him a couple of times and he’s quite rightly looking at options.
“I said to him ‘Josh, just come out with the best one you feel is going to be right for your career’.
“He’s confused, there’s absolutely no doubt about that.
“But what I don’t want him to do is make him come back to Shrewsbury - I want him to want to be here and know it’s the place that’s going to be make him better.
“I don’t want anyone here that doesn’t want to be here or thinks they have to be here.
“I want people to be here because this is the environment that they believe is going to make them better.
“I said him ‘to make it easier for you, make sure you go to a club that’s going to look after Josh Ginnelly and is going to try to make him realise the potential that we all believe you have’.
“Because that’s all it is - potential that hasn’t been delivered yet; it’s wish, it’s hope and you’re only as good as your last game.
“So he’s in that position now where he has to make a decision about where he believes that place is going to be and we have to respect that.
“If I was his dad I’d be doing the same and getting the best place for my boy to become a footballer.
“I’m biased - I think it’s here and I know it’s here, absolutely 100 per cent.
“But I want him to want it to be here. So whatever Josh decides, I hope we’re saying it’s a good decision because I care about him and I want him to stay here and do really well."