Assistant Manager Pleased To Get Defender On Board
“I think it is important they are recognised because they are slogging away to make these moves happen,” he said.Jackson also went on to once again praise the hard work of everyone involved in transfers at the club, including chief executive Brian Caldwell, recruitment administrator Adam Henshall, chairman Roland Wycherley and Micky Mellon.
“You need competition. Every team I have played in that has been a success has always had competition for places and I think you must have that to move forward and to keep everyone on their toes.
“The lads themselves will want to be in that starting eleven and part of that group that we are trying to put together to try and make the club better.
“The biggest thing will be him settling in with the new group. I think all these lads that have come in are looking forward to a fresh challenge and meeting new people and playing with new players because sometimes that just kicks you on again.
“Sometimes you go to a new environment and you raise your game and it is now up to us as a coaching staff to create that environment.
“All these players we’ve brought in we want to work with and develop them and work with them to become better players.”
McGivern joins Olly Lancashire as the two defensive additions to the squad so far and Jackson said competition for places is healthy in successful teams.
“Again it is someone that we have monitored and played against throughout the season. He is a centre back who can also play at left back so it will give us a bit of flexibility but first and foremost he is a centre back,” Jackson told shrewsburytown.com.
“He is left footed and reads the game very well and knows the level. He is still at a good age at 26 so his best years are still ahead of him and we are looking forward to working with him and helping him develop.
“When you are a centre back, as you get older, that experience is what makes the difference as a player. If you make mistakes there you get punished but as you get older you read the game well and you appreciate who you are playing against in regards to different types of strikers and different types of formations and that is something he has got under his belt from playing for different clubs.
“He has played for Hibs as well so it will all stand him in good stead. He knows this league and he is on standby for the Northern Ireland squad which is a statement in itself.
“He is not a really young centre back who is trying to learn the game – he has games under his belt which gives us something to actually work with moving forward.”
And assistant manager Mike Jackson believes McGivern’s experience will be invaluable for Town.
Having started his career at Manchester City the centre back – who can also play at left back – has also appeared for Leicester City, Bristol City and Hibernian.
The 26-year-old has penned a two-year-deal at Greenhous Meadow having recently left Port Vale.
Shrewsbury Town’s squad rebuilding has continued with the capture of Northern Ireland international defender Ryan McGivern.