Four players offered new deals as Paul Hurst makes his decisions
Shrewsbury Town can confirm their retained list for the end of the 2016/17 Sky Bet League One season.Paul Hurst has offered deals to four players, while a further four players have been told they won’t be having their contracts extended.
Mat Sadler, Shaun Whalley, Bryn Morris and Shaun Rowley have been offered new contracts with the club.
Meanwhile, Mark Halstead, Kaiman Anderson, Ethan Jones and Callum Grogan will leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of June.
All four of the players offered contracts have impressed Paul over the last six months and he is hopeful they will sign new deals.
“I’ve met the players today and told them my intentions of hoping they will sign a new deal, so we will see how that pans out over the next few days and weeks”, said Paul.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Sads (Mat Sadler) in terms of his off-field contribution. He’s one that other lads will go to for a bit of advice. He organises things off the field as well, so he’s got the lads respect.
“He won the Players’ player of the year and whilst I’m sure a lot of the vote was about what was done on the pitch, I still think if he wasn’t respected off the pitch he wouldn’t have won that award no matter how well he had done on it. That speaks volumes of him and hopefully he can think that it’s right to stay with us a bit longer.
“With Shaun (Whalley) there’s been quite a few games where he’s done really well. Since I’ve come in he’s had more positives than negatives. He likes running at players and what I am looking for next season is to have more options in those wides areas.
“I’ve offered Bryn a deal as well. I look at him, I look at his age and I look at where he came from. He’s had a couple of excellent games and a couple that have not been quite as good, but overall I look at his attitude and some of the performances he’s but in and I certainly think it’s worthwhile offering him a contract.”
“Goalkeepers need to be given a little bit of time and it’s very difficult to find many young ‘keepers that are ready to go into the first team, but from speaking to Coyney and seeing things myself I just think Shaun (Rowley) might be one that has a big future.”
Paul admitted that releasing players was always a difficult task as a manager, but wished all four players who won’t be offered new deals the best in their futures.
“It’s certainly not the best part of the job”, Hurst said.
“I’ve let Callum Grogan, Ethan Jones and Kaiman Anderson go. They have spent time on the training ground, but I’ve only seen them really in very small bits of games.
“There’s an element of feeling for them a little bit more, because they haven’t quite had the best opportunities, but I’ve said to all three that I think that it’s the best decision for them as well, because I think they need to go somewhere and play.
“I’ve also let Mark Halstead leave the club. He had a couple of games when I first came in and did well and I think Mark is 100% ready for a new challenge. I hope he can go somewhere and be brought in as number one.
“I think he’s now at that stage where he really needs that because I think he’s become used to being number two for too long and there’s no doubt he can play league football, so hopefully he can go somewhere and get that chance.”
Finally, all of the loan players have returned to their parent clubs.
Shrewsbury Town would like to thank all the players for their hard work and dedication during their time with the club and wish them well for the next stage of their careers.