Matt Taylor conducted his first pre-match press conference as Salop head coach ahead of tomorrow's season-opener against Cheltenham Town.
Shrewsbury welcome Wade Elliott's side to the Croud Meadow for the first game of the 2023/24 campaign.
With a lot of new faces around the place, including Matt himself, tomorrow provides the squad's first opportunity to impress a home crowd in full voice.
Speaking on pre-season, the boss confirmed George Nurse's long-term injury was in fact his ACL again, but reiterated how impressed he was with George's handling of the situation and vowed to support the player as best he could.
In the build-up to the Cheltenham fixture, Matt also discussed the start of the season, letting Tom Bloxham and Aiden O'Brien go out on loan, provided an update on Chey Dunkley's injury, new signing Max Mata and any other incomings and outgoings
On how excited he is for the season to start:
"I'm really excited. I think the players have understood exactly what we're trying to give them in terms of in-possession and out-of-posession messages.
"It will be a different type of fixture because there's a lot more pressure involved with it being the first game of the season.
"In pre-season, the fixtures we have had have gone well. I think training sessions have been important because we've spent a lot of time here at the training ground trying to make sure the players become more educated on what we want from them.
"But yeah, I'm really looking forward to meeting some of the home fans and hopefully they come out and support us in their numbers because the lads most definitely need them.
"I've not seen the home fans in full voice as of yet so I'm really looking forward to seeing them on Saturday.
On implementing his own style:
"It's been going well. I think there's a balance of listening to the players when we're educating them on how we want them to play because it's imperative it's not always just us talking at them all the time.
"We need to understand that the players are getting it and I think they are. I think the levels of understanding are definitely increasing.
"But yeah, it's been a really fun five weeks now and if you like, the seriousness of the season is now upon us and we're all looking forward to that."
On the mood around the training ground:
"There's always a big turnover of players at any football club. I remember it as a player myself and it's about integrating those new members of the squad into the group as early as possible, and understanding that whilst new players are coming in, that means there's more competition in places of the pitch.
"Would we like more (competition)? Of course we would. At the moment I'm really pleased with the squad. I'm obviously still looking to add to it, but those players, the new ones who have come in have been well received and it'll be great for the fans to see them on Saturday as well.
"We've done a lot of hard work. The players have almost been reigned in a bit so now they're all ready and raring to go for Saturday.
On Max Mata:
"So Max is someone that came on the radar probably three or four weeks ago. I went over to Ireland to watch him and was suitably impressed with what he can do on and off the ball.
"He's an intelligent footballer, he's hungry, he's a fantastic age and he's somebody that I think has got a really bright future ahead of him.
"He's the type of person and the type of player we want. Is this his pinnacle? I don't think it is, so he most definitely can't wait to showcase his talents in League One and I think we're lucky to have him.
"We fought off a lot of competition to get him. I know Micky (Moore, our director of football) and Tom (Ware, our head of recruitment) worked incredibly hard behind the scenes. The chairman has been extremely supportive in us acquiring Max's services.
"He'll score goals for the football club, no doubt about that. I'm really excited about that and hopefully we can see him on the pitch as soon as possible."
On if some signings are for the future:
"We've got players that probably aren't ready right now and need some work on the training pitch. It's our role as coaches to make sure we help them and get them ready.
"You'll see all of the squad at some point this year, no question of that. It's just making sure that those players are ready when they get their opportunity, and they will be.
"I can't complain about any player's application in pre-season. They've all given everything and they're all desperate for the season to start."
On Tom Bloxham and Aiden O'Brien going out on loan:
"They were difficult decisions.
"Tom has come through the academy here and he's a player who has a fantastic affinity with the club. In saying that, what we felt was that over the past 12-18 months, Tom has missed a lot of his football and lost a lot of development.
"I think understanding that from Spurs and when I worked there and understanding just how important those formative years are, Tom needs to play and I think probably we couldn't guarantee him that, whereas I home Morecambe can.
"It'll be fantastic for Tom to go there. He's working with a good manager in Derek (Adams) as well. Derek will be firm but fair with him and then he'll get opportunities to play.
"Look, he's our player and we want to bring him back. Hopefully when he comes back from his loan spell he'll be a better player.
"With Aiden, football is about being honest with people and I don't think Aiden was going to play as much football as he would've liked here. He's had the opportunity to go to Sutton and he goes with our best wishes.
"It's now imperative that having lost those players, we fill their places in the squad with players we think will complement those already in the building."
On George Nurse's ACL injury:
