Paul Simpson has told his Shrewsbury Town players he doesn’t know which of them will still be at the club when pre-season training kicks off – after setting the stage for a summer of wheeler-dealing.
Simpson has already spoken to several transfer targets and shown them around the club’s new stadium as he attempts to freshen things up over the summer. The Town boss is determined to oversee a major improvement in Town’s fortunes and knows there’s a busy few months ahead.
And he’s wasted no time to tell his players they must hit the ground running when they start pre-season training if they want to cement a place on the trip away he has planned for them.
“There are a lot of things I would like to do,” said Simpson. “I don’t expect to be able to do it all overnight and I’m not being unrealistic.
“I said to the players when they came in on Monday that football’s a strange old game and I don’t know who will still be here on July 3 when we come back.
“I want to make changes to the squad. That’s not me saying they aren’t good enough but I think it needs freshening up.
“It needs some strong characters in there because when we come back I want us to hit the ground running and have a right go. There’s every possibility we could be starting pre-season training with maybe 24 or 25 players.
“I’ve said to the players that if I can organise a trip away in the second week of pre-season there will only be 20 coming with us and it’s up to everybody to show me in those first few days that they deserve to be part of that 20.
“If they haven’t looked after themselves over the summer, if they don’t come back in good shape and if they don’t perform to the levels that I want in those first five or six days of training, they won’t be involved in the trip.
“That will set them back with regards to starting the season for us and I don’t think anybody wants that.”
Simpson, who revealed everything’s been agreed with Asa Hall to make his switch from Birmingham a permanent deal, has quickly identified a series of transfer targets, believing the club’s new stadium can act as a big selling point.
“I’ve had talks with a couple of people with more to come in the next few days,” he said.
“It’s a nice situation to be in when you’re working in League Two to have a nice facility like we’ve got to show off to people.
“Hopefully they’ll get a lift from coming to see it and they’ll want to come and join us. I want to bring in players who have shown they can do it at this level, even higher.
“Maybe there might be a youngster or two we can nick who’ve been released but I’m looking to build a squad for next season because that’s when I’ll be judged.
“There are all sorts of rumours that go around at this time of year but I will bring in players that we can afford and will improve us, and who want to continue to prove themselves.
“If that’s what we get I’m quite sure we’ll have a different mentality next season.”
Simpson is also planning to be on the move himself as he looks to find a suitable property in the area for himself and his family.
“I have to be out of my house in Preston on July 1. I still haven’t found anywhere down here so I may be looking for a caravan or something to move into for the start of pre-season!” he said.
Meanwhile Town will take on Premier League new boys West Bromwich Albion at home in a friendly on Tuesday, July 22 (7.45pm).
Simpson has also arranged a game at Steve Bull’s Stafford Rangers on Saturday, July 19 (3pm).
Shrewsbury are also searching for a new physio after Joe Hinnigan left the club yesterday.