'There's no way:' Shrewsbury Town boss shares Blackpool message following Birmingham City shock
Gareth Ainsworth states his Shrewsbury Town side can’t afford to sit back when preparing for the visit of Blackpool on Wednesday night.
The former Wycombe Wanderers head coach was named as the Salop’s new boss last month following a year away from management.
In his only games in charge at the Shropshire outfit so far, Ainsworth oversaw a 3-2 victory over Birmingham City at the Croud Meadow.
Despite making such a good start against one of the top teams in League One, the 51-year-old states there’s still a lot of work to be done, and expects the Seasiders to present a good challenge.
“One game doesn’t make a season, and we know we need to get plenty of messages into these boys - I want good people and good footballers, it’s really important to me to have both,” he said in his pre-match press conference.
“It’s not just about the football, it’s about the people as well, and that’s because that’s just the way I work.
“We’ve been working really hard on the identity of the club, and what we are, and what we are striving towards. There’s no way you sit back and think ‘we’ve cracked it now.’
“It’s going to be a tough season, we’ve got some tough fixtures coming up, including Wednesday.
“Blackpool are obviously on a run of games and have played a lot lately, but sometimes that can go in you favour because you’re match fit all of the time.
“It’s going to be a big follow up from what was a fantastic performance against Birmingham.”
Blackpool head into Wednesday night’s fixture on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City in the FA Cup, and only one win in their last nine League One outings.
Despite the Seasiders’ poor run of form, Ainsworth has warned his side to expect a reaction from the club and its well-known coach.
“Steve Bruce is one of the greatest centre halves this country has ever seen - I was lucky enough to play against him, and I think we’ve crossed swords as managers,” he added.
“He will have his team reacting to the defeat. He’s a winner. You don’t play for Manchester United and do all he did without being a winner, so he’ll be trying to get that into his boys and make sure they react.
“I need to tell my boys to be ready for that reaction and be ready for a team who wants to get back to winning ways.
“We have to make sure the mental side is just as prepared as the physical side.”