Chester FC player/assistant manager Tom Shaw says he is in no rush to get his boots on just yet.
Shaw, 30, has been on the sidelines alongside manager Jon McCarthy so far this pre-season as the Blues made it two wins in as many days this week.
A 5-1 win at North West Counties League side Runcorn Town on Monday night was followed up with a 2-0 win at Welsh Alliance outfit Flint Town United 24 hours later as fans got their first glimpses of a new-look squad after a summer of impressive transfer business by the club.
Shaw, named McCarthy’s number two in May, has been training with the squad when he can and could play some part in the friendlies next week, although he isn’t pushing to get himself out there owing to the strong midfield options available to Chester and his enjoyment of his new coaching role.
“Not this week,” said Shaw, who won Football Writers Player of the Season at the club’s end-of-season awards ceremony in April.
“I’ll have to ask him about next week but I’m totally engrossed in the coaching side of it. I am keeping myself fit and have trained with the lads but I’ll have to see if my mate’s five-a-side team will let me have a game at this rate. I’ll see what the manager has planned for me next week.
“It’s been great. I’m loving the coaching and we have a group which is buying into what me and the staff are throwing at them. It’s been good to be received the way I have by the lads. They want motivating and they want pushing but that is the exciting bit for me as a coach.”
As well as a number of changes on the playing staff, Chester have also made moves behind the scenes in bringing on board a nutritionist, psycologist and strength and conditioning coach to help sharpen up the squad and get them ready for when their National League season kicks off on August 5 at Solihull Moors. And it’s something that Shaw believes will pay dividends.
“We spoke in the summer and we are going to try and get it as close to a Premier League club with the resources that we have got,” he said.
“We are doing everything to the highest detail we can. It’s great for the lads as they feel like they are at a club higher up the pyramid with that stuff around and the people who are coming in and filling in those roles are really dedicated.”
Chester are back in action this evening when they make the trip to Hyde United (7.45pm kick off).
Evan Horwood and Ross Hannah both missed the win at Flint after picking up slight knocks against Runcorn and may return while winger
Craig Mahon is expected to feature.
Said Shaw: “They (Hyde) have got some good players so it will be another test. The results in pre-season aren’t important, we are just bothered about the performance and tha attitude, which has been great so far.”
