Assistant boss Sean Parrish believes AFC Telford need time to gel

The Bucks continued their squad rebuild yesterday with the season-long loan capture of Wolves defender Aaron Hayden.

Parrish, who was a Telford favourite as a player, also joined the club this summer to assist his cousin and new manager Rob Edwards.

The 45-year-old has been working with youngsters at Wolves in recent years and will continue to do so, alongside his voluntary role at the Bucks.

On how the players have looked over pre-season, and how they are shaping up for the National League North opener at York City on Saturday, Parrish said: "It's been a good standard.

"We've been quite surprised at how they can handle the ball.

"Their attitude with each other too, they want to learn and their work ethic is good.

"We are very pleased with what we inherited."

While happy with how the squad is working, Parrish knows you cannot afford to rest on your laurels in the division.

He believes Telford still need to strengthen in some areas, and highlighted centre forward as a key position that needs adding to.

"It's going to be a slow process. There might not be instant success," said Parrish.

"We will need to build and have a vision for the club and where we want it to go.

"I know the club have been struggling financially and that's a big factor that determines the top and the bottom a lot of the time.

"We've got to be clever with players that we bring in. We have quite a young squad and we need a mix of young and old – players that will buy into what we want to do.

"It'll be a slow process but we have to lay the foundations.

"We need strikers to score goals. That's a big thing we have to address. They cost the most money and want the most money.

"We'll look to improve in different areas. We've got to keep looking to improve. There's no resting on laurels for players or no guarantees."

Lastly, Parrish has stressed he, Edwards and coach Gavin Cowan are fully aware of the size of the task at hand.

"The National League North and South is so competitive," he added.

"Who would've thought York City would be in this division playing against AFC Telford now after being in League Two two years ago?

"There's a strength in depth there. We're under no illusions about it all."