Shrewsbury Town manager Michael Appleton has admitted he was partly to blame for striker Chuks Aneke’s injury setbacks during their time together at Charlton Athletic.
Appleton, who worked with Aneke at The Valley before joining Shrewsbury, reflected on the forward’s fitness issues and said he made mistakes in how he managed his playing time.
Appleton Reflects on Past Decisions
Aneke suffered a serious hamstring injury in October 2023, his second of the year, shortly after being recalled to Charlton’s starting line-up. The striker has not started a competitive game since, featuring primarily as a substitute.
Speaking to the Shropshire Star, Appleton admitted his approach at Charlton may have been too demanding.
“Listen, I called it wrong at Charlton because I’d seen what he was capable of coming off the bench and I’ve seen him start games as well where he destroyed teams,” he said. “Because I’d seen that, I wanted more of it. I wanted him to play every minute of every game.
“Unfortunately, he paid the price and I paid the price because he got a bad hamstring injury.
“I blame myself for it because I don’t know if I was doing it from a selfish point of view – I was, but it was for the benefit of the club at the time.”
Aneke, now 32, joined Shrewsbury as a free agent last month and has already scored his first goal for the club, coming off the bench to find the net against MK Dons.
New Role at Shrewsbury
Appleton said both he and Aneke now recognise the striker’s value as an impact player rather than a regular starter.
“I realise that his contribution 95 per cent of the time is going to come from the bench,” Appleton added. “That’s just who he is and what he is. If you recognise and accept that, you’ve got a proper player because he can make an impact.”
The Shrewsbury boss praised Aneke’s personality and determination, noting that the former Arsenal youth product briefly considered retirement after Charlton’s promotion last season.
Writer’s View
Appleton’s honesty over his past handling of Aneke highlights a more reflective side of his management. The striker’s impact off the bench has already been evident at Shrewsbury, and Appleton’s willingness to adapt his approach could extend Aneke’s career.
With careful management, the forward may yet play a decisive role in Town’s League One campaign as they look to climb the table in the coming weeks.
