Former Shrewsbury Town defender Trevor Challis has told Shropshire Live his ex-teammate will succeed as a manager.
The former Premier League defender knows Sam Ricketts well, having played alongside him at Telford.
His position has been under threat in recent times owing to a poor run of form, which saw Town not win in ten.
However, Challis who played 46 league games for Shrewsbury, and scored the decisive penalty in the 2004 Conference play-off final, believes Ricketts will succeed as a manager.
He told Shropshire Live: “I played at Telford with Sam and lived in his house for a spell when he moved on.
“Sam was a calm, calculated footballer and I see a lot of these traits in his managerial style, he has played the game at the highest level.
“The hardest thing for Sam will be the frustrations when the side aren’t performing to the level that he was ultimately successful at.
“I watched both Liverpool games, one was a pressing performance full of bravery and the away game was the opposite.
“Sam is a young manager who has a good network of contacts in the game and I fully expect Sam to be successful, whether it be with Shrewsbury is another matter as it’s a club that is on his managerial journey.”
The former Wales defender’s style of play has been heavily criticised by supporters on social media, with the club scoring just 29 goals in 33 league matches.
Earlier this week, former Shrewsbury striker Dean Edwards commented that as Sam was a defender, his style could subconsciously be to defend and hit teams on the counterattack.
However, Challis, a former left-back who now coaches Bristol City’s U18’s, does not believe this should be viewed as a negative.
He added: “I set my U18’s to be counter attacking, but this is consciously as the player’s in the set up suit this style of football.
“Is it a negative set up? Jose Mourinho did well for years playing like this but you have to have the right players in the final third to play this way. If you have two or three outstanding midfielders, I would set up differently and play through the middle alongside centre backs that are comfortable with the ball.
“I think Sam has looked at his group and settled on a way of playing that suits the players in his squad. I had Max O’Leary in my youth squads, and he can be outstanding with his feet – a real strength, so maybe he is used to more build-up play from the back.”
Shrewsbury secured their first away victory against Bristol Rovers at the weekend, thanks to Dan Udoh’s third goal of the season.
Challis, who spent five years with Rovers, believes Town can use the victory “as a springboard to kick on.”
The former QPR man added: “Ultimately, it’s a victory that Sam was probably targeting against a team that are safe but going through a change of direction, with the new manager who is trying to get his team to play a certain way, with the players that can do that. Hopefully, this can be the springboard to kick-on.”
Defeat for Bristol Rovers has extended their home record to just one win in seven matches, as the Gas struggle to acclimatise to life without former Town defender Graham Coughlan.
Challis said: “It’s been a strange season (for Bristol Rovers) as they were probably the surprise package early on and climbed to 4th in the table after beating Ipswich away.
“Losing the manager to Mansfield was a massive shock and the early momentum and team spirit seemed to evaporate.
“Momentum is key in football (look at Liverpool) and Rovers now need a win otherwise the season will likely peter out into a nothing season from what began as a season of promise. Morale is low and I’m not quite sure they have brought into Ben Garner yet.”
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