New Hatters boss on Kenilworth Road job
Nathan Jones has spoken for the first time on his appointment as the new manager of the Hatters.
Jones put pen to paper at Kenilworth Road on Wednesday, and fielded questions alongside chief executive Gary Sweet ahead of his new role with the Town at Friday’s press conference.
The new boss is keen to keep the Hatters’ style of football, and he praised the squad that he currently has at his disposal.
Jones said: “We’re all on the same page on where we want to go. Luton are a forward-thinking club, and I think I’m a forward-thinking manager also.
“I believe the squad is there, and I’m excited with the players that we have. Now we can build on that in a day-to-day capacity.”
Having been part of Brighton’s coaching setup for the past few years, Jones has seen the highs and lows of backroom football, and hopes he can now bring that experience to Kenilworth Road.
“I’ve had aspirations of being a manager for a long time, and I feel now is the time that I’m ready,” he added.
“I’ve worked under three fantastic managers at Brighton, each with their own philosophies. That’s helped me learn a lot.
“I think I have enough experience in managerial decisions to make this step.”
Jones also feels that there is still a lot to be taken away from the Hatters’ season, with a lot of points still to play for despite the Town occupying the wrong half of the Sky Bet League 2 table.
“It's a cliché, but we'll be taking each game one by one. Where we end up after 46 games will come from that.
“I want people with my passion and determination to work. Maybe some players could surprise people with their hunger.
“I know what I'm looking for in my staff. There are good people, good workers at the club. We don't need drastic changes.”
Chief executive Gary Sweet confirmed he was “blown away” by Jones when meeting his club’s new manager, particularly with the way he wants to play the game.
Sweet said: “We were looking for someone with a visionary idea of how they wanted to play football, and how that matched ours.
“Whenever you talk to people in football, Nathan’s name is mentioned. He’s made excellent progress over the past couple of years.”