Hatters boss ready to use his budget wisely

The Luton chief is determined to streamline his plating squad and also bring in a number of new face to strengthen his starting 11, but is confident he can do that with the funds available to him.

Jones said: “We know what we’re getting here, we’re happy, we work within the budget that we’re given,

“The board have been good for me, whenever I’ve asked for anything, and I haven’t asked for much, I’ve got it and I’m not one to go asking, asking, asking.

“I know what the budget was when I came here, I know what I’m going to work with and I will stick within that budget, it’s no problem.

“I’m not one to complain about budget and we have a good one here. The club are well backed, we’re not the biggest by any means, but we have a healthy budget and for the size of this club it runs parallel.

“We will work within that, we won’t over-stretch ourselves in any way, we won’t gamble. Our recruitment will be within what we have and we will get the best for what we can afford.”

Jones knows there is plenty of hard work ahead to change what he once again labelled a ‘disjointed’ group of players that he inherited from previous boss John Still.

He continued: “If I’m honest and I don’t like speaking bad, it’s been a disjointed season for so many players and for so much of the squad.

“There hasn’t been any continuity and I go back to the Burnley side, I could name the Burnley side, what it’s going to be on Saturday now and that’s not because I’m a genius, it’s because they have continuity.

“They have pros who are fit, strong, hungry, play games, desire, want to get out.

“They’re a number of sides who do, Northampton have been similar to that, and that’s what you need to be a successful side.

“Luton have been nowhere near that this year, since I’ve come in we haven’t been near that and that has to change.”

When asked exactly why he felt that has been the case this term, Jones said: “It’s been too big a squad in my opinion for this season, it’s been disjointed because there’s been very little balance,

“One, two left footed players in the squad really, and they’re both in the same position so it means technically there’s one.

“What had been a season of, they had high hopes, hasn’t been, because they haven’t had balance in the squad.

“You can’t pigeonhole a certain player and say this is his position, this is his position.

“There’s too many in between players and far too many of them. It’s been a confused season, a confused squad if you like and we have to add that balance.

“It can’t be another season of transition next year, we have to add the right balance so we have a level of continuity in terms of we pick squads that we pick from week to week.

“If we do that then performance levels can go up because continuity breeds consistency which can bring you results.”

The Town chief is clear in his mind on the areas he needs to strengthen too, adding: “It’s all over, the cliche is you get the spine of the team you’re not far wrong.

“We’re looking to do that, we’re looking to strengthen in those areas, there’s no secret to that.

“But you have to have full backs that are able to play regularly and churn out performances week in week out, you have to have wide men or whatever system you play, front men who can churn out.

“Some go through dips in form that you have to change, but you have to have a consistent squad that you can work with and improve and demand from and get to know week in week out.”