Awford admires job Ainsworth has done with Wycombe

The Chairboys boss is one of the names linked to becoming the new Hatters chief as his odds dropped to 14/1 with league sponsors Sky Bet over the weekend.

After master-minding his side to comfortable 2-0 win over Luton at Kenilworth Road yesterday, Ainsworth admitted he was ‘flattered’ by the interest.

When asked if he thought his counterpart would be a good appointment for Hatters, Awford said: “I have no idea, you’d have to speak to other people here.

“Gareth’s had that squad now for I don’t know how long.

“I remember a couple of years ago, they were quite close to going out of the Football League and then last year they had a heck of a run right up to the death and it was unfortunate for Gareth as they missed out in the play-offs.

“Gareth’s had the time to be able to impose his style and game, that’s his players.

“He’s done very well to be given that time, they set up well, all know their roles and their jobs.”

Luton themselves have an inflated squad of 33 professionals after another host of summer signings by previous boss John Still and Awford believes the new manager must be given time to make the side his own.

He added: “I think as a manager you’ve always got a better chance when it’s your players, that’s when you have to be judged, when it’s your players playing.

“When you take over a club and it’s other people’s players, I think it’s very difficult, but who gets times these days?

“It’s a big squad isn’t it, we’ve got a large squad, some have only just returned from injuries.

“Certainly whoever comes in as permanent manager is going to have a big squad to choose from.”