Hatters boss: Preparation isn't ideal but we're getting used to crazy schedule

Town boss Nathan Jones has praised his players for the manner in which they have adapted to the manic fixture schedule in place since he has returned as manager.

Once lockdown finished last season, Jones and his squad had to navigate nine games in the space of just under five weeks, which they did superbly to retain their Championship status against all odds.

That has continued this term, as despite the late start, the campaign is due to finish in early May as usual, meaning Town are playing twice a week for the foreseeable future.

After entertaining Blackburn Rovers following the international break at the weekend, they are back into the thick of it again this evening, at home to Birmingham City, the first of 10 matches crammed in before the turn of the year.

Jones said: “We are used to it and if you’re not used to it, you’d better get used to it quite quickly, because that’s the norm from pretty much now until the end of the season.

“Birmingham have had an extra day, but Saturday, Tuesday, we’ve been used to it, it’s just what happens after.

"We’ve been in, trained well and we’re looking forward to the game.

“Since we came back we had three weeks to really prepare and get into them and then we went into a games programme which was nine games, then we had a bit of a break, a pre-season and then got into the same games programme.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s what has to happen now because of the world.

“We were very pleased with the (five allowed) substitutions because that gives us a real bit of scope to do certain things and hopefully keep people fit and healthy.”

On just how the short turnaround between matches affects what he can and can’t do during training sessions, Jones continued: “It does because there’s a lot of work you can’t actually do.

“You have to do a lot things like walkthroughs rather than actually active stuff, but as long as you give them the information, it’s up to them to take if on board.

“We’ve taken on board a lot of information over the space of time, so they’ve been a great group in terms of that.

“You can’t put them through too much as they’re one day away from a game every time they train at the minute, so it’s very difficult to get anything really active into them.

“We did good work over the international break and we have to be reliant on that for a little while.”

With Town travelling to Cardiff City on Saturday, then hosting Norwich City on Wednesday evening and heading back to Wales to face Swansea the following weekend, when asked if Town had already done some prep for each opponent during their time off, Jones added: “We did work on us and being the best version of us, then being able to combat others.

"Look, the Championship is a really tactical league, there are so many different shapes and formations and so on.

“It’s just such a strange time you just have to make sure you are working, you are as prepared as you possibly can be.

“We did work over the international break but it was on us rather than working towards Birmingham, towards Preston, towards Blackburn, whoever it is, we were working on making ourselves better.

“There’s so many different ways that teams play so you have to be efficient.

“You don’t get the time to work on everyone individually but what you have to do is make sure you are at the level physically, tactically and technically.

“Then you are able to compete in these games and if you are competitive, that’s all you can ask for.

“No-one is going to hit form in every game.

"You see now the likes of Bournemouth are gathering a bit of momentum, Premier League squads and if they’re all at it, they’re a difficult side to beat and overhaul this season."