Hatters chief admits getting a 'like-for-like' replacement for Naismith isn't 'feasible'

Luton chief Nathan Jones has revealed that getting a like-for-like replacement for defender Kal Naismith isn’t ‘feasible’ with the manager having to look at a different options to strengthen his back-line.

The 30-year-old had a stellar season at Kenilworth Road last term, named Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season, with some magnificent performances, while also scoring a truly wonderful match-winner against Bournemouth.

Comfortable in possession, the Scot made the left sided centre half role his own, often bringing the ball out from the back on one of his regular forays forward to get Town on the front foot, or picking out one of his team-mates with a well executed pass to feet from his wand-like left foot.

However, a three year deal at Bristol City was too hard to turn down in the summer, Naismith opting to move to Ashton Gate, and although Jones has made seven signings in the transfer window, that position remains the only one he hasn’t been able to fill.

Asked if he was still looking, he said: “If something becomes available then we are but it’s just difficult.

"To replace Kal Naismith like-for-like is very, very difficult, we either need better or different.

"To get better than him doing what he did, we have to look in the Premier League and that’s not feasible, so we have to get something different.

"If there is nothing different available, then we have players in the building, so let’s not make a big thing of that.

"Last year we lost Matty Pearson, so we had to get better or different.

"We had to get someone who is more aggressive, more out-an-out a defender than Matty Pearson and again, they’re probably playing in the Premier League.

"So what we did, is we got someone different and we brought in Reece Burke.

"He is a brave, proactive, front-footed defender who can carry the ball and can go forwards to create overloads, so that’s what we did.

"This year we needed to strengthen in certain areas, we needed to improve the goalkeeping department because of what happened to us last year and we’ve managed to do that and we’re very happy.

"Then we wanted to add even more pace, power and a little bit more quality which we have done because we like to maintain the levels we play at.”

The Hatters boss did admit though that Naismith’s exit has left the club short in that specific position, even though Amari’i Bell is expected to be given an early opportunity to make it his own there during tomorrow’s season opener against Birmingham City.

However, he is more than happy with the squad as it is, believing it to have been significantly improved since last season, adding: “We’re not confident, we know there’s as much strength.

"I’m being brutally honest, if I just want to pump propaganda, I’d say we’re in a much better place than we were last year because we are.

"We’ve got a stronger squad, the only area where we’re slightly weaker in is left-sided centre-half.

"Not because the ones there are not good enough but because we lost Kal Naismith who is an excellent player.

“The signings of Carlton Morris, Cauley Woodrow, Alfie Doughty, both goalkeepers, Louie Watson, Luke Freeman, we’re in a better place than we were last year, categorically.

“The only place where we haven’t strengthened and we’ve only got weaker, because we haven’t replaced it, so it’s a number, is in that area.

“Kal did fantastically well for us but we have people that stepped up last year, that have kept clean sheets when he hasn’t been on the football field anyway, so we’re in a very good place.

"We’ve lost Kal but we’ve added seven fantastic players that will make us better all round means that once again we’ve come out of the transfer window in a much stronger position and I have to thank the board and Gary (Sweet, chief executive) for that because we worked tirelessly.

"Being respectful to everyone, myself and Gary work tirelessly, coupled with Paul Watson and Chris Clark to get everything through.

"We thank the board for backing us once again because every window it gets harder to get better, it gets more expensive to get better because that is fundamentally what happens, to get better than the players we have, it becomes difficult.

"Then you have to go into a different realm of player and that is something we don’t normally do.”