Jones confident he can improve on-loan Leicester midfielder Dewsbury-Hall during Luton loan spell

Hatters manager believes there is more to come from Foxes starlet
Town's on-loan Luton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-HallTown's on-loan Luton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Town's on-loan Luton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Luton boss Nathan Jones is confident he can help make on-loan Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall an even better player during his stint at Kenilworth Road this term.

The 22-year-old is clearly high thought of by his parent club, Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers nailing the academy graduate's long-term future down with a four year contract prior to agreeing a season-long switch to the Hatters.

After easing his way into the opening few matches, Dewsbury-Hall, who had played the majority of his first team games in League One when at Blackpool last season, winning the Tangerines Player of the Month award for February, started to show just what he was capable of against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

He followed that up with an starring role in Town’s 1-1 draw with Birmingham City in midweek, producing without doubt one of the best individual performances by a Luton player since the club were promoted back to the Championship.

Jones said: "He played however many games it was for Blackpool, he’s played one or two in Leicester’s first team, this is another level but he’s come in, been a great member of the squad, he’s handled it and that is recruitment.

“Same with Rhys Norrington-Davies, when you bring people in, you just think 'I like what I see, can I implement him, can I put him in our team? Will I be able to make him better? Yes.'

"That’s what recruitment is because we very rarely buy ready made here.

“We did in terms of James Collins, Danny Hylton and Luke Berry for example at League Two level but we were never looking to stay at League Two level.

“Even now we are very ambitious with what we want to do and we’re signing players that can make us better, make us a real strong team at this level.

"Not one that just survives, we don’t want that.”

Prior to signing Dewsbury-Hall on transfer deadline day, Jones admitted he was a huge fan of the midfielder, having watched him on a number of occasions beforehand, even when in charge of Stoke City last term.

The boss always had faith he could replicate those performances for Blackpool at a higher level, adding: "Whether he can transfer that into the Championship, you don’t exactly 100 per cent know.

"What you do is you trust your judgement, you look at a player and you think 'is he athletic? Can he handle the ball? Does he show good attitude? Is he a progressive passer?'

"All these things we look for in a midfielder and there is plenty more to come from him as well because he is starting early in his career.”