Jones hopes Luton keeper Sluga has a positive experience when away with Croatia
Luton boss Nathan Jones hopes keeper Simon Sluga has a positive experience during his time away with the Croatia national squad next week.
The stopper hasn’t played for his country during recent call-ups, with manager Zlatko Dalić preferring Dinamo Zagreb’s Dominik Livakovic as his first choice, even in the friendlies.
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Hide AdHe was named in the squad for Croatia's friendly in Turkey along with Nations League games against Sweden and Portugal though, as Jones, who hadn't wanted any of his squad to be away on international duty if possible after a hectic domestic schedule recently, saw five in total go, Wales calling up Tom Lockyer, Joe Morrell and Rhys Norrington-Davies, striker James Collins back in the Republic of Ireland set-up too.
On Sluga though, the manager said: “What I hope is that he comes back in a good frame of mind.
"We’d like him to get minutes because he’s our keeper and we’re very proud of our internationals.
“But if they don’t get minutes, then fine, that’s not my choice, but what I don’t want them to do is, when they go away in the international break, it has to be some sort of mental thing for them, so that when they come back, it’s been a positive thing for them.
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Hide Ad“What I don’t want is for one of my players to go away and be stuck in a hotel for ten days, not play and not feel like he’s going to play, feel jaded and come back in a worse frame of mind than when he went.
"That’s all I’m concerned about.
“I don’t want to pick the Croatian national team. Their manager’s far better than I am, but I’m just concerned if he comes back in a worse frame of mind.
“It’s very pride to play for your country, but you want to play for your country, you don’t want to just train because that can be frustrating.
"So, that’s my only concern. Whether he players or not, is not my concern.
"If he goes and he’s absolutely delighted to go there, comes back fresh and he’s loving it because he’s been home, then brilliant, I’ll be very happy for him to go."