Jones: Town players are meeting their 'bold' monthly points targets

Luton boss Nathan Jones revealed that Town’s players are continuing to meet the ‘bold’ monthly targets they have been setting themselves in the Championship this season.

It's by no means a new concept for the squad assembled at Kenilworth Road as when Jones first took over back in January 2016, he quickly introduced in a policy of letting them decide just what they thought they were capable of achieving.

Since returning the club after lockdown, Jones has continued to make the players set their own personal goals, which they are then rewarded for when met.

It has paid off too, Luton already taking four points from six in February, with a draw against Huddersfield, plus beating Birmingham at the weekend, to see them sit 13th in the table, a healthy distance away from the relegation zone.

They host Cardiff City this evening and then play Stoke, Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday before the month ends, as Jones said: “It’s something that I’ve done here for a while and obviously at my previous clubs, so it’s not new.

"We set monthly goals, points totals and they are very bold.

“The players choose their own points totals and we are usually there or thereabouts.

“Last month was the only one where we weren’t near – we weren’t too far off because we had a tough month and it was disjointed, but we want to make amends now and what we want to do is push boundaries.

“We want to set our own barriers, we don’t want to be restricted by budget or perception, or anything else.”

On how the players actually put it together, Jones continued: “It’s very interesting actually, we give them a sheet with targets on it and they set their own in terms of points.

“Whether that’s wins or whatever, they create their own thing, with goals scored, positive goal difference, or whatever it is.

“It’s a monthly thing, it breaks it down and sort of micromanages the season.

“If we say, ‘we want to get to 1,000 points to get to the end of the year’, we don’t do that, we break it up into blocks.

“I think they’re realistic, they’re very bold in their points tally, fair play to them.

"Whether that’s fear of us having a go at them for it, or whatever, but we’ve always done it.

“We’re used to exceeding that previously, but now it’s a bit tougher because you never know, but it’s stood us in good stead and we’re at a good place.”

Although it wasn’t something that Jones had himself when a player at the likes of Brighton, Southend and Yeovil, he believes the approach only helps get the maximum out of his players, adding: "I’ve never had it in my playing career, but you just look at the month ahead.

"Sometimes it’s tough, because sometimes you think that we won’t get a win there, but it doesn’t work out like that.

“What it does, if they do (get the tally) then they get rewarded for that at the end of the month.

“It gives them a focus and something to think about and, sometimes, it gives you that bit of motivation to hit your target as well as winning a game, getting three points or a win bonus, or whatever it is, it gives you that added bit of motivation."