Luton striker believes it was a 'stroke of genius’ to reappoint Nathan Jones

Luton striker James Collins has labelled manager Nathan Jones’ return to the club as a ‘stroke of genius’.

The forward was one of Jones’ big summer signings back in June 2017, with the intent of getting the club out of League Two and also going through League One as well.

It proved to be the case, as although Jones left halfway through the 2018-19 campaign, Luton, with Collins scoring 25 goals, were crowned third tier champions.

Jones is now back at the helm with an altogether different task, trying to save the Hatters from the Championship trapdoor with just nine matches to go, but Collins believe if anyone can, he can.

On Jones’ being named manager after Graeme Jones left the club back in April, he said: “I loved it as I really get on with the gaffer and even when he left for Stoke I still kept in contact with him.

“We got on really well and to be fair I think it’s a stroke of genius getting him back as managing wise, I think he is the best chance of us staying up this year.

“He knows all the lads, he knows the way we play, he knows the club and I think the lads are really happy to have him back and so am I.

“He knows over 80 per cent of the squad and he probably signed them all, apart from the ones that have come in this year.

“That’s part of the reason he wanted to come back because he knew what a good squad he had and good characters.

“I think he can see from the lads and how they’ve been in training – and the new lads he hasn’t worked with before – there was a real spark about training and it seems like they’ve got a bit of a fresh start.

“He hasn’t changed one bit either.

“He’s the same Nathan he was when I signed for him three seasons ago.

“He’s really enthusiastic, work ethic, demanding and obviously a joy to work with, so not a lot has changed at all.”

Jones was appointed late last month when it became clear that the season, postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, would resume.

It has led to some high intensity training once more for the players after 10 weeks away, as Collins said: “The sessions are different, there’s a different structure throughout the week.

“I think Graeme was a little calmer than the gaffer now.

“The one thing I will say about the gaffer now, I really enjoyed his training before he left.

“We knew what we were doing on certain days and I really enjoyed his sessions.

“It’s nice to have some familiar sessions back at The Brache.”

Jones himself has stated he has come back to Luton as a better manager after a tough nine months at Stoke City, when he was dismissed after just six wins from 38 games.

Collins believes that is the case too, adding: “I think that from his experience at Stoke he would have learned a lot.

“Just talking to him one-on-one, he hasn’t changed from when he left.

“But I’m sure coming into these games and further down the line with new experiences from Stoke, I think it will benefit us because he would have learned quite a lot."