New Luton boss Nathan Jones insists he is 'stronger' and 'better' after Stoke City exit

Hatters chief believe Potters' experience has improved him as a manager
Luton boss Nathan JonesLuton boss Nathan Jones
Luton boss Nathan Jones

New Luton boss Nathan Jones insists he is both a better manager and a stronger person after being named Town chief for a second time last week.

The Hatters chief left Kenilworth Road for Stoke City back in January 2019 tasked with attempting to bring Premier League football back to the bet365 Stadium.

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However, he was sacked just nine months later, City sitting second bottom in the table, with Jones winning just six of his 38 games in charge.

After over five months out work, the Welshman was reappointed Luton manager on Thursday, tasked with trying to save the Hatters from a drop into League One that chief executive warned could put them into a 'state of financial oblivion.'

With all that in mind though, Jones believes he is in a good place to lead the fight, saying: "I think you’ve got a point to prove any time you’re a manager, wherever.

“My first taste of Championship management was when I was at Brighton, I had two games and was unbeaten and then I go to Stoke which is a difficult time, so yes I’ve got a point to prove.

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“I had a point to prove when I came here because I’d not managed before. I believe I succeeded in doing that.

“The opportunities came up, we got tested on all levels at Stoke, it was a difficult time but now I'm a better manager, ironically, than I was when I left, because I hadn’t experienced the lows that I had at Stoke, when I was at Luton.

“We hadn't, we built something very good and the foundations of that are still here.

"So I want to resume with that, and that's what I'm looking forward to.

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"You're always proving yourself season after season even if you've won something the year before. Can you do it again?

Jones faced a tremendous amount of criticism from Luton fans for the manner in which he left Kenilworth Road, just days before a crucial League One promotion clash at Sunderland.

He accepted full responsibility for his actions though and feels the incident has made him learn a great deal more about himself.

On the unsavoury episode, the Town chief added: "I’m far stronger for a start.

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“A lot has been said about my exit and so on and I don’t want anyone to come across the villain in this apart from myself.

“I left a fantastic football club to go to a wonderful football club, it didn’t work out for reasons that were my fault but through that time you learn through adversity.

“It was a different type of player to what I inherited at Stoke to what I left here.

“There was slightly different expectations, slightly different culture and environment there, so I had to try and quickly adapt to try and change that.

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“We were doing that it’s just results didn’t mirror that and this is a results based game.

“I was tested to the absolute maximum, I learned a lot about those around me but I can guarantee you, you do learn a lot more through adversity about yourself and about certain things then when things are hunky-dory.

“It has been well documented but the thing is, so many people wanted you to do well but look it didn’t work out that way.

“I’m a far better manager now from that episode because you learn all the time anyway.

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“I learned under Chris Hughton, Sami Hyypia and Oscar Garcia before I came here, that education was vital before I came here because I thought I was ready far before I came to Luton but I quickly found out I wasn’t.

“I got to a level where we were doing okay and we were still learning, Stoke was another challenge where I’ve learned even more.

“Ironically I am a better manager from that time and I’m excited about this return and coming back.

"I know it’s going to be tough on a lot of levels but I’m so motivated to do well and resume that journey, the time at Stoke only fuelled that hunger.”