Still remaining calm after another slow start

Luton Town boss John Still has admitted his sides often start slowly as they prepare for a long league season ahead.
John StillJohn Still
John Still

The Hatters go into their fourth League Two game of the season at Yeovil on Saturday on the back of two league draws and a defeat.

But Still said it was to be expected as he prepares his squad to cope with the rigours of a long campaign.

He said: “I say this every year, my teams never start well. Our work is based around fitness that will take us for a season.

“In the first season here we started slow and then ran away with the league. Last season started slow, then we went top.”

With that in mind, Still admitted he had altered his preparation for this campaign:, continuing: “I slightly changed pre-season to make us a bit sharper earlier, I saw that against Bristol City and in the first half against Oxford, but I didn’t see it the other night (in the defeat to Bristol Rovers).

“So my disappointment really was the contrast from the City game and the first half against Oxford to that.

“Lots of teams start quickly, lots start slow, but gradually everything evens out. I dont get fooled by it.

“We could have won these three games and I might be saying to myself, a little change in training has benefitted - but it may not benefit us down the road.

“We went to Accrington in the first game, you aren’t going to get a tougher away game as Hull found in the cup.

“Bristol City was terrific, Oxford was OK, not great but OK and we played some good football in it.”

The boss was also keen to stress that it was better to take the long view, adding: “In the 400 metres race the winner isn’t normally in front after 100 metres. In the marathon, they’re not in front after three miles. It’s just how it is.

“You are not going to be at peak for nine months of the year. You can be consistent but you are still going to have highs and lows.

“I prepare my players for a long, hard season, knowing we might not be as sharp as some to start with.

“I have to constantly remind myself every year about this, that it eight or nine games for players to fully to get into it.”