KEEPING UP WITH JONESES
New boss Nathan hoping to make family of Saints supporters happy
NATHAN JONES intends his first crack at Premier League management to be a family affair.
Jones, who guided Luton to the Championship play-offs last season, has been handed the task of dragging Southampton out of the drop zone after Ralph Hasenhuttl was axed on Monday.
And he has an extra incentive given plenty of the in-laws will be taking a keen interest.
“I’m really proud to be given this opportunity,” said Jones, who was given permission to speak to Southampton following Luton’s Championship defeat at Stoke on Tuesday
“I know a lot about the club from back in the days of The Dell to coming here to St Mary’s, and it’s a wonderful football club.
“A lot of my family are Southampton fans, which doesn’t half help, and I feel really, really proud to be given the opportunity. I’m really looking forward to getting started.”
The Welshman faces a baptism of fire in the top flight, with Southmampton taking on Liverpool at Anfield in his first game in charge tomorrow.
But he needs to hit the ground running after Sunday’s 4-1 home defeat by Newcastle left the Saints in the bottom three, with just one win in their last nine league games under Hasenhuttl (below).
Saints fans will be crossing their fingers the club has made an inspired choice by turning to a manager who has no Premier League experience.
The former Brighton and Yeovil midfielder has had two spells in charge of Luton, winning promotion from League Two before becoming Stoke boss in 2019.
Jones returned to Kenilworth Road 18 months later and guided them to a sixth-placed finish in the Championship last season before they lost to Huddersfield in the play-off semi-finals.
Jones, who will be joined at St Mary’s by first-team coaches Chris Cohen and Alan Sheehan, said: “Obviously I wanted to manage in the Premier League, I’ve dreamt of that since I’ve become a coach.
“But this club in particular – because of how it’s run, because of the structure, because of how they look deeper than just results – really appeals to me.”
Stephen Robinson, Neil Critchley and Mark Bonner are on Luton’s shortlist to replace Jones.
Chief executive Gary Sweet thanked Jones, saying: “He has given us some fantastic memories and a team to be constantly proud of.”