Nathan Jones Southampton project: Is Nathan Jones the coach who can turn things around for Southampton in the fight against relegation? The 49-year-old Welshman led the Saints for the first time on Boxing Day. Jones is known for insisting on discipline. An anecdote from his time at Luton Town is typical.
Jones was at the helm of Luton Town for more than two seasons. Under his leadership, the club transformed from low-flyer to promotion candidate in the Championship. Last season Jones’ Luton finished sixth in the second tier. He replaced Ralph Hasenhüttl on 10 November 2022 signing a contract until 2026 summer.
Secrets behind success
When asked about the secrets behind that success, Jones started Talksport about a fallen table tennis table. The manager was extremely disturbed by how important table tennis was to the Luton players. In his opinion, the selection put too much energy into the training complex. Hoping to start fresh and change sports culture, he set the table on fire in front of the players at the end of a season.
“We had to demolish the table first. To make it burn properly, we thought it was important to change the atmosphere. We turned the table tennis room into a space where players could practise before going outside. I have nothing against relaxation, but this was at the expense of the real work. The culture changed,” Jones said of what he considered an important move.
The no-nonsense manager has acquired the second youngest selection in the Premier League at Southampton. The Saints invested a lot in talents in recent transfer periods. Last summer, for a total of 41 million euros, four promising players came over from Manchester City’s youth academy. The big question is whether the choice for young people is not too much at the expense of the short term. Southampton is under the red line with twelve points from fifteen matches.
