Louie Watson says manager Rob Edwards is trying to play more football and that a new identity is already starting to emerge, as they take a three-game victorious league streak into the FA Cup against Wigan.
The new boss gave the 21-year-old his full Championship debut for the Hatters after he was signed from Derby in the summer by predecessor Nathan Jones, who left in November to take over at Premier League basement boys Southampton.
Town were mid-table in the Championship ahead of the festive fixtures, but three Christmas Championship victories out of three have propelled Luton into the play-off mix, having reached the semi-finals last term.
Though they’re in seventh, they are level on points with sixth-placed Millwall and fifth-placed Middlesbrough, and have a game in hand over everyone above them except the Lions.
Watson’s first start came in the 2-1 win over Huddersfield on New Year’s Day, which rounded off what has been a hugely promising start to Edwards’ tenure and the youngster has hailed the manager’s impact.
He said: “Nathan Jones was a top manager and put us in a great position, they got play-offs last year, he was class with everyone and he left us in a good spot.
“The new gaffer has come in now and he’s been class, you can see, everyone wants to run for him, everyone wants to perform for him and perform for the badge.
“He puts his arm around you, makes you feel good and he speaks highly of everyone and I think it’s important you have that figure in the managerial job especially.
“It’s good to have someone like that who’s going to trust players and give you that confidence to go on to the field, step over the white line and enjoy yourself and play to the best of your ability.
“He’s trying to play a lot more football so it’s important that we don’t go from the way we were playing to playing football straight away as it’s good to get a progression.
“I feel like every game we’re stepping into now, you can see the identity coming out and that progression to a certain extent is important.
“As soon as you start jumping into stuff that you’re not really used to that’s when errors can occur, so every single game I feel like the team is playing better and better and better and that’s important, progression on the pitch and off the pitch.
“So, the boys have taken everything on board and it’s showing in the performances.”
Edwards has also returned the praise to Watson, saying: “I think he’s got a bright future. I think he did very well in his first league start.
“I was really pleased with him, he’s a brave lad, he’s a confident young man and he’s a really good technical player.
“He helped us to win the game. He invited the pressure from them (Huddersfield) and we were able to play into the front players because he was able to accept the ball and pick up positions to try and invite that pressure.
“I was very, very pleased with him and we’ve got high hopes for him here.”
A calf strain for Jordan Clark paved the way for Watson’s first Luton league start at Huddersfield, and the midfielder said: “I was told the day before. The gaffer pulled me in and said the opportunity is here so make sure you take it by the scruff of the neck and prove a point.
“So, it was a nice touch getting my first start for the club, it was important coming into the game and being two wins on the bounce that we get the third one.
“Getting the win was a positive and that was the most important part, getting the wins, ticking every single game off with a win, puts us in a better position to the end of the season, trying to get promoted.”
Watson said he felt confident going into the game and added: “Every player is hoping for that trust and that confidence in you. Everyone has that confidence in themselves and when it comes from the gaffer and he’s giving you that opportunity, it’s important that when you get that opportunity, you thank him and you show it in your performances and hopefully that’s what what I did and hopefully I get many more to come.”
