Luton’s FA Cup goal hero George Moncur has praised Nathan Jones as the first manager to stop him switching off in games, as a major reason why he’s starting to thrive at the club.
The midfielder netted the only goal against Reading at the weekend to put Town in the hat for the fourth and fifth round cup draws this evening.
That was Moncur’s third strike this season in his 16th appearance, and he’s now only four outings away from his entire output from last term under previous boss, Graeme Jones, when he didn’t feature at all between September 24 and December 7, 2019.
The 27-year-old revealed then that it was his defensive abilities, or lack thereof, that kept him on the fringes. But Moncur has already played two more games under the current boss, since his return to Luton in May, and with no fans in the stadium due to coronavirus, it’s possible to hear the Welshman constantly giving the player instructions.
“He’s been on me every day, to be fair,” said Moncur, adding: “He’s the first manager that has really knuckled down and, not shout, but gives me information where I know I have to do it.
“Whereas before, I used to switch off. He’s the one where I know what I’ve got to do, so I’m not in a situation in games where I don’t know what I’m doing any more, off the ball and runs, so he’s helped me loads.”
Moncur could have left Luton in the summer, but he was convinced to stay and Jones revealed what happened, saying: “To paint a picture, George just said, ‘I just want to play games’.
“We said, ‘right, we could loan him back to ten League One sides.’ The best sides in League One would want George Moncur in their side because he would rip up the division, like he did here and like he has in the past. That’s why he got his move.
“I said to him, ‘you could either do that and take the easy way out, or you can knuckle down and start impacting on the Championship’. So, he said, ‘OK, I’ll do that.’
“He could still get better in possession, but in possession he’s been a very productive player for any club he’s played. Out of possession he needed to learn. And everyone has to learn.
“It’s not like George can’t do it or didn’t want to do it, he just needed to learn and that’s all it was.
“We like to educate here and everyone’s at their maximum here, and he’s taken everything on board.
“He’s brilliant. He’s great to have around, he’s exactly like a Pelly-Ruddock. He reminds me of Pelly in terms of how they are around the place.
“He lifts people, he’s a certain character and he’s a born again Christian, which he openly professes and preaches, with lifts people as well.
“So, we really like George and it would be a shame for him to keep taking the easy way out and going to one of the better footballing sides in League One because he’s never going to fulfil all that potential, if he just wants to dominate that level.
“Now, he has to improve and we’re delighted with him. It’s very nice that he says those things but a lot of the onus has been on him.
“If he didn’t want to do it, then no matter how good a manager, coach, or environment you’ve got, if players don’t want to do it, they don’t, but he does.”
That’s a trait that runs through the Hatters’ squad and Jones knows from past experience of managing in the Championship with Brighton and Hove Albion and Stoke City, that talent isn’t the only thing that brings success.
He said: “The Championship is a relentless league and I’ve worked with players that thought they were too good for the Championship and didn’t believe that had to put in that daily work. They got punished for it.
“Whereas, we have a group here that realise the value of doing the basics right. And that’s what you have to do in the Championship. If you do the basics right, you’re consistent and work hard and then if you have ability, because you need it to win games at this level, but you give yourself a chance if you have that work-rate and that desire to do well.
“We have a group here that wants to do that. Anyone that doesn’t want to do it stands out like a sore thumb and that’s why this environment is so good.
“There’s no disrespect whatsoever with this, but we haven’t got the pure finance of others. We haven’t got the absolute top-end talent that some have got, that have been in the Premier League and so on, but what we’ve got is a real good ability. We’re a talented group, but we’ve got a real desire to do well. They’ve got a belief in themselves and what they do and that can take us a long way.”
