Harry Cornick and James Collins have both sung the praises of Luton manager Graeme Jones for his work to improve them as goalscorers.
The Hatters chief was, himself, a forward in his playing days and he has coached world-class attackers such as Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard, Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku for the Belgium national side.
There, he also worked alongside Arsenal legend Thierry Henry as Belgium got to the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2018.
Now in his first managerial job, the Hatters are the Championship’s joint highest scorers with 12, while Collins is their top marksman, netting in each of his last four games for club and country and notching five in eight appearances this season.
The 28-year-old’s strike in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Queens Park Rangers was his 49th in 100 appearances for Luton.
Asked how Jones has helped him, Collins said: “He has been great with me personally. We get on really well and he obviously sees something in me that he had when he was a player.
“I hear from people that he knows that he was similar to me, so he gives me great tips. He doesn’t let people rest on their laurels, he won’t want people to be bang at it every day and he doesn’t want people slacking off because the only way you’re going to get better is if you train hard and play hard.
“I really like that about him and he’s bringing the best out of me at the minute.”
Cornick nabbed a goal and the assist for Collins at the weekend to take his tally for this term to three in eight games. Considering he only scored eight in 37 games last season, there’s a sense that the former Bournemouth flyer is also improving.
Jones believes both forwards are now firmly established as Championship players, in their first ever campaign in the division, and Cornick said: “I feel like I’m growing into it, my role I know more.
“I think the manager’s helped me really understand my role in the team and he’s improved me no end so far, so hopefully I can just keep up my personal record for the season.”
