Graeme Jones says Simon Sluga is a strong character that won’t be daunted by ‘unfair’ criticism – but is grateful for the support from former Luton goalkeeper Ian Feuer.
The American played for Town 97 times between 1995 and 1998, arriving initially on loan and then joining permanently from West Ham United for £580,000.
Club record signing Sluga, who arrived from Croatian side Reijka in the summer for €1.5million has come in for some criticism among some supporters for perceived errors, having let a shot through his fingers on his league debut for Luton in the 3-3 opening day draw with Middlesbrough.
Feuer, 48, now the owner of Premier Goalkeeping Academy in the US has stepped in to respond to social media comments about the goalie ‘struggling to find his form’, while also calling for fans to get behind the goalie who has just been called into the Croatian national side for next month’s Euro 2020 qualifiers.
The 6ft 7ins American, who starred as the Predator in the 2007 film Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem, posted online: ‘I know it’s hard but the only thing we can do is trust the manager, the squad and the people int he place to get it right.
‘There are so many factors that go into the decisions made for every game. This season we have to except that it will be a grind and every game will be difficult.
‘Let’s get together and support the shit out of the Town next game!!!!! You are all the best supporters in the world!!!!! Let’s make this weekend special and cheer the team on like we have never done before!
‘Let’s also get behind Sluga and see if we can help him find the goalkeeper we all know he is! Let’s give him the biggest cheer he has ever heard when he steps on the field this weekend.!!!!’
Sluga, arguably had his best game for Luton on Tuesday night at Sheffield Wednesday, with Jones ruling him out for any blame in the side conceding the only goal in his post-match press conference.
But asked, ahead of the Championship trip to Barnsley on Saturday, about the support for Sluga from a former Town stopper, the manager said: “It’s a big thing, life as a goalkeeper. You’re on your own at times and judged on your errors.
“It’s not easy because you’ve got to pick yourself up, psychologically, and deal with it. But he’s a strong character and I think the fact that he’s a Croatian international certainly helps, but it’s nice to get that support from the outside as well, of a goalkeeper that knows what it’s about.
“But Simon will be absolutely fine, I’ve got no doubts about that. He’s in a period where he’s settling in to the country, settling in to the Championship, but he is settling in, because he’s got better every game. That’s the only measurement that I’ll look at.”
Asked if he’s looking at what Sluga does right, rather than any perceived mistakes, Jones said: “That’s absolutely right. His performance at Hillsborough 90 minutes was excellent.
“We’re talking about half a yard. So even the decision is not wrong, we’re talking about the execution of the decision.
“I can think of an instant a week before against West Brom where he over-rolls the ball to Pelly-Ruddock (Mpanzu) with a throw and we get caught a little bit. Maybe he under-rolled that because that was in his mind?
“He is getting punished for the smallest detail and I think it’s very very unfair. I’ve said before let’s us go to Croatia and try to do the job and speak a different language and understand a different style of play.
“The Championship is brutally different to anything he’ll have faced before. I think he’s doing fine it’s just a small error but he’s improved in every single game he’s played in, were talking about half a yard here, it’s very, very unfair.”
