Graeme Jones says it wouldn’t matter if his men were playing Wigan or Manchester United tomorrow – he just demands a reaction to their worst league defeat in 53 years.
The Hatters have been reeling from a 7-0 embarrassment at the hands of Brentford last weekend while having to prepare for a massive relegation six-pointer at home to the Latics.
Wigan, where Jones has played, coached and won the FA Cup, currently sit in the Championship drop zone with Luton just one point and one place better off, just outside of the relegation places.
Jones must now try to mastermind a victory after a performance in west London last week, which he said at the time, he was “disgusted” with.
“Irrespective of if it’s Wigan or Man United. We need a reaction,” the Hatters chief said.
“I think, how we’ve managed this week, we’ll get one. We need to perform, we need to give the supporters something to get behind. We need to find a way.
“Actually, forgetting it’s Wigan, we’re concentrating on our performances, it’s where we are.”
A home match against a relegation rival, who are on a seven-game winless run, would, for many, be a must-win clash.
“These moments were always going to come. Maybe not 7-0, but we were going to have difficult moments,” said Jones, adding: “If we can be together after everybody is trying to fraction the groups, and put in a big Luton Town performance, they’re the days that keep you in the Championship.
“There’s no point fighting, there’s no point in not being together, we need everybody pulling in the same direction at 3 o’clock on Saturday. I’ve got no doubt we will.
For Jones, Wigan is where, as a striker, he was most prolific, scoring 44 goals in 96 appearances.
Then he return to the club ten years ago as an assistant to Roberto Martinez, being part of the club’s most successful period in the Premier League, culminating in the last great FA Cup final shock when Wigan beat Manchester City 1-0 in 2013.
“I love Wigan athletic. I had eight years there as a player and an assistant manager. I won League Two there, I won a golden boot there, personally. I won an Auto Windscreen (Trophy) there, I won an FA Cup there, so I’ve got great history with the football club, but, honestly, with the greatest respect to anybody, I really don’t care who we’re playing at the weekend.
“Luton Town’s my football club now and we need a reaction. That’s where all the work has been this week.
“I’ve kept the week very, very simple to what a normal working week would be here, because we need to be fresh at the weekend, ready to lay a glove on Wigan.”
