Graeme Jones says that Callum McManaman has sometimes been the victim of Luton’s system, but says the winger is still making telling contributions when he does play.
Town travel to face Wigan tomorrow, a club where both the player and manager were part of the Latics’ most successful ever spell, in the Premier League and as FA Cup winners.
McManaman scored against his former side in December to set up a grandstand finish as Luton came from behind to win and he came off the bench at the weekend against Stoke to win a late penalty that James Collins converted to take a point in their fight for Championship survival.
“At the weekend, he came on and he got us another penalty, so I think if you look at his numbers, he’s got two penalties and three goals, the majority of which have been from coming off the bench,” said Jones.
“As long as people are contributing and understanding their role, I’m quite happy.
“Every time he’s played he contributes, he does something and he’s still never lost his ability in the last third, at all.
“I think, sometimes, our system goes against him a little bit. He can play out wide, he can play as a split striker to try to get him in that final third. Where he’s at his best is where the work is for us as a team.
“I think if you’ve got more possession you can progress in a different way. It’s been horse for courses all along.”
McManaman hasn’t started a game since the 3-1 New Year’s Day defeat to Millwall, and has only featured three times since. Asked if he’d hoped the winger would’ve started a few more games, Jones said: “Yeah, but he got injured on New Year’s Day, he overstretched for a ball over his head and tweaked his hamstring.
“He did the same against West Brom early in the season and somebody like Callum, who, as I’ve said, takes longer than everybody else to get fit, it halts his progress.”
While Wigan is a club that Jones knows well, he says he attached no sentiment to the game with Town hoping to take points off a relegation rival whose form has seen them edge clear of the drop zone.
He said: “I played three years at Springfield Park and a year at the JJB (Stadium), as it was then, the obviously I had four years there as an assistant manager.
“My home’s in that area, but I spent eight years there as a player, but I’ve got no sentiment at all, I don’t look at it that way.
“It will be nice to see some familiar faces, who are friends, because I spent that much time at the club but, emotionally, I’m completely detached.
“I’m only looking at the game, rationally, on behalf of Luton Town.”
