Nathan Jones has reaffirmed his love for Luton after being linked to the Brighton and Hove Albion manager’s job after Graham Potter this afternoon left the Seagulls to take over from sacked Thomas Tuchel in the Chelsea hotseat.
The Hatters boss played more than 150 games in five years for the south coast club and later returned as assistant head coach under Oscar Garcia, becoming the caretaker manager for two games between Sami Hyppia and Chris Hughton, before returning to a coach’s role.
Jones then left Albion to take on the Kenilworth Road job in 2016. After a controversial departure from Luton and an unsuccessful spell at Stoke City in 2019, Jones returned to Town in 2020, keeping them in the Championship and then guiding them to the play-off semi-finals last term.
Jones signed a new five-year deal with the Hatters on New Year’s Day, designed to take his tenure up to 2027. But bookies have made Jones the third favourite to return to his old club behind Kjetil Knutsen, the head coach of Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt and Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper.
Asked what he could say to reassure Luton fans over the links to his former club, Jones said: “That’s pie in the sky. Graham Potter’s done a wonderful job at Brighton, got them to a position. I’ve got a real good job here that I love.
“I wish Graham all the best. For him to leave Brighton, I know that would’ve been a big wrench for him because he’ll have had a good relationship there.
“There’s sanity in how he works, but when Chelsea comes calling it’s a wonderful thing. I understand a decision like that but that’s got nothing to do with me, really. I wish him all the best.
“But I know Brighton will have their candidates lined up because they’re a very, very, very well-run football club and the owners and Paul Barber just do a wonderful job there.
“I know they’ll have their options and they’ll do what they need to do.”
