Solely 19 miles separates Luton City and Watford, two historic rivals, however within the eyes of Rob Edwards there are some stark variations between the golf equipment.
Edwards was sacked by Watford in September having suffered simply two defeats in 10 league video games, the most recent in a protracted line of short-term appointments – their eighth supervisor since 2020.
In June – quickly after he was appointed having guided Forest Inexperienced to promotion to the third tier of English soccer for the primary time – Watford’s chief govt Scott Duxbury promised that they might stick by the Welshman ‘come hell or excessive water’. However the actuality was very completely different.
In distinction, Luton have been an image of stability in current occasions. Nathan Jones took cost of greater than 300 video games in two spells earlier than leaving to affix Southampton within the Premier League simply earlier than the World Cup break, giving Edwards the chance to step in and substitute him at Kenilworth Highway.
He’s assured that his second expertise of being a Championship supervisor will likely be very completely different to his first.
“I do not assume we even had the chance to fail in 10 league video games”, Edwards stated of his time at Watford, forward of Sunday’s recreation towards Millwall, dwell on Sky Sports activities Soccer and Essential Occasion.
Rob Edwards was sacked by Watford after simply ten video games
“We have been a degree exterior the play-offs or no matter and beginning to get gamers match once more however look, it is carried out and I am snug with it. I am absolutely centered at Luton City now and if that hadn’t occurred, I would not be right here and I am actually actually happy that I’m.
“My eyes have been vast open. I knew that might occur, that is the character of first crew soccer. That might’ve occurred at Forest Inexperienced, there’s at all times a component of danger if you take a job from each side – the membership supplying you with the prospect and clearly you going there, however as a result of it was such a brief time period, it was arduous to fail in that period of time.
“I’ll have realized stuff and I’ve mirrored. I will be higher for it, however with out that, I would not be right here now. After a few weeks, I really feel at dwelling right here.
“In fact it frustrates you as a result of I did not need to lose my job and felt that we may very well be profitable there, however I feel anybody that is a head coach or a supervisor feels they need to again themselves and they could be a success wherever they’re at.
Highlights of the Sky Guess Championship match between Middlesbrough and Luton
“But it surely occurred and I handled it fairly shortly. It was throughout that worldwide break, I will not go into the main points however I did not really feel it coming. Nevertheless, it did and that is soccer.”
Edwards inherited a crew that stunned many by reaching the Championship play-offs final season earlier than dropping to Huddersfield over two fiercely contested legs. As soon as once more, they’re aiming to be “within the shake up”, within the phrases of their new supervisor.
He was linked with a variety of vacancies after departing Vicarage Highway, together with Middlesbrough – who beat Luton with a stoppage-time winner in Edwards’ first recreation in cost final weekend.
However the former centre-back was satisfied Luton was the proper alternative to return to after preliminary conversations with chief govt Gary Candy and membership legend and head of recruitment Mick Harford.
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Edwards stated: “It fills me with a whole lot of confidence that they do, traditionally, give the managers a whole lot of time right here.
“The conversations I’ve had with the soccer membership, they need to try to assist us as a lot as doable and assist us construct one thing transferring ahead and progress the membership. It seems like there are similarities to Forest Inexperienced and that first one which we took the place Mark Cooper had 5 years earlier than me.
“That is why coming right here was the proper factor. What was necessary within the subsequent one was me choosing the membership and the homeowners I’ll be working for and with as a lot as them choosing me.
“They put folks first. In fact we’re all aggressive, we need to win soccer matches and construct and everybody desires to get to the Premier League, however there is a realism as effectively. There is a human facet to them and I actually like that.
“We spoke about a whole lot of issues, households and residential not simply stuff on the grass and soccer, and I favored that.
Rob Edwards spoke to SSN after his appointment in November, saying he’s glad to be given the chance to construct one thing on the membership after signing a three-and-a-half-year contract
“They’ve carried out nice, they achieved sensible issues final season they usually’ve continued that this season as effectively. I feel it will be silly to return in and say ‘overlook that, we will go this fashion now’. We do a great deal of issues effectively, let’s proceed to try this and get higher at it.
“Then let’s construct and evolve and get higher and develop as we transfer on. Nathan would’ve needed to try this as effectively if he’d have stayed right here; enhance and maintain getting higher each week, each month and each recreation.”
Edwards spoke to his predecessor Jones quickly after being appointed – a textual content from Edwards was responded to virtually immediately with a telephone name and a stellar reference in regards to the membership he had arrived at.
Now the problem for Edwards is to be embraced by the supporters in the identical means that each Jones and Harford – a preferred and profitable interim – have been in recent times.
Nathan Jones guided Luton to the Championship play-offs final season
“I am by no means going to compete with Mick, I am unable to compete with Mick,” Edwards joked.
“I can solely be me. I am not Nathan, I am definitely not Mick. We’ll attempt our greatest for this soccer membership and that is what we have stated after we met any supporters. We are able to by no means assure a win, I want you can, however you possibly can assure we’ll give completely all the pieces and the gamers will depart all of it on the market.
“Our followers are actually clever they usually get that. They need that combating spirit, they need us to offer all the pieces for the badge and if we try this, they’ll admire it.
“He [Nathan] spoke in such glowing phrases in regards to the soccer membership – the gamers, the workers, the folks, the supporters and it was actually refreshing and good for me to listen to these issues actually.
“If I needed recommendation, I do know he’d fortunately give that, nevertheless it was extra a dialog in regards to the folks and the soccer membership. He was so optimistic about it.”
