Still unfussed as Hatters are second favourites

The Luton chief has recruited superbly during the summer, making a host of stand out signings, as his side are now second favourites for the title behind Portsmouth with league sponsors Sky Bet going into this afternoon’s opening fixture with Accrington Stanley.

Still said: “It’s good that people recognise your squad is strong and you’re doing the right thing, but it’s on the pitch that counts.

“As far as I’m concerned, even last year, I was reasonably confident we would do well last year.

“Did I understand why we had that disappointment? Yes I did and I think we’ve reacted to that.

“We have to keep progressing and this season we want to be better than we were last season and hope we can find ourselves at that top end at the end of the season.”

On whether the squad he has put together for an title charge is the best of his career, Still continued: “I’ll let you know at the end of the season, I don’t know yet.

“I hope so, I’ve had some good squads, good players, but this is good, so its got to produce.

“We’ve got the sort of players that the longer the season goes, the stronger they get.

“There are going to get the whippets who fly out of the traps and smash everybody for six or seven games and then get the plodders who just do okay, then the marathon runners who tuck in behind everyone, but the longer we go, the better we’ll get.”

Still has been impressed with the way all his 11 new additions have gelled already as he added: “What we need are 22 players fighting Monday to Friday to play Saturday and at the moment, in training we’ve got that.

“We’ve been quite pleased as having brought so many in, getting them all on the same wavelength isn’t easy.

“95 per cent of us are on the same wavelength and the only reason the odd one or two aren’t can be for a variety of reasons. Pre-season is tiring, mentally it’s tiring and physically it’s tough, but everyone’s picked it up, and near enough everyone’s on that same wavelength.”

One of the main signings was the capture of the highly sought after striker Craig Mackail-Smith on a free transfer, but Still was quick to point out it won’t be a one-man operation this term.

He added: “I think it’s really important people look at Craig and he’s a very exciting player who works his absolute socks off, which I think supporters have seen already.

“Like lots of things, when you set out as a manager, it’s a jigsaw. You might add the cherry on the cake and have that bit of the jigsaw, but that little piece in the corner you still need to fit in.

“So other people may not seem as obvious to supporters, but seem as obvious to us because you have to complete the jigsaw.

“Piano players, piano carriers. Who’s going to play the piano? Well he can, but six people have got to bring the piano on for him to play it, it is a bit like that.

“Craig’s a terrific signing for us but we mustn’t underestimate the others who aren’t as obvious.”