Harford confirms Hatters are looking at a number of managers to replace Jones

Mick Harford is involved in the decision to replace previous manager Nathan Jones

Town interim chief on the shortlist in place at Kenilworth Road

Luton Town have a number of managers they are interested in talking to as they look to replace Nathan Jones following the Welshman’s decision to join Premier League side Southampton last week.

The 49-year-old headed to the south coast after the Saints sacked Ralph Hasenhüttl, beaten 3-1 in his opening game at Liverpool yesterday.

With chief recruitment officer Harford taking interim charge of the 1-1 draw against Rotherham United, a number of managers have been listed in the running, the current favourite being former Blackpool boss Neil Critchley at 5/2, with Bournemouth caretaker Gary O'Neil and St Mirren chief Stephen Robinson both at 3/1.

Asked whether a shortlist had been drawn up, then Harford, who is on the committee to appoint the next man, said: “We’ve been looking since we knew Nathan was leaving.

“We've spoken to managers.

“Is there a shortlist? There’s a number of managers who we quite like and we have to interview in the coming days, so we’re looking to do it as soon as possible.

“We’d like to get it concluded as soon as possible and get them in there.

“The type of manager we’re looking for, which has been said, is someone who is going to be long term, look at the whole picture of the club and hopefully take us into the new stadium.”

Previous manager Jones appeared to just ‘get’ the Hatters, leading them to safety when he returned in May 2020, establishing Town in the second tier the following campaign and then masterminding a play-off place last term.

Harford knows that it’s important the new man follows a similar approach, as he continued: “We’re just looking for a manager who's going to be a good fit here.

"Someone who’s going to play a certain type of football, hopefully exciting and just we look for the right fit, it's never easy to find the right fit but we’re working on it.”

As the season now breaks for the World Cup, Luton will look to have the vacancy filled before the players return to the club after having a week off, as Harford added: “We’d like to think so.

“We’d like a new manager in place before the players come back, which is around the 22nd, 23rd (of November).

"Ideally that would be the way, but who knows in football.

"You know how football works and how the world works, we will persevere and try to get the right man in place.

"Whoever’s coming in knows he’s got a real honest bunch of players.”