Sweet not even looking at applications for managerial vacancy at Kenilworth Road

Luton chief executive Gary Sweet has stated the club remain uninterested in applications for the manager’s position at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters made the decision to terminate Graeme Jones’ contract by mutual consent on April 24, along with backroom staff members Gary Brabin, Inigo Idiakez and Imanol Etxeberria to save money after the season ground to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sweet stated at the time that the club weren’t looking to replace Jones, with head of recruitment Mick Harford taking over once more as ‘relationship manager between the board, staff and the playing squad on football matters.’

Since then, league sponsors SkyBet have made former manager Nathan Jones the red-hot bookies favourite at 1/10, but when asked about a new man coming in, Sweet said: “I’ve gone back and said we’re not considering applications at the moment and I think that’s our position.

“We’re not taking any interviews, I’ve had quite a few applications, but I’m not reviewing any new applications, we’re not looking at that at all at the moment.

“I’ll be honest, if I had 14 days in a week and if I had 48 hours in a day, I’d still not be looking at those as there are things that are much more important for the business right now, which is actually about the clubs survival.

“I say that quite starkly, if the club doesn’t survive, what’s the point in having a manager?”

On Harford taking over for his second spell in caretaker charge after leading Town to the Championship last term when Nathan Jones departed in January, Sweet added: “He’s not happy, Mick just loves doing his job, but Mick will do anything for Luton.

“So we’ll look after Mick as far as we can, and he’ll do whatever job is requested of him and we love him for that.”