Rob Edwards hits back at 'mad' criticism over Luton spending and opens up on Watford sacking
07/10/2023 10:31
Rob Edwards believes Luton should be applauded and not criticised for refusing to risk another financial meltdown by splurging out in the transfer market.
The Hatters have come under fire in some quarters for spending just £17million on new signings following their fairytale promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.
Luton host Tottenham today – live on talkSPORT – in their biggest fixture as a top-flight club only nine years after playing non-league football having almost gone out of existence.
Manager Edwards said: "For someone to say they cannot take us seriously, because we maybe we haven't spent enough money or something like that, I just think that's mad.
"In this day and age what are you supposed to do? Spend £150m and if you don't, people criticise you?
"Is there a happy medium? If you spend £60m or £70m, then that's OK and you are being sensible as well? It's flipping bananas.
"We've got a plan, and we'll try and stick to that. It has served us well for the last decade.
"Without talking negatively if the worst happened and we go down then no one is going to lose their job and the club is in a really good position to attack it and try and go back up.
"Don't get me wrong, as the manager of this football club, I want to make sure we stay up and want to make sure we compete at this level next season as well.
"We are progressing and moving the right way to try and do that but for people to say cannot be taken seriously because we have only spent £17m, I don't get it.
"I think because there's a plan there that should be respected and maybe there's another way to have success in football."
Edwards has enjoyed his own meteoric rise since after bouncing back from being sacked by Watford only 11 games into last season to lead their bitter foes to the promised land.
The former Wolves star said: "I do not regret it.
"An opportunity came along to manage a team that were getting relegated but they were a Premier League team.
"They had some really good players, so there was opportunity to get them back in the Premier League.
"I think there was also a bit of ego there in thinking, 'We can get this going.' The flip side of that was if it doesn't happen, if we don't do well and do get sacked then people will look at it and say, 'That's Watford.'
"I was really lucky after we got sacked because the phone was quite hot and there were a few potential opportunities quite quickly, and at really good clubs.
"I'm really pleased with how everything worked out.
"We backed ourselves to do a really good job, but it was a bit of a risk coming from Watford to Luton, their arch rivals and trying to take over from Nathan Jones, who is a huge figure at this football club and done such a good job here.
"It's not nice feeling getting sacked and there's embarrassment there. It is difficult for the whole family.
"You want to just do a good job first and foremost for the football club that you are representing and I am pleased that we were able to do that but, of course, there's an element of, 'I'll show you.'
"Here everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet and everyone is going in the same direction.
"I have seen that twice at two football clubs where I've been involved in two promotions with teams that are aligned and everyone from top to bottom, knows the role and knows what we are doing and wants to support each other.
"Then I've seen a little bit of the opposite as well, where it can be difficult. I work what kind of environment I work better in."
Watch the interview in full over on talkSPORT’s YouTube channel!
