Taylor: Why Can't We Replicate Luton? Thursday, 3rd Aug 2023 11:27 New signing Jack Taylor sees no reason why the Blues can’t be serious challengers at the top end of the Championship in the season ahead, pointing to Luton Town's surprise promotion via the play-offs in May. The midfielder, who joined the Blues for a fee of around £1.5 million from Peterborough last month, was speaking at yesterday’s Open Day which was attended by almost 7,000 fans with the signing session lasting more than two hours, despite rain weather. Taylor says he attended similar events while with Posh but the Town event was on a different scale. “It much different, I’ve had the same thing at Peterborough and it was nowhere near as long and nowhere near as many people,” he said. “Fair play to them for coming out today in the weather and queueing all that time. I’ve heard some of them were waiting for three hours to come and see us, so hats off to them, it goes a long way.” Taylor was on a table with Wes Burns and Freddie Ladapo, who proved two of the more popular players. “I was next to Freddie and they were all asking for pictures with him and I was thinking we were going to be the longest table,” he laughed. “But it’s what you need to do as a player.” Taylor says he has been welcomed into the fold by the squad, who have forged a close-knit bond over the last year or so. “You can see how close everyone is,” he said. “They trust each other and it goes a long way on the pitch as well. You want to dig in in those tough moments on the pitch where you’re under a bit of pressure. It’s good to have that togetherness and unity which creates a successful environment. “You’re digging in for each other, you’re working hard for each other and when things aren’t going so well, you’re being optimistic that it’s going to be better. “You need 11 leaders on the pitch, it’s not just a couple dictating, which I think you’ve got. You’ve got a lot of men put there who want to win football matches.”  The former Chelsea youngster who started his senior career at Barnet says he was well aware of the buzz around the club prior to signing. “I knew it before I came in that it’s going to be a club on the up, which is the perfect environment to be in,” he said. “But yes, you can feel it in the fans, they’re so happy and I’m looking forward to repaying them with wins this year.” Although he’s enjoyed his time at Portman Road so far, he admits it’s been no easy ride: “It’s been tough. At the end of the day, it’s pre-season, you can’t show exactly what you can do until the league games start to come and I’m really looking forward to showing everyone what I can do.” The 25-year-old says what’s expected of him by manager Kieran McKenna isn’t the same as was required of him by bosses at Peterborough. “It is much different, to be honest,” he reflected. “Much more tactical in possession and out of possession. But I think I’m adapting well and I’m getting the habits into my game.” Asked what McKenna has asked of him, he added: “Obviously the goals that I scored in the previous season but I’m looking to kick on, especially in my defensive side of the game, which I need to improve. Just my all-round game really, I think I can go to the next level.” Having netted 10 times for Peterborough in 2022/23, he says he’s looking for even more in the campaign ahead. “I’ve always tried to implement that in my game and it got me the move to League One and then I tried to kick on even more,” he continued. “I’m looking to score even more, assist more and create chances for the team.” The Hammersmith-born schemer believes McKenna and his staff can progress his game significantly. “Definitely. They’re so onto you, they watch all your clips back after games. With things like that, you can only get better.” Looking ahead to Sunday’s season opener at Sunderland, Taylor says he’s ready if called upon - “Of course I am!” - but knows he may not play week in, week out with central midfield a very competitive area of the squad. “I’ve not been used to sitting out, to be honest,” he said. “But I’m just going to keep training and every time I step on the pitch give it my all and hopefully he can’t drop me! “There’s a lot of variety of midfielders, but they’ve all got their own different qualities and it’s important to keep training with each other and compete. No one wants to be left out of the XI for Sunday, so it’s been really exciting.” He added: “To be successful, you always need a squad, you don’t just have an XI and a couple of others, you need a full squad to compete in training, pushing each other to become the best possible team.”  It’s expected that more than 40,000 fans will be at the Stadium of Light for Sunday’s live Sky game against the Black Cats, who finished sixth in the Championship last year before being beaten by Luton in the play-offs. “It’s what you want as a footballer, you want to play on these occasions and you want to thrive, so I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “No matter what time of the year you play them or how they’ve done, going to the Stadium of Light’s going to be tough. They’re going to have a big crowd but we’re ready for it.” Having played for Peterborough during their 2021/22 Championship season, which ended in relegation, Taylor knows what to expect from the second tier. “If you make an error, they’re going to pounce on it, there’s more clinical players,” he recalled. “It’s obviously more of a physical game, but the way we trained this pre-season, I think we’re more than ready.” Is this squad capable of having a go and being right up there this season? “I think so. Why not? You saw what happened last year, no one would have said Luton would have gone up, so why can’t we go and replicate that?” Does he feel there’s a different mindset at Town going into the season from Peterborough’s two years ago when survival will have been their main concern? “Sort of, yes,” he considered. “Survival was never spoken about at the start, but when it comes to Christmas time and you’re struggling a little bit it starts coming to to survival. I don’t think that will be an issue here, personally.” Taylor felt the year in the Championship improved him: “Definitely. I wasn’t happy with the year I had, I was injured through hamstrings and things like that. Staying injury free was a massive boost for me last season, so I’m looking to do the same this year.” How important does he consider the Blues starting well in the first month or so? “Obviously you want to pick up the wins nice and early, but it’s not the be all and end all. Teams are still figuring out style of play, will have new players and things like that. “But it’s obviously important to start [picking up points] because there’s no rest, it’s relentless. Leicester, Southampton, you’ve just got Tuesday, Saturday and you’ve just got to try and pick up as many points as you can.” It’s anticipated that the division will be more competitive than in recent seasons with the Foxes, Saints and Leeds having been relegated from the Premier League, but Taylor says clubs won’t treat Town lightly. “I’m pretty sure teams will fear us as well,” he insisted. “It’s going to be tough this year, but I think we’re ready.”  Town have already played two of last season’s Championship teams as part of their pre-season friendly programme, beating Preston 2-1 at Deepdale then drawing 1-1 with the newly-promoted Hatters at Colchester last week. The Blues impressed in both games but while Taylor says they gave the squad confidence, he says not too much can be read into games until the season proper gets under way. “Of course, but you don’t get anything for pre-season, you don’t want to get carried away with things like that,” he said. “When we do the same to Sunderland, then I think we can start being happy about it.” Looking further ahead, Taylor says he knows the importance of the derbies with Norwich, with the Canaries at Portman Road in December. “Everyone loves a derby day!” he said. “You know about the dislike for each other and how much it means to the fans. We’re going to be ready for that type of game because it’s going to be different to any other.” Taylor will be wearing the 14 shirt with the Blues but says it has no particular significance beyond being the lowest available number. “It was that or 28, my first ever squad number for Barnet years ago,” he said. “But I don’t mind 14.” Taylor hopes joining Town will further his international ambitions with the Republic of Ireland. So far, he has won seven caps at U21 level and has been in senior squads - including the party named earlier this summer - without making his senior debut. “Internationally, this will be the next step which which push me into the XI for Ireland, which I’ve been trying so hard to get into for so long,” he said. “I think it was the perfect way to project my career in how I play, coming in and suiting the style of play that the manager wants. My game can only get better.” He says it’s always been Ireland he has wanted to represent at international level: “Since I was younger, I got contacted by Ireland and I like to represent my mum’s side of the family.” Turning back to Sunday, Taylor says the Blues' 2,000 travelling fans will have a part to play, as they will throughout the season. “Everywhere, they travel up and down the country, so you give a bit extra when they’re travelling to the likes of Sunderland and places like that,” he said. “You want to make the journey worth it.”
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