Luton Town manager Rob Edwards admitted to feeling pangs of jealousy watching Leicester City and Ipswich Town celebrate their promotion to the Premier League, a league he is eager to rejoin with Luton.
The Hatters’ hopes of competing against the Foxes and Tractor Boys next season were dashed after a 3-1 defeat to West Ham United last weekend. Now, Luton must beat Fulham tomorrow and overcome a 12-goal deficit to overtake fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest, who need just a point at Burnley to nullify Luton’s efforts.
While Luton endured their own crushing disappointment at the London Stadium a week ago, the two promoted sides were relishing the rewards of their hard work, securing their spots at the pinnacle of English football once more. Edwards watched their jubilant celebrations with a touch of envy, and after his debut season managing in the top flight, his desire to return has only intensified.
Speaking to the press yesterday, he said, “There are moments when I feel almost like I’m grieving and dealing with disappointment, but then there are times when I get motivated and think, let’s go. Right after the game, seeing our supporters gave me that feeling. And sometimes, when I see Ipswich or Leicester celebrating, I think, I want that for us next year. That has to be our goal. We know it’s really tough, but the fire is definitely burning.”
“I feel comfortable at this level, and so do the staff and many of the players. That really pleases me. It’s given us a lot of belief and confidence, but ultimately, we’ve just fallen short. It makes me a bit jealous of those who will be here next year. I’m hungry to get back. We draw inspiration from our own recent celebrations.
Seeing Ipswich and Leicester celebrate, and whoever wins the play-offs, has to fuel our fire. We have to dream again and do our best to get there because this year, facing the best, has been the highlight of my life. Like everyone, I’m ambitious. We want to win and compete against the best. It’s a big challenge ahead, but one we look forward to and relish. We’re desperate to get back here, of course.”
Although Leicester, who won the Premier League in 2016, will be well supported at this level, Ipswich haven’t been in the top flight since the 2001-02 season. Like Luton, they will likely be tipped to finish at the bottom before the season even starts. They will be joined by either Leeds or Southampton, who face each other in the play-off final at Wembley next Sunday.
With Luton, Sheffield United, and Burnley all being relegated after just one season in the Premier League, it highlights how difficult it is for newly promoted teams to stay up. Edwards acknowledges this challenge, saying, “It’s obvious there’s a huge gap. It’s disappointing because no one wants that; we all want competition. We gave our best but came up short. It’s a big jump, no doubt. Every team we faced had players capable of being in the top four, five, six teams, and they spend big money. But it’s not just about money; it’s about having a good plan. We won’t deviate from what we do, but we’re up against some big muscle, and it is a big jump.”