Winning mentality is vibrant throughout the says Still

A real winning mentality is being developed throughout every one of Luton’s sides according to Town chief John Still, writes Mark Wood.
L13-1231 LTFC Dev v Northants Dev at kenilworth road, Luton.
Mike Simmonds
JR 42
15.10.13L13-1231 LTFC Dev v Northants Dev at kenilworth road, Luton.
Mike Simmonds
JR 42
15.10.13
L13-1231 LTFC Dev v Northants Dev at kenilworth road, Luton. Mike Simmonds JR 42 15.10.13

Town’s first team are currently eight games unbeaten and sit third in the Skrill Premier, eight points behind leaders Cambridge United.

But that success is currently running through the club with Town’s development team recording their eighth straight win under boss Hakan Hayrettin following their 1-0 win at Gillingham on Tuesday.

Luton’s youngsters are currently riding high in the Youth Alliance and doing well in their League Cup, and also qualified for the first round proper of the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday when they beat Leighton Town 3-0 at Kenilworth Road.

On the youth team, Still said: “It’s good, really good. I didn’t go as me and Hak went to look at a game.

“But Terry (Harris) went and we spoke to the youth team guys and they were all well pleased that they’re making progress. So I am delighted with that, I really am.”

He was also full of praise for the job former Grays Athletic boss Hayrettin has been doing.

Still continued: “I have to say this, the development team won again at Gillingham.

“Hak’s done brilliant with them lads. Whenever we play, we play like the first team, which is what you want.

“The way we look at it is we don’t have no reserve team players.

“We have people that are in the first team and people trying to get in the first team.

“If you have a reserve team player, you’re going backwards. You’ve got first team players and people tying to get in the first team.

“That’s what you should have and to be fair to him he’s very good with that.”

Not only does Still believe that a winning mentality it now vibrant within the club, but he also thinks winning is an important part to a player’s development.

He added: “It’s got to be 100 per cent without a doubt.

“To be fair to him (Hayrettin), when he takes the game he wants to win.

“It’s important that people develop, and I don’t want to put winning over development.

“But winning’s a great habit when you’re developing and sometimes you’ve got to learn how to win games as much as you’ve got to learn how to play.

“You’ve got to learn how to win games sometimes, that’s important you know.

“The way that we play is the way that we play, won won’t change the way the we play.

“If we’re losing we’re not going to change the way that we play, but the way that we play can win games and can develop players and that’s what we want to do.”