27-year-old Simon Sluga joined Luton Town in mid-July last year, ahead of the Hatter’s season back in the Sky Bet Championship. He joined the Bedfordshire outfit from hometown side HNK Rijeka. His initial time in England saw some struggles but now Luton boss Nathan Jones thinks a settled Sluga can kick on and show some good form.
Luton is not Sluga’s first foray into football away from his Croatian background. Between August 2011-August 2015, Sluga spent time in Italy on three loan deals taking in Juventus, Verona and Spezia.
Since signing on as a Hatter, Sluga has made 28 appearances for the club. These 28 appearances have seen him concede 45 goals whilst keeping just four clean sheets. He is enjoying a resurgence in form now, after being dropped and reinstated in Luton’s team plans by former boss Graeme Jones.
Current boss Nathan Jones comments on this situation and explores a little how it affects players switching between countries to play football. Quoted on the club website, Jones says:
“When he [Sluga] first came into the club, it takes time. I’ve been a foreigner, playing in a foreign country, and there are a lot of barriers. Language, the dressing room, the culture, everything is different, so sometimes it takes a bit of time.”
Jones then continues by contrasting the situation at Luton with other club. Jones says of this:
“Big clubs have the luxury of when they buy foreign players of bringing them in, integrating them, they have player liaisons, interpreters and all those types of things, but we haven’t got that here.“
The Luton boss ends his thoughts of the Sluga situation in a very positive manner. Talking of how things are now different, Jones adds:
“It was always going to be a transitional period for him, but, hopefully, he’s now settled and is very comfortable in the environment and his surroundings, and we’re going to see the best of him.”
That search for the ‘best of Sluga’ will continue today against Reading as the Hatters look to extend their current unbeaten run of six games.
