Luton manager Rob Edwards acknowledged that the potential boost Preston North End could receive from their new manager has complicated his and his coaching staff’s preparations for today’s match at Deepdale.
Preston appointed former Sheffield United and Leeds United manager Paul Heckingbottom on Tuesday, following Ryan Lowe’s departure by mutual consent after just one game this season. Although Edwards has faced Heckingbottom twice before, with a perfect record from those encounters—once with Luton and once with Watford—his lack of insight into Heckingbottom’s plans has meant Luton’s preparation has focused more on their own strategy than on Preston’s.
Edwards remarked, “It’s challenging. This week has been more about focusing on ourselves. We can provide information on their players and speculate on potential tactics, but without knowing their exact approach, it’s tough. Hecky could come in with a completely new strategy or decide to maintain consistency and use the international break to fine-tune things.”
Edwards noted, “Heckingbottom has various options at his disposal, but he’ll likely feel that his team has the capability to play a certain way and secure a win. We need to approach the game with the highest level of respect, treating it as we do every match. With the new manager bounce and the early stage of the season, we’ve had to focus a lot on our own preparation to ensure we get everything right.”
After finishing 10th last season, Preston has struggled early this year, losing their first two Championship matches without scoring and conceding five goals in defeats to Sheffield United and Swansea. However, they did secure a 2-0 victory over Sunderland in the Carabao Cup and have forward Will Keane, who scored in double figures last season.
Regarding the threat Preston poses, Edwards added, “It’s not just Keane; there’s also Emil Riis, Sam Greenwood, and others in their attack. They have plenty of strength and are a solid Championship team. We’ve reviewed many of their players and will provide the team with that information.
“We can never be entirely certain, so we’ve focused heavily on our own preparation, which is always important but even more so in this case. We’ve worked on potential vulnerabilities and areas where we might exploit them, but the game could unfold differently, and we’ll need to adapt accordingly once the match begins.”
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