Luton Town manager Rob Edwards has told striker Joe Taylor to force his way into the team after failing to secure a loan move away from the club.
The 21-year-old hit the headlines last season after two highly successful temporary transfers. He began the campaign at Colchester United in League Two, where he scored 12 goals in 27 appearances. This led to the Hatters making the decision to exercise a recall option to allow the attacker to try his luck at a higher level.
A move to League One ensued, with Lincoln City winning the race for his signature. He took to the third tier like a duck to water, helping the Imps surge up the table to the fringes of the play-offs. His 13 goal contributions in 19 outings saw him win the League One Player of the Month and Young Player of the Month in March.
After successfully navigating League One and Two, Taylor returned to Luton hoping to earn a shot at Championship football. His parent club had suffered relegation from the Premier League and there was a hope that opportunities would come. Watford were also reportedly keen.
It soon became apparent that the former Peterborough United man would face a challenge to break into Rob Edwards’ plans though. He was an unused substitute in the opening fixture of the season against Burnley whilst featured as a late substitute in the subsequent two games. As a result, another loan move to League One was touted.
Huddersfield Town emerged as the frontrunners, with speculation continuing right until the final moments of the transfer window. However, nothing materialised and he remained at Kenilworth Road.
Speaking to Luton Today, Edwards has revealed that he is happy that Taylor remains a part of his squad and has seemingly delivered a message telling him what he must to do earn a starting berth:
“We wanted to get the right thing for Joe and maybe if something had come off we would have looked at the right thing for Joe because we want him playing.
“But it’s good that he’s here now and he can play here. He’s got to force his way into the team. I know there’s been a lot of talk about him and he has scored goals in lower leagues, but there’s other things to his game we want to continue to work on. It’s down to us now he’s in the building to help him do that, but I’m pleased he’s here, he can be an asset for us.”
Luton have endured a dreadful start to the season, picking up just one point from their first four games. They have a chance to regroup during the upcoming international break before returning to action against Millwall later this month.
Writer’s View
Joe Taylor has the ability to perform at Championship level but must be patient in his approach. He is now a part of a squad that was playing Premier League football only a matter of months ago and it is only natural that there are other players ahead of him in the pecking order.
In an ideal world, he would be playing regularly. After so much football last season, this will be a disappointment. However, he will be given opportunities in the coming weeks and it is up to him to grab them with both hands. Edwards needs goals at the moment and if his current crop continue to fall short, Taylor could find himself thrust into the limelight sooner rather than later.