Nathan Jones believes Charlton Athletic are firmly on course to return to the Premier League, insisting the club's progress since his arrival has exceeded expectations despite a recent dip in form.
Charlton began the Championship season in impressive fashion, becoming the only side to win all of their opening three matches. Since then, however, the Addicks have endured three draws and two defeats, a run that Jones views as a necessary part of the team's development rather than a cause for concern. The manager suggested it was preferable for the setbacks to arrive early in the campaign rather than later.
Now sitting ninth in the table, Charlton look well positioned to confound preseason predictions that had them among the favourites for relegation back to League One. Jones dismissed such forecasts, pointing instead to the improvements made within his squad compared to last season.
"People are welcome to their own opinions," Jones said. "Our squad is considerably better than last year's." He added that the club's pitch to potential signings often centres on convincing them that Charlton is the ideal environment for their careers, saying the presentation essentially demonstrates why joining the club is the right decision.
The 53-year-old Welshman, back at Charlton after previously managing the club's Under-21s in 2012/13, credited the team's rise to effort rather than financial muscle. "Our growth has not been shaped by big money but by hard work," he said, noting that at times the coaching staff have developed faster than the playing squad itself.
Jones also reflected on his brief and difficult spell in charge of Southampton, which lasted just 95 days in 2022/23 and remains the shortest managerial tenure in the club's history. He pushed back against suggestions that his time there was a failure, pointing out that Southampton struggled to win matches both before and after his appointment. "With the greatest respect, Southampton weren't winning when I got there, didn't win many when I was there, didn't win many when I left," he said. "When they got back [to the Premier League], three managers didn't win any games anyway. There's an underlying common denominator there, and it's not Nathan Jones."
At Charlton, Jones has placed significant emphasis on developing young talent, highlighting academy products Micah Mbick, 19, who has already attracted Premier League interest, and 20-year-old Alan Mwamba as prospects for the future. He described his role with young players as going beyond football coaching, seeing himself as an extension of their upbringing and family values.
Winger Tyreece Campbell has also impressed this season, recently scoring his first goal for Jamaica. Jones confirmed that Preston North End had shown interest in signing Campbell during the summer transfer window, though the move did not materialise. "It wasn't the first time we'd been tested on Tyreece. I don't think it will be the last," Jones said, adding that he holds high standards for the winger and pushes him accordingly. "I want Tyreece at 35 to have played for his country, in the Premier League, had the most fantastic career," he said.
Despite a heavy 5-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, Jones remains unshaken in his belief that Charlton are building something sustainable. "We are in as good a place as the club has been since the Premier League days," he said. "We're three years into the five-year plan we came in with. Our trajectory? We are bang on."
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.