Nathan Jones is sacked as Saints boss days after claiming ‘there weren’t many better’ than him

Nathan Jones won’t want to look back on his press conferences at Southampton too fondly following his sacking as the club’s first-team manager on Sunday.

Time was up for Jones after Saturday’s home defeat against 10-man Wolves as the Welshman saw his tenure brought to an end after just 94 days in charge.

Jones didn’t do himself any favours when facing the media at Saints, with his brazen honesty and lack of filter when answering questions leading to his sacking.

Astonishing statements saw him claim that he turned Luton into one of the ‘statistically best teams in Europe’ during his time at the Championship club, and in his final pre-match press conference explained that he ‘could have stayed and married a nice Welsh girl’ instead of moving into management.

Sportsmail looks back on some of Jones’ wildest claims and most outlandish statements during his short stint in charge of the Premier League’s bottom-of-the-table strugglers. 

Nathan Jones has been sacked as Southampton boss after just 94 days in charge of the club

The Welshman’s approach to media duties saw him often produce some bizarre comments

‘That’s nothing against Welsh girls’ – Southampton vs Wolves – PRE-MATCH

Jones perhaps saved one of his most eye-catching quotes for his final pre-match press conference at Southampton on Thursday.

The 49-year-old was asked about the challenges he was facing at Saints amid a disastrous run of at the time just one win in six league games. 

Jones quipped that he could have stayed in his homeland of Wales and enjoyed a quiet life but instead decided to move into management. Perhaps now he’s out of work Jones might check for any vacancies as a PE teacher.

Jones said: ‘The manager left and my next move was to go to Spain. No logic in that as I was homesick in Luton and I decided to go to Spain. 

He said in a press conference that he ‘could have stayed in Wales and married a nice Welsh girl’

The 49-year-old manager oversaw eight league defeats during his time in charge at the Saints

‘I enjoy a challenge, I could have stayed in the mining community and been a P.E teacher and had a nice life. Married a nice Welsh girl and all of those things… beautiful.’

I want to test myself and that’s nothing against Welsh girls.’ 

‘There weren’t many better than me’ – Brentford vs Southampton – POST-MATCH

Jones lost his head after Southampton’s final away defeat against Brentford that saw Thomas Franck’s side put three goals past a humiliated Saints squad.

The now out-of-work boss blew off steam in the wake of another damaging defeat and weirdly began his defence by harping back to his time in charge of Luton.

He explained that he became one of the best managers in Europe at Luton. Oh Nathan, perhaps one of Europe’s super-clubs might now come calling, but we doubt it. 

‘I’ve compromised because of fans, and so on, a few little things but – no more.

He let off steam in his press conference after Southampton’s recent hammering by Brentford

Jones weirdly claimed he was ‘one of the best managers in Europe’ during his time at Luton

‘I’ve been very successful playing a fluent style, Luton were a real aggressive front-footed side. Statistically, there weren’t many better than me around Europe in terms of aggression, clean sheets, defending the box, balls in the box, xG, all those sort of things.

‘We were pound-for-pound the best because we were spending next to nothing and producing so much. I’ve gone away from that because it’s the Premier League and due to certain players and internationals.’

‘I have ignored everything’ – Southampton vs Man City – POST-MATCH

In any job it’s often advised to listen and learn from any criticism that comes your way. However, Jones revealed that after stunning Man City in the Carabao Cup that he would take his own approach to dealing with the club’s fans.

Southampton supporters have been calling for Jones’ head long before his exit was confirmed but the former-player-turned-manager was hearing none of it.

Jones strangely revealed he was ignoring criticism and doesn’t read social media. Perhaps not the best move when trying to build a relationship with your fanbase. 

‘I have ignored everything really and I don’t want it to be a big issue because some of it’s justified, some of it’s not,’ Jones said of the criticism.

‘I took umbrage to one thing really (Doswell’s comments). When you’re in the public eye and when you do a job like managers do, you’re going to get criticism regardless of what you do at every level. 

‘It’s nothing to do with thick skin or not, I think I’ve held myself with real dignity in terms of recent weeks and hopefully now coming through.

‘I don’t hear it. I was informed about one incident, that’s it. I don’t read social media, I don’t read press much. I block everything out. I have tunnel vision on trying to do a job for Southampton.’

Jones was criticised heavily after losing his first four leagues games in charge at Southampton

But the boss strangely claimed he does not pay attention to criticism of his management style