Nathan Jones exclusive: 'Charlton are bang on track for Premier League'

"You want to get punched in the balls as early as possible," says Nathan Jones, as though it's one of life's great truisms. Charlton were the only team to win their first three Championship matches this season, but the three draws and two defeats to follow have not alarmed manager Jones.

Better to get them out the way, the eccentric Welshman insists. In his club tracksuit and fresh white Crocs, Jones is in a place of comfort now back at Charlton, where he spent a year as Under-21s manager in 2012/13 - his breakout role in a crucial period when he "felt I wasn't learning anything" following years as an assistant.

He is convinced he stood out to the Addicks in 2024 because he is known to "overperform" on tight budgets. "West Ham, Southampton or Wolves are expected to win every single game," Jones tells Standard Sport.

"Their squads and budgets have been Premier League. Whereas West Ham don't want to be in this league, we see it as the next step on our journey.

We've laid foundations to be a very good Championship club - though we've had Premier League pedigree in the past. People are welcome to their own opinions," Jones says.

"Our squad is considerably better than last year's," he adds, revealing that when the south-east London club pitch themselves to transfer targets, "We end the presentation by pretty much proving this is the right place to be. At times, we end up developing staff quicker than we develop the players.

Our growth has not been shaped by big money but by hard work." Is conquering their constraints a motivating factor?

Our growth has not been shaped by big money but by hard work Charlton manager Nathan Jones I don't know what Premier League fans think of me, he reflects.

Jones was appointed at Southampton in November 2022 but lasted only 95 days, becoming the shortest-serving manager in their history. "Listen, it was a difficult time.

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."