Paul Cook joins Wigan *Updated*

[Boletus Edulis]

I note BBC are suggesting Cook is interested in taking over at Wigan. I know he is an ex-player, but I wonder if he thinks Eisner is not going to happen or if the takeover does he won't be wanted?

 

[Reaper]

Unless he wants to move back up north west i think he should stop at Portsmouth because they will be up there i should imagine as well.

 

[CFC91]

Sounds awfully familiar Cookie giving it the "loyalty I'll never leave" speil then a week later jumping ship because of off the field goings on..

Not that I blame him for leaving us, everything he, and others within the club, predicted has unfortunuately materialised

 

[SMH]

We've not made any official approach to Cook. Sounds to me like he's using the media to try and bag himself a lucrative new contract from Pompey's rich new owner. Then he can come out as the hero to the fans for "staying".

 

[SMH]

Why would he go to Wigan?

With all due respect, Wigan are a tiny club, considerably smaller than Portsmouth.

Wigan are a lower league 1 or division 2 club at best and will always be punching above their weight any higher than that. Wigan simply do not have the fanbase.

Wigan have a newer ground but thats all in their favour and counts for very little when theyll never be able to get close to filling it.

Pompey have lots of potential so he would be silly to go to Wigan.

So if you were manager at a football club and got offered a job at a different club with better facilities (training ground and stadium), better players and a better budget with a increase in your wages, you wouldn't even consider it because your current club attracts around 5000 more fans to home games? When will the average football fan realise that a big fanbase comes dead last in a manager's considering when it comes up to deciding between two clubs. Thought a Pompey fan would be slightly more intelligent than that considering their fall from grace.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Why would he go to Wigan?

With all due respect, Wigan are a tiny club, considerably smaller than Portsmouth.

Wigan are a lower league 1 or division 2 club at best and will always be punching above their weight any higher than that. Wigan simply do not have the fanbase.

Wigan have a newer ground but thats all in their favour and counts for very little when theyll never be able to get close to filling it.

Pompey have lots of potential so he would be silly to go to Wigan.

Money, nothing else needs adding.

 

[HertsWolf]

Why would he go to Wigan?

With all due respect, Wigan are a tiny club, considerably smaller than Portsmouth.

Wigan are a lower league 1 or division 2 club at best and will always be punching above their weight any higher than that. Wigan simply do not have the fanbase.

Wigan have a newer ground but thats all in their favour and counts for very little when theyll never be able to get close to filling it.

Pompey have lots of potential so he would be silly to go to Wigan.

No disrespect but that's kind of arrogant. You're barely "bigger" than Eastleigh these days. Not saying you don't have decent support (the numbers at Pompey have kept up) but remember there's clubs like Burton, Fleetwood, etc consistently above you. As someone else has said, there's a whole lot of things that count.....money, training facilities, stability, backroom support, not just crowd size.

Personally, I think Cook will continue to do well with you but he's a good manager who can do a lot with a small amount of money. that makes him a highly attractive prospect for many.

Oh and your away end is still one of the shittest in England.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Cook was brought in by Pompey to replicate what he did at Chesterfield and get them promoted soonish. He's done that. Maybe he considers that job done, and fancies a new challenge, place to live etc?

We don't know what the ownership situation at Pompey will be, if it stays as their trust, the trust have already said they'd struggle to support a top end League One playing budget. Wigan will have a budget and a squad right now capable of winning promotion to the Championship, clearly because they did it just the other year. If the Disney thing happens, then Pompey suddenly get money to spend - but that'll take time to build.

If Cook is super ambitious and wants to keep his reputation increasing in the short term, then a move to Wigan and overseeing promotion to the Championship (sooner than Pompey will likely be capable) will keep his stock rising. From there he'd get more offers again. If he wants oversee a longer term project rebuilding a more historic club, then fair enough Pompey makes more sense.

 

[Super_horns]

Ofcourse he also played for Wigan which might come into play..

 

[WilsdenBantam]

If Eisner takes over Pompey, it probably is a matter of time until Pompey challenge for europes ultimate prize of ol' big ears with europes elite and move into a new 60,000 all seater stadium.

Like last time you had a wealthy owner when in the PL, that went well didn't it.

 

[SF_]

They dont have better training facilities. Just a newer ground.

Yes they do, they bought Bolton's last summer which is shit hot.

 

[SF_]

No they don't. We have excellent training facilities now also.

Can't say I know anything about Pompey's training ground but I know Wigan's are state-of-the-art, Premier League standard because PNE were interested in buying them. Not that it matters, if Cook leaves then it will be down to money/ budget.

 

[joethegill]

Can't say I know anything about Pompey's training ground but I know Wigan's are state-of-the-art, Premier League standard because PNE were interested in buying them. Not that it matters, if Cook leaves then it will be down to money/ budget.

Like you say, not that it matters, but a quick Google search has brought up this:

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/f...-ground-is-pitch-perfect-for-pompey-1-7421826

Which includes the line:

‘It’s a training ground clubs up to and including the Championship would be proud of.’ from a chap called Mark Catlin, Pompey Chief Executive.

It's all subjective, but that doesn't seem in the same category as the facilities Wigan can offer. But yes, it doesn't really matter.

 

[Bucket_]

With all due respect, Wigan are a tiny club, considerably smaller than Portsmouth.

.. can you not?

If Eisner takes over Pompey, it probably is a matter of time until Pompey challenge for europes ultimate prize of ol' big ears with europes elite and move into a new 60,000 all seater stadium.

.and maybe move out of Dreamland too?


I can certainly see the potential appeal for Cook in Wigan - as people above have said, he's from that way, has played for them before, and they have a side that he could take straight up to the Championship, which would only increase his reputation.

But with that said, I'd be massively surprised if it happened. Everything he's said up until now has been geared towards building a mid to long-term project with Pompey, and he was particularly explicit in his remarks only a couple of weeks ago - "I'll never leave for someone else, unless the club don't want me". As much as anything, it would just be a massive shame if he was to leave after coming through a really hard spell during the season, and after finally connecting with the fans.

The most likely scenarios seem to be either leveraging for a better contract, or that someone has been stirring it up; the latest article in the Portsmouth News about the situation mentioned that Cook was said to be fuming about the rumours.. and BBC Solent do have a reputation round here for liking the colour red a bit more than blue..

Of course, money talks, and this kind of thing has happened before. The mention of a director of football if Eisner takes over may have spooked him too. But I have to believe that loyalty counts for something for him.. he's always given that impression in the past.

 

[SMH]

I also wonder who provided the leak to BBC Solent that Cook apparently wants to talk to us. Up our end it's been dead silent, we've not approached Pompey or any club for that matter regarding wanting to speak to their manager. My guess is someone at Cook's end has seen the £££ signs with the new owner and wants a new contract which your Chairman now says they are negotiating with Cook and his backroom team.

 

[Parchpea]

Cooks a pain in the arse but always rated him as a manager and nice to see a guy working hard in the lower tiers getting recognition and headlines.

No guarantees with anyone but I feel Cook would be a good appointment for any club even the Championship.

 

[SMH]

Bump, sounds like it might be happening after all. Takeover the main reason apparently.

 

[Bucket_]

You have to be joking..

From the article about it in the Portsmouth News, there's this - "It is understood remaining at Fratton Park continues to be his priority. However, matters have today sped up and he is now seemingly edging towards the Fratton Park exit. With Michael Eisner’s takeover in the process of being ratified, it has made it difficult to offer the contract Cook was eager to sign. The 50-year-old wanted a pay rise in addition to an extended length in recognition of his Pompey achievements."

Couldn't he just wait? There must be more to it. If he does leave that's a giant pisstake, but we'll "move on".

The Pompey rollercoaster continues.

 

[SMH]

I'm not linking an article from the S*n but they say it's done bar the small print. Pompey will surely have planned for this potentially happening and lined someone up to replace him.

 

[FarehamPompey]

Done deal apparently.. who next?!

 

[HertsWolf]

Kenny Jackett for Pompey? Would seem a good mutual fit.

But then big, new American owner will probably prefer someone more appropriate to their ambitions like Ancelotti or Jardim or Bosz, all of whom fancy their chances in League 1.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Excact same thing happened 12 months ago with us, new owners and Parkinson couldn't get out of the door quick enough. Some managers must just be uneasy at that sort of change, understandable in the modern game with all the rich Sugar daddy's chopping and changing every 5 minutes.

 

[spireite]

Ah the famous Paul Cook loyalty. Did you give some spiel about how he'll never leave till his job is done a couple weeks ago?

 

[Super_horns]

They all think one bad spell and it's the sack for them hence moving before being pushed as the Bradford fans suggest..

 

[Bar Carousel]

Noises coming out down here is that Wigan are offering obscene terms for a div 3 manager.

We've offered him an improved deal but not on the same scale as to what Wigan are offering. Now the balls in his court.

I'm happy with that. If Wigan can genuinely afford to pay him those sort of wages, good luck to them, and good luck to Cook. Quite how they can afford it baffles me though.

 

[Bucket_]

Pretty much. If we've offered him more money and the security of a long term deal, and he still wants to go, then fair enough - I'm not sure I'd want him to stay in that situation anyway. It'll leave us in a right mess for next season though..

 

[Don Tonberry]

You can't blame him for leaving for Wigan if the rumoured pay deal is true. But he'll be in for some stick after his whole "I'll never leave this club for anyone bar Liverpool" speech.

If he leaves it's not the end of the world. He's a good manager but far from perfect and this club is an attractive proposition for any League One manager. Kenny Jackett would be an ideal choice whilst undoubtedly Michael Appleton and Paul Tisdale's names will be mentioned once again.

 

[Don Tonberry]

So looks like it's happening, then. He's supposedly flying out to Majorca to meet Wigan's owner and talk terms whilst a compensation deal is being agreed.

To preach such loyalty and then leave at the first smell of extra cash is not going to go down well here. We'll move on and maybe find an even better manager.

 

[Bar Carousel]

Sad to see him go, but that's football.

We poached him from Chesterfield as a 'bigger club' offering better terms.

As galling as it seems, right now Wigan are a 'bigger club' in terms of stadium and infrastructure. He's only repeating his actions from 2 years ago.

Wigan fans - how is your club being financed? Is DW still bank rolling you? Or are you now running within income budgets alone?

 

[Bucket_]

"If I'm not here then it will only be because Pompey don't want me here" already sounds like a veiled statement in hindsight. Really poor. So much for his professed loyalty!

So who can we get to replace him? Lots of big names like Rosler, Appleton, Neil etc. being touted, but do we really have the budget? And with the takeover essentially in limbo until it's completed, will we be able to sort it quickly? It's going to be an unorthodox preparation for next season, to say the least..