Paul Cook joins Wigan *Updated*

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I can't understand how fans get upset over managers comments (not suggesting you are bucket). They'll say whatever they think people want to hear. It rarely has any meaning and I certainly don't buy any of it.

Who wouldn't take a job closer to home on a huge increase in salary. I'm pretty sure he would never have made those comments if he knew Wigan would come along and offer such a massive package, but he probably wouldn't have believed anyone out there would offer him those terms.

As you say, it now massively disrupts our plans for next season, and is bound to stifle any momentum gained from last season.

Stability and survival is probably all we should expect. Give the new guy a chance to print his own ideas on the team. Maybe move away from Cooks possession based play.

Be interesting to see if he comes back with offers for some of the team now.

 

[Bucket_]

I just find it disappointing personally. It's easy to get lulled into a false sense of security when managers preach about loyalty and loving clubs, and sadly I think I fell for it again!

But we move on. Just keep goin.

And I'm praying that he leaves our squad alone. Except Roberts. He can have him.

 

[FarehamPompey]

As said else where, it could be a blessing in disguise. It could give us the option to get in someone much better, fingers crossed!

 

[SMH]

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.

We've trousered two years worth of parachute payments (around 25-30m) and sold someone for 7m in January. Not to mention Whelan may not be the multi billionaire half the Championship owners are but he's certainly not skint.

 

[Bar Carousel]

We've trousered two years worth of parachute payments (around 25-30m) and sold someone for 7m in January. Not to mention Whelan may be be the multi billionaire half the Championship owners are but he's certainly not skint.

We've trousered our last two years of parachute payments and sold a player for 7 million in January. So I'd say we're doing fine. And as you say, Dave Whelan isn't the billionaire owner many of the Championship/Premier League owners are. But he's hardly skint.

I'd assumed your PP payments had long dried up, hence a pretty unambitious go at the Championship. Makes sense now.

 

[SMH]

I'd assumed your PP payments had long dried up, hence a pretty unambitious go at the Championship. Makes sense now.

We had a huge go in our second season which turned into a disaster and we got relegated after being favourites to win the league. Leading to us selling/releasing anyone of value or big wages, pocketing the rest of payments rather than splurging it on players and starting again. It worked in L1 because it's a very weak league but our inexperienced manager couldn't handle in the Championship along with players who couldn't handle the step up.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Deal should be finalised tomorrow. Barrow has just left Wigan to make way.

Au revoir Cook, you've got as much honour as Harry Redknapp.

I'm looking forward to seeing who we'll appoint as a replacement. Tisdale would be the natural fit but I'd like to see Jackett come here.

 

[HarvSFC]

Don't taint Tisdale!

 

[Moomin]

Tisdale has been linked to other jobs on so many occasions and the only time I can remember him actually being interviewed was at Portsmouth 3 or 4 years back.

I'm not sure why he didn't get the job back then but I get the feeling he won't move unless he has complete control like he does here. One thing's for sure, if he went to Pompey and struggled he would probably be out on his ear by the New Year.

He's someone who can look great at times but clueless other times and divides opinion with us City fans, even during the good times.

Personally, I'd be ok if he went but I'd bet Portsmouth will go for someone with experience of succeeding in L1.

 

[SMH]

Four members of the backroom staff announced as gone today including Barrow. The decks have been cleared, assuming Cook brings Richardson with him, does he have any other members of the team that will follow him Pompey fans?

 

[Don Tonberry]

Tisdale has been linked to other jobs on so many occasions and the only time I can remember him actually being interviewed was at Portsmouth 3 or 4 years back.

I'm not sure why he didn't get the job back then but I get the feeling he won't move unless he has complete control like he does here. One thing's for sure, if he went to Pompey and struggled he would probably be out on his ear by the New Year.

He's someone who can look great at times but clueless other times and divides opinion with us City fans, even during the good times.

Personally, I'd be ok if he went but I'd bet Portsmouth will go for someone with experience of succeeding in L1.

We stupidly went for Richie Barker when Tisdale was interviewed and consequently almost got relegated because of it. I could see Tisdale doing a decent job here given what he's achieved at Exeter on a shoestring budget and the way his teams play football. It would be a sensible appointment.

Four members of the backroom staff announced as gone today including Barrow. The decks have been cleared, assuming Cook brings Richardson with him, does he have any other members of the team that will follow him Pompey fans?

I suspect goalkeeping coach John Keeley and head of recruitment Neil Howarth will go with him. Who knows who else?

 

[Moomin]

We stupidly went for Richie Barker when Tisdale was interviewed and consequently almost got relegated because of it. I could see Tisdale doing a decent job here given what he's achieved at Exeter on a shoestring budget and the way his teams play football. It would be a sensible appointment.



I suspect goalkeeping coach John Keeley and head of recruitment Neil Howarth will go with him. Who knows who else?

Well we shall see what happens. I agree he could do a very good job if he's given the time to do it. He really puts trust in his players and loves blooding the youth.

If you approach us again we won't stand in his way and he may feel he has taken us as far as he can, although we do have the basis of a good L2 squad so he may want to get us up next year. Fuck knows....

 

[FarehamPompey]

We stupidly went for Richie Barker when Tisdale was interviewed and consequently almost got relegated because of it. I could see Tisdale doing a decent job here given what he's achieved at Exeter on a shoestring budget and the way his teams play football. It would be a sensible appointment.



I suspect goalkeeping coach John Keeley and head of recruitment Neil Howarth will go with him. Who knows who else?

I'd be disappointed with Tisdale. He has done well at Exeter with limited funds.. but he hasn't won anything and he wouldn't handle the pressure of Pompey. We need to be looking at someone who has escaped League 1 before or managed in the Championship. Adkins or Jackett would be my choice.

 

[joethegill]

I'd be disappointed with Tisdale. He has done well at Exeter with limited funds.. but he hasn't won anything and he wouldn't handle the pressure of Pompey. We need to be looking at someone who has escaped League 1 before or managed in the Championship. Adkins or Jackett would be my choice.

I would argue most managers haven't won anything, doesn't mean they're all awful. Do you actually think you'll go straight through this division by the way? Not a dig, I just don't see you as promotion candidates in terms of what you have on the field. The only thing you have going for you in that respect is decent crowds, but they've never won a promotion on their own.

 

[FarehamPompey]

I would argue most managers haven't won anything, doesn't mean they're all awful. Do you actually think you'll go straight through this division by the way? Not a dig, I just don't see you as promotion candidates in terms of what you have on the field. The only thing you have going for you in that respect is decent crowds, but they've never won a promotion on their own.

If it wasn't for these Cook shenanigans, I'd be hopeful of top 10 finish, and then hopefully continue to plough on for promotion the next season. It isn't looking as sturdy now, but if we can get a decent manager in early enough then why not.

 

[ProfessorGreen]

Am I missing something? Has Cook actually done that good a job at Portsmouth?

Spent one day at top last season (yes the most important day) with a side that should have walked the league and was somewhat underachieving and I recall under pressure until the last 15 games.

Shouldn't be the end of the world some Pompey fans are making out me thinks.

Oh and Wotton would still chin him.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Cook stopped the rot at Portsmouth and got them moving in the right direction again, which to be fair was a big task on its own. With the squad he had he was expected to get them promoted last season and has achieved it, so thats job done. Down to pure footballing reasons he would stay at Portsmouth as it's a fantastically well supported club and should be higher than the 3rd division. The fact is though that Wigan are a far better proposition both off the field and on it currently, the last time they got relegated they stormed the league and I could definitely see them mounting an automatic promotion challenge next season with the budget and squad they have. Portsmouth are a big enough name to attract a decent manager themselves and still have a decent season, so it's not wrist slitting time for them I wouldn't say.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Cook stopped the rot at Portsmouth and got them moving in the right direction again, which to be fair was a big task on its own. With the squad he had he was expected to get them promoted last season and has achieved it, so thats job done. Down to pure footballing reasons he would stay at Portsmouth as it's a fantastically well supported club and should be higher than the 3rd division. The fact is though that Wigan are a far better proposition both off the field and on it currently, the last time they got relegated they stormed the league and I could definitely see them mounting an automatic promotion challenge next season with the budget and squad they have. Portsmouth are a big enough name to attract a decent manager themselves and still have a decent season, so it's not wrist slitting time for them I wouldn't say.

Stormed the league is a massive exaggeration, they ended 2 points above Burton and 3 above Walsall in third, in what was a very poor league we were garbage and ended fifth.

 

[SMH]

I still think we'd have hit 100 points that season with a good manager, we dropped points against some abysmal teams like Oldham, Doncaster, Crewe and Colchester (three of them went down). Hopefully a good omen for us and Cook, our last three previous players who went on to become our manager have all won silverware with us: Jewell, Martinez (who also won L1 with Swansea) and Caldwell.

 

[K-Win]

It will be interesting to see how Cook goes about things at Wigan. When he came to us we had about three-quarters of the first team squad up for contract renewal, which allowed him to completely clear the decks and rebuild the squad to his liking. By the close of the transfer window there were very few survivors from the previous, under-achieving team.

Overall, he did a very good job for us considering that in two years he never really solved the lone striker role that is pivotal to his 4-2-3-1 system. Basically the lone striker has to be the best player in the squad, have a high work rate and an eye for goal. The closest he got to this with us was a short loan spell for Caolan Lavery back in 2015/16. We controlled most games under Cook's tenure, but the lack of a decent leader of the line meant that we couldn't always turn dominance into points.

Personally, I'm sorry to see Cook go (despite all the acrimony). It certainly upsets the momentum we had from the end of last season. I'm not 100% sure that the incoming new owners really went out of their way to keep him. He probably sensed that and didn't hang about when a new opportunity came along.

 

[SF_]

Would be a good appointment for Wigan, he had a good side at Chesterfield and played some nice stuff.

It would also be amusing because i'm pretty sure they'd end up signing Eoin Doyle as he's seemingly Cook's lovechild.

 

[HertsWolf]

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

Just saying...

 

[FarehamPompey]

Couple of rumours on the news boards that Jackett is due at Fratton today!

 

[Burberry]

Good appointment for Wigan, surprised that he's leaving a bigger club. 18000 gates to under 10000.

 

[SMH]

If Jackett goes to Pompey, I can definitely see him raiding Wolves for some of his former League One stars like Dicko, Saville and Henry. He's not the most exciting, charismatic appointment but he's as solid as they come and should have Portsmouth as serious playoff contenders at the very least. Would be a sensible appointment.

 

[Bobbin']

Pompey are definitely the winners here if they end up with Jackett, a man who knows this league inside out and knows how to get out of it at the right end having done so on a couple of occasions.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Echo the other comments that's a cracking appointment, never done a bad job at any club he's been at always managed to take them forward. Is it 3 promotions he's had out of League One? Won't have the budget he had at Wolves but could definitely see him doing a similar job.

 

[Bobbin']

Echo the other comments that's a cracking appointment, never done a bad job at any club he's been at always managed to take them forward. Is it 3 promotions he's had out of League One? Won't have the budget he had at Wolves but could definitely see him doing a similar job.

Twice as a manager I think but was part of the coaching team when Watford were promoted.

In his last three seasons as a L1 manager he got Millwall to two play-off finals, winning one and won the league with Wolves.

Really will be a good appointment for Pompey.

 

[FarehamPompey]

Cook officially gone, o'well.

'We go again'

 

[MarioBalotelli]

Seen Darrell Clarke mentioned a few times by a few of your fans, would hope he wouldn't be tempted as he's turned down Leeds and apparently Norwich - although not too sure about that one.

Darrell really has turned our shambles of a club around.