Cooks interview

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Cooks interview

Post by Bluemike » Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:44 am

Perhaps people will now stop worrying about nothing.
Boss Paul Cook admits that the Blues’ takeover came as a surprise to him last week but believes there are “very, very exciting times” ahead for Town under “fantastic new owners”.

Asked about the takeover which saw Marcus Evans, who appointed Cook only just over a month ago, step aside and the US pension fund-backed Gamechanger 20 group take charge, Cook said: “Listen, first of all, I’d like to wish Marcus every success in his future, whatever he decides to go into.

“I only spent a short time knowing Marcus and I believe he did a great job. I think he had so much commitment to Ipswich Town Football Club, something that I know a lot of our fans probably didn’t agree with, but I’ve seen sides of him and also the money that he’d invested in the club previously.

“I’ve seen what poor owners do to football clubs, so Marcus leaves with my best wishes and I wish him every success for the future, if he does go into football again or whatever he does.

“I think the new owners have come in, certainly Michael O’Leary, who I’ve spoken to on numerous occasions now, he’s a really good guy, he’s a good football person who is leading a lot of the stuff with the new ownership.

“I think it’s very, very exciting times for Ipswich. But as a person and a manager, I’m very much into the present and now. I’ve taken 10 points out of the fixtures that we’ve played, 10 points from nine games. We’ve only won two out of nine. We don’t score enough goals.

“I’ve got lists as long as the height of my door on my desk of problems on the pitch at the minute and we want to be promoted this year.

“I think the new owners are bringing so much optimism to the club and freshness. We want to compete at high levels in this football pyramid.

“Over a period of time I think we’ll get to see the new owners a lot more, we’ll get to hear from them a lot more and there are exciting times around the corner, which is great.

“But we’ve got some here-and-now issues that we want to address and as a football staff and a football group of people, we’re in a push for a promotion and we’ve got to stay with it.”

Quizzed on whether he knew the takeover was happening, whether it had come up in his discussions with Evans, he added: “I think guys I’ve got to be careful because you want to take me in to waters I just don’t want to go into.

“I can only be truthful, I was aware that Marcus was looking for investment into the football club and like everybody else, I think a deal was struck in the end where Marcus couldn’t have majority control of the club. I think the new American investors wanted that.

“A deal was struck and I was informed, like you lot, very late on in the proceedings. But I wish Marcus well, there’s absolutely no issue between Paul Cook, Marcus Evans, the new owners, anything going forward, other than total commitment to drive Ipswich Town Football Club back to where we belong.”


Cook not appearing at either his pre-match or post-game press conferences around the MK Dons game led to some fans fearing that the new boss wasn’t entirely enamoured with the new owners or perhaps some aspects of their plans. Asked whether is happy, he said: “I’m not happy because I watch a team team, who can’t score and doesn’t win enough. I’m very, very much far from happy, but apart from being unhappy with that, I’m quite happy.”

His reluctance to speak to the media following the game, was perhaps explained by Cook not wanting to speak negatively after disappointing performances during the run-in.

“The reality is that the games have taken on the same sort of pattern that I can only say negative things towards the players, and that’s something that I just don’t want to do,” he added.

New chairman O’Leary said at his press conference on Wednesday that as well as being top of Marcus’s list when it came to appointing a boss, he also headed the incoming group’s, although contrary to some reports they weren’t involved in his selection.

“When you’re a manager today, you know criticism comes very, very quickly,” Cook said. “As a manager, like I tell the players, the team reflects the manager.

“At the minute, our team doesn’t reflect me and it doesn’t reflect our football club. Going forward, that will change.”

The new owners have made it clear that they plan to back Cook in the summer financially with fans excited as a result.

“You can ask me another 46 questions about the new owners, you’re not going to take me anywhere else!” Cook laughed.

“We’ve got a great game tomorrow night at Wimbledon. If that was with terraces open, how many fans would be travelling from Ipswich to support their team?

“There’s enough negativity in the world to last everybody two lifetimes. But us we’ve got a job to do tomorrow night to try to win a game that can drive us forward and we’ve got to stay with that.”

Questioned about his first thoughts on hearing the news of the takeover news and how it must have been reassuring to have O’Leary tell him he was the man for them at their first meeting, he said: “First thing I thought was ‘thank God for that!’ because I’m in trouble if I wasn’t, wasn’t I? Like everyone else, the takeover took me by total surprise.

“I was turning up at Portman Road like everyone else, Lee O’Neill, for a meeting with Marcus. What we’d spoken about was that we’d had big plans for the off-season, implementing the changes that Marcus was about to take on at Ipswich Town Football Club.

“I got told like everyone else and I can only reiterate that my initial meetings with Michael O’Leary have been 100 per cent positive. Michael is a gentleman. Once you meet Michael yourselves, you’ll work that out quite quickly, he’s a good guy.

“Going forward, I’ve been in and around football long enough to know the rules, lads, I’m not a stupid person, I know exactly what goes on in football. If the new ownership are happy with me and that’s the way we’re going to go forward, I only want to be here, guys, I’ve got to tell everyone that.

“I joined a plan that I knew would be difficult, I knew there would be a lot of change within the club, I knew going forward the ambitions we all had.

“I feel the new owners have come in and they’ve probably added to those ambitions. If I can be part of that, if I can help with that success, then I’ll be one of the happiest people around here. But that is all for tomorrow, we must leave that for tomorrow.”

He says he’s yet to speak to any of the Three Lions part of Gamechanger, Phoenix Rising owners Brett Johnson, Berke Bakay and Mark Detmer.

“No, very much Mike,” he said. “As you can imagine, a lot happened quickly last week. Over a period of time I’m sure we’ll get to hear and see a lot from the new owners who have got a real strong pedigree in football and sport.

“I think when you look to that, with the greatest respect to ownerships today, when you look at the pedigree they have in this industry, it makes me quite excited, I’ve got to tell you that.

“But I’m also knowing that my job can be a perilous position, in any other club, in Ipswich Town. But my big concern, and I’ve got to highlight this, is that the future of this club looks to be in very, very good hands, and that’s a great day for everyone connected with it.”

The situation appears a stark contrast to his time at Wigan where he has admitted not seeing danger signs having not met the Latics’ new owners.

“I’m a football person, you know my background, you know what my CV is, what I do,” Cook continued. “The reality is that my big decision when I’d left Wigan was to work with owners that I trusted, that was a huge thing for me.

“In Marcus and Lee O’Neill it was quickly evident that I did trust those people. Going forward now, having met Michael, having heard about the plans, my trust with them will only grow over time. I’m not going to be sitting here saying I trust these lads because they’ve got to work with me, I’ve got to work with them, but I’ve been led to believe the relationship will be a good one, a strong one.

“My job then will hopefully be to deliver the success that the owners crave, that the supporters crave, and everyone craves, including myself. That will be a great day for me, if that’s the case.”

At the present time, Cook seems to effectively have two jobs on his hands, the next seven games in which the target is winning a place in the play-offs, and then the Blues new era in the summer, whichever division they might find themselves in.

“What we’ve offered up for a period of time, including the performances under me, they’re not good enough for Ipswich Town, it’s just not,” he admitted.

“We can’t keep saying it every week, can we? There’s no point. We’ll all just get ourselves into a pickle. The reality is that we’ve got seven games and if we can get positive energy from the press and the social media guys, the reality is that we’ve got fantastic new owners coming in.

“The future for our club looks bright. But the future for this team is the next seven games and I’d love you to be able to help us with that.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by marko69 » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:44 pm

I know there will be a few forum members a tad negative towards this interview and fair enough; that’s the opinions of some people and they’re entitled to those opinions etc........ but I really do like what I’m hearing from Paul Cook, mainly because he sounds “GENUINE”. That’s the key.

Maybe going from Paul Lambert to Paul Cook helps Paul Cook in the interview aspect of things, which Steve & Jo alludes to in another thread. Lambo was so effin bad at “speaking” in general that maybe anyone would’ve been a positive...... but Cook seems genuine.

If nothing happens 20/21........ then 21/22 will be the most exciting season since JamboBerra fkd up in the semis.

🤘🤘🤘 Team Cook 🤘🤘🤘

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Dubai Blue » Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:10 am

I like PC's interview style too but that's about the only thing to get excited about in his time with us so far and it won't get us promoted.

Of course he deserves the chance to work with his own group of players & so on. But I'm tiring a bit of hearing what a great guy he is at interviews. He needs to start showing his management skills with the group of players that he has (for now) not just with the press and fans. I don't believe that ours are such a bad group of players that they can't be coached into the playoffs by a good manager.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Steve and Jo » Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:19 am

Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:10 am
I like PC's interview style too but that's about the only thing to get excited about in his time with us so far and it won't get us promoted.

Of course he deserves the chance to work with his own group of players & so on. But I'm tiring a bit of hearing what a great guy he is at interviews. He needs to start showing his management skills with the group of players that he has (for now) not just with the press and fans. I don't believe that ours are such a bad group of players that they can't be coached into the playoffs by a good manager.
I think can see he's trying his hardest to motivate what he has. To me it's like flogging a dead donkey, a manager can only do so much. Paul Cook I believe has given chances and been fair to players, last Saturday he must of switched formation around three times at least. The defence looks solid enough even with going three at the back but the attacking side of Ipswich is powder puff and that's being very kind to the players

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by hallamblue » Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:46 am

Agree guys, and I think Paul Cooks is now fully aware of all that’s wrong with the squad he’s inherited, and I doubt many will survive , thankfully. Secretly I bet he can’t wait for this season to end , and for him to build his own team. Tbh if this team gained promotion it’d probably give PC a problem, in that he might feel obliged to keep some of them on.


We won’t see the real Paul Cook until the summer and into next season.

I wonder if his previous assistant will be jo8ming him, or will Dyer be making that step up, as he is in the first team dug out most matches now isn’t he ?

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Dubai Blue » Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:09 am

Yes I get those points and of course I am also going to suspend judgement on PC until he has had a fair crack at it with his own squad. I am positive about having him in the club for sure.

However I think we are going over the top about how bad our squad is. We have had some good results recently against some good sides. It seems that we can do at least well enough to get into the top 6 but not consistently. So for me there should be a way to get enough of our team performing well, it is up to the experts (management) to find the key. I'm not expecting us to turn into Peterborough overnight, just to be able to do enough to scrape into the playoffs. After this surely the whiff of a game at Wembley will be all the motivation that's needed.

I don't worry about us fluking our way into the Championship. I think it's a problem PC would take all day and all night.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Bluemike » Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:12 am

Spot on Hallam and some need to realise that until next season NOTHING will change !!! It isn't rocket science to see that or to see that he is using every player available to him to see what they are about, I bet any money in the world Lambert would not have played Nydam Saturday if in the same situation, Cook is shrewd and clever, I just hope some realise it and remain patient.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Bluemike » Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:14 am

Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:09 am
Yes I get those points and of course I am also going to suspend judgement on PC until he has had a fair crack at it with his own squad. I am positive about having him in the club for sure.

However I think we are going over the top about how bad our squad is. We have had some good results recently against some good sides. It seems that we can do at least well enough to get into the top 6 but not consistently. So for me there should be a way to get enough of our team performing well, it is up to the experts (management) to find the key. I'm not expecting us to turn into Peterborough overnight, just to be able to do enough to scrape into the playoffs. After this surely the whiff of a game at Wembley will be all the motivation that's needed.

I don't worry about us fluking our way into the Championship. I think it's a problem PC would take all day and all night.
It's not so much about how bad the squad is, I've always maintained its the strongest squad on paper, what it is about is their lack of interest, commitment, loyalty, form, etc etc etc and that is unacceptable and no manager in the world can fix that if they don't give a sh*te, which they clearly don't

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Dubai Blue » Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:29 am

Well if memory serves we were in 5th or 6th place on 27th Feb when PL was sacked. So what did PL get right that PC has got wrong so far?

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Tangfastic » Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:57 am

Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:29 am
Well if memory serves we were in 5th or 6th place on 27th Feb when PL was sacked. So what did PL get right that PC has got wrong so far?
Very little after 2 1/2 years and 5 transfer windows. Awful, bloated squad who played together like strangers. I struggle to remember hardly any games where we played consistently well under PL.

Has to be said, ATM PC isn’t doing a great job working with PL’s squad. Too early to compare PC and PL when PC has had not one transfer window yet. Bring on the summer.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Dubai Blue » Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:00 am

Tangfastic I agree with you I'm just troubled that what we all believe is a better manager has somehow managed to get less out of the same group of players. Judge for example had some pretty good games towards the end of PLs tenure.

Still I do have faith that PC will get improved results with Downes & Norwood on the pitch. We will see tonight.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Bluemike » Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:00 am

Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:29 am
Well if memory serves we were in 5th or 6th place on 27th Feb when PL was sacked. So what did PL get right that PC has got wrong so far?
Every man and his dog knows full well we fluked all but one of those games, outclassed by Lincoln and Accrington, hanging on against Doncaster and gifted it at Plymouth, Hull apart we were still shocking.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Bluemike » Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:02 am

The other thing is how can any manager be responsible for the kind of open goal misses we saw from fucktard Sears ? Its the players, simple as.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Tangfastic » Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:11 am

Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:00 am
Tangfastic I agree with you I'm just troubled that what we all believe is a better manager has somehow managed to get less out of the same group of players. Judge for example had some pretty good games towards the end of PLs tenure.

Still I do have faith that PC will get improved results with Downes & Norwood on the pitch. We will see tonight.
I’m just basing opinion on Cook’s record. He’s got a good CV over many years.That’s why I’m backing him. I am disappointed he hasn’t got more out of the team, but I can’t say we’re playing that much different. We’ve been very frustrating and toothless for most of the two years we’ve been in L1.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by marko69 » Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:43 am

Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:09 am
However I think we are going over the top about how bad our squad is. We have had some good results recently against some good sides.
Zero shots on target in 180 minutes of football, Dubai ...... against crap sides really. 🤷‍♂️

Thankfully with Cooks past and with the new owner investment, next season will be something to look forward to.

If by some miracle play offs happen, then that’s even better. Certainly not in the camp that is giving up on the season.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by valleyroad » Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:35 pm

Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:29 am
Well if memory serves we were in 5th or 6th place on 27th Feb when PL was sacked. So what did PL get right that PC has got wrong so far?
I agree.
I'm all for being patient and giving PC time over the summer to get his own squad together then he can be judged but I still think a lot more could have been achieved with the current squad.
I know its popular to blast the current squad but I don't think PC has done enough with it.
The position that PC inherited with the run in that Town had to what has actually been achieved is poor IMO.
I've mentioned it already if MM or Warnock or someone of similar ilk had inherited this team I think they would be in the play offs.

I think PC is a good appointment and was happy when he took the job so hope that next season starts to see Town perform at the level they can.
Not sure Cook has spent a lot of money in the past so be interesting to see how he performs in that department. Many managers have failed doing that never as easy as it sounds.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by Dubai Blue » Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:22 am

Yes VR we are thinking the same way.

However maybe the issue is that the change of both manager and ownership have been done so badly that they effectively made it impossible for PC to get a decent response from the players.

We may find out in the Summer when released players start talking about this last month or two. I doubt we will understand it before then. But judging from the last couple of games it looks like we have to give up on PC finding any passion amongst the players (with a few exceptions). And let's forget about the playoffs too. (I can't believe I'm writing this).

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by mugen1 » Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:24 pm

Bluemike wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:14 am
Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:09 am
Yes I get those points and of course I am also going to suspend judgement on PC until he has had a fair crack at it with his own squad. I am positive about having him in the club for sure.

However I think we are going over the top about how bad our squad is. We have had some good results recently against some good sides. It seems that we can do at least well enough to get into the top 6 but not consistently. So for me there should be a way to get enough of our team performing well, it is up to the experts (management) to find the key. I'm not expecting us to turn into Peterborough overnight, just to be able to do enough to scrape into the playoffs. After this surely the whiff of a game at Wembley will be all the motivation that's needed.

I don't worry about us fluking our way into the Championship. I think it's a problem PC would take all day and all night.
... I've always maintained its the strongest squad on paper....
I still have no idea how you come to that conclusion :mrgreen: And I know you have asked me before, then which one is, but let's face it how often have our players been in team of the week? Well, there was that Judge anomaly :D

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by number 9 » Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:55 pm

valleyroad wrote:
Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:35 pm
Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:29 am
Well if memory serves we were in 5th or 6th place on 27th Feb when PL was sacked. So what did PL get right that PC has got wrong so far?
I agree.
I'm all for being patient and giving PC time over the summer to get his own squad together then he can be judged but I still think a lot more could have been achieved with the current squad.
I know its popular to blast the current squad but I don't think PC has done enough with it.
The position that PC inherited with the run in that Town had to what has actually been achieved is poor IMO.
I've mentioned it already if MM or Warnock or someone of similar ilk had inherited this team I think they would be in the play offs.

I think PC is a good appointment and was happy when he took the job so hope that next season starts to see Town perform at the level they can.
Not sure Cook has spent a lot of money in the past so be interesting to see how he performs in that department. Many managers have failed doing that never as easy as it sounds.
I think the squad has underachieved for a few years. I don't know if that's due to bad management or disinterested players...or both. We had a shocking run under Lambert for several weeks, and then right before Cook's appointment we won a few games. Cook hasn't really changed much as far as line ups and tactics. Yes, he's tweaked a few things but nothing that should have affected the players the way it has. I'm really not sure MM or Warnock would have got us in the play offs. When you look at stats and player performances it goes much deeper than the manager, in my opinion.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by mugen1 » Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:21 pm

number 9 wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:55 pm
valleyroad wrote:
Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:35 pm
Dubai Blue wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:29 am
Well if memory serves we were in 5th or 6th place on 27th Feb when PL was sacked. So what did PL get right that PC has got wrong so far?
I agree.
I'm all for being patient and giving PC time over the summer to get his own squad together then he can be judged but I still think a lot more could have been achieved with the current squad.
I know its popular to blast the current squad but I don't think PC has done enough with it.
The position that PC inherited with the run in that Town had to what has actually been achieved is poor IMO.
I've mentioned it already if MM or Warnock or someone of similar ilk had inherited this team I think they would be in the play offs.

I think PC is a good appointment and was happy when he took the job so hope that next season starts to see Town perform at the level they can.
Not sure Cook has spent a lot of money in the past so be interesting to see how he performs in that department. Many managers have failed doing that never as easy as it sounds.
I think the squad has underachieved for a few years. I don't know if that's due to bad management or disinterested players...or both. We had a shocking run under Lambert for several weeks, and then right before Cook's appointment we won a few games. Cook hasn't really changed much as far as line ups and tactics. Yes, he's tweaked a few things but nothing that should have affected the players the way it has. I'm really not sure MM or Warnock would have got us in the play offs. When you look at stats and player performances it goes much deeper than the manager, in my opinion.
Agreed, the players are crap.

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Re: Cooks interview

Post by K L Blue » Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:37 pm

Seems he could be changing his mind about the team

https://www.castrust.org/2021/04/paul-c ... t-my-team/

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