Former Wigan Athletic manager Paul Cook has commented after he was linked with the vacant manager’s position at Sheffield Wednesday.
The 53-year-old, who was in the Sky Sports studio as Charlton Athletic lost at home to Accrington Stanley, has hinted at a return to management.
Paul Cook Comments Following Links to Vacant Managers Role at Sheffield Wednesday
Cook Says Link is ‘Very Flattering’
The former Portsmouth and Chesterfield manager has seen the odds slashed with the bookmakers, making him favourite to take the vacant role at Hillsborough.
Speaking following Charlton’s 2-0 defeat against Accrington Stanley in League One, Cook was quizzed about taking over from the recently dismissed Tony Pulis.
He said: “It is very, very flattering to be linked. I am an out of work manager and I am desperate to get back into football.
“You miss the day to day of the dressing room, good or bad. The interaction with the players.
“Sheffield Wednesday is an absolutely massive football club. It would be a fantastic club for anyone to manage so while I’m being linked with it, it is obviously very flattering.”
Sheffield Wednesday Looking for Third Manager of the Season
Following the dismissal of Pulis after just ten matches in charge, Sheffield Wednesday are on the lookout for their third manager of the season.
The Owls have seen the departure of Pulis and Garry Monk already this campaign, while the next manager would become the clubs tenth head coach since 2010.
Wednesday are 21st in the Championship, above Derby County on goal difference. However, the Owls were in the bottom three before caretaker boss Neil Thompson oversaw wins over Middlesbrough and the Rams.
Cook Career
Paul Cook has had an impressive run in management career and has picked up silverware along the way. Cook led Sligo Rovers, a club he spent five years at, to the FAI Cup Final in 2010 and won on penalties. He returned to former club Accrington but left to join League Two rivals, Chesterfield.
During his time with the Spireites, Cook led Chesterfield to the League Two title, and they comfortably maintained their new League One the following season after finishing sixth.
Cook left to join Portsmouth and quickly emulated his achievements on the south coast, guiding Pompey to the League Two title in 2017.
He then left Portsmouth to take over at Wigan, who had just been relegated from the Championship. Once again, he secured promotion back to the second tier after winning the League One title. But after the club suffered financial difficulties last season, Wigan were handed a 12 point deduction. Cook resigned after failing to keep the Latics in the division, despite finishing the season strongly. Without the deduction, the Latics would have finished 13th.
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