[The Earl of Chesterfield]

Success in this division is all about doing the basics consistently, then embroidering it with a striker of quality.

That's what Stockport have done; that's what we did pre-Tshimanga's injury.

But Rowe ruled with an iron fist - you did what he said or you were history. Just see the long list of players and staff left in his wake.

And that attitude was his downfall, over-stepping the line between abrasive ruthlessness and entitled arrogance.

Infact what most would deem moral decency.

So he was properly axed and Paul Cook came back to pretty much everyone's approval. However his is a different approach, allowing players freedom to express themselves and play a more expansive game. It worked in patches too, yet one by one their form - and maybe as importantly discipline - has fallen away.

In short his mistake has been trying to play L1 football with non-league players.

I stand by the Board for sacking a bloke I consider a pervert and re-appointing a three time title winning hero. But it's time fans expected to buy season tickets were told if Cook'll be here to create his own side or there's some underhand reason they're being coy over his future.

Like I believe most Town fans I'm still behind Paul Cook - yet we need to know if that faith is gonna be reciprocated...

[Waller is my hero]

 The Earl of Chesterfield, on 07 May 2022 - 01:58 PM, said:

Success in this division is all about doing the basics consistently, then embroidering it with a striker of quality.

That's what Stockport have done; that's what we did pre-Tshimanga's injury.

But Rowe ruled with an iron fist - you did what he said or you were history. Just see the long list of players and staff left in his wake.

And that attitude was his downfall, over-stepping the line between abrasive ruthlessness and entitled arrogance.

Infact what most would deem moral decency.

So he was properly axed and Paul Cook came back to pretty much everyone's approval. However his is a different approach, allowing players freedom to express themselves and play a more expansive game. It worked in patches too, yet one by one their form - and maybe as importantly discipline - has fallen away.

In short his mistake has been trying to play L1 football with non-league players.

I stand by the Board for sacking a bloke I consider a pervert and re-appointing a three time title winning hero. But it's time fans expected to buy season tickets were told if Cook'll be here to create his own side or there's some underhand reason they're being coy over his future.

Like I believe most Town fans I'm still behind Paul Cook - yet we need to know if that faith is gonna be reciprocated...

Nail on head…Cooks approach is to let players express themselves, play with a smile on their face & enjoy doing what they get paid for. Unfortunately 95% of the players in the squad don’t have the intelligence to know how to express themselves.
Like you said, being ruled with an iron fist is probably their level & how they want to be trained….that’s not Cook.

[jack bauer]

Paul Cook is a legend of this football and brought us 2 amazing years. Like it or not however we have to look at the return with dissapointment but let's be balanced about this. He walked into a squad that was not his own, he would not have signed many of these players if given the choice, we have had a hideous injury list, long term injuries to key players. This is simple facts. However he has made mistakes. I think he tried to come into the club quietly, for me he shoudl have used that popularity and appeal from the off to ramp up the energy around the place. he has as the earl alludes to misjudged this league and this squad by trying to play football, yes the qulaity of this league is improving all the time but players required at this level are those who do the basics on a consistent level, sutton proved that last season.
then for there is the Khan issue, now neither cook nor rowe for me used him enough, he has something different, he has an energy, a goal threat, in the game against dover (ye ok dover) he bagged 2 goals and has then found himself on the bench... this one baffles me i have to say.
not signing a replacement to oyeleke is another headscratcher, he is by far our best midfielder, again today he goes off at 0-0 and we lose points once he's off the pitch, how many times this season, now again in january this was the signing i thought rowe would make, instead he brought in quigley, which was hideous, however cook did not bring anyone either, fact is weston, kellerman and mccourt are not on the same level and it shows game in game out. much to ponder me thinks.

[Cum on u blues]

Waller is my hero said:

1651932305[/url]' post='1660454']
Nail on head…Cooks approach is to let players express themselves, play with a smile on their face & enjoy doing what they get paid for. Unfortunately 95% of the players in the squad don't have the intelligence to know how to express themselves.
Like you said, being ruled with an iron fist is probably their level & how they want to be trained….that's not Cook.

…I thought being a manager meant a bit more than letting the kids throw jelly & ice-cream at each other. When the going gets tough you can’t just hide behind a darts & dominos night out and then say in front of the cameras after another defeat that it wasn’t good enough. I’m not defending JR for one minute but can’t deny he must have done something right to get this squad to perform
With his so-called experience you’d expect him to adapt to the style of play in this league but he seems incapable to do that and he doesn’t seem to have a clue to tighten up the areas where we’re the most vulnerable. The record since he took over speaks volumes

[Misnomer]

 The Earl of Chesterfield, on 07 May 2022 - 01:58 PM, said:

Success in this division is all about doing the basics consistently, then embroidering it with a striker of quality.

That's what Stockport have done; that's what we did pre-Tshimanga's injury.

But Rowe ruled with an iron fist - you did what he said or you were history. Just see the long list of players and staff left in his wake.

And that attitude was his downfall, over-stepping the line between abrasive ruthlessness and entitled arrogance.

Infact what most would deem moral decency.

So he was properly axed and Paul Cook came back to pretty much everyone's approval. However his is a different approach, allowing players freedom to express themselves and play a more expansive game. It worked in patches too, yet one by one their form - and maybe as importantly discipline - has fallen away.

In short his mistake has been trying to play L1 football with non-league players.

I stand by the Board for sacking a bloke I consider a pervert and re-appointing a three time title winning hero. But it's time fans expected to buy season tickets were told if Cook'll be here to create his own side or there's some underhand reason they're being coy over his future.

Like I believe most Town fans I'm still behind Paul Cook - yet we need to know if that faith is gonna be reciprocated...

Surely, a good manager works within the capacity of his players. We know what they are(n't) capable of; how come he doesn't?

I love how people are turning on the players, the same players that saw us top of the league, until Rowe left.

Why didn't he loan in some players when it was obvious we needed to strengthen; arrogance or stupidity?

PC is a legend, but that does not make him immune to analysis and criticism.

[dtp]

 The Earl of Chesterfield, on 07 May 2022 - 01:58 PM, said:

Success in this division is all about doing the basics consistently, then embroidering it with a striker of quality.

That's what Stockport have done; that's what we did pre-Tshimanga's injury.

But Rowe ruled with an iron fist - you did what he said or you were history. Just see the long list of players and staff left in his wake.

And that attitude was his downfall, over-stepping the line between abrasive ruthlessness and entitled arrogance.

Infact what most would deem moral decency.

So he was properly axed and Paul Cook came back to pretty much everyone's approval. However his is a different approach, allowing players freedom to express themselves and play a more expansive game. It worked in patches too, yet one by one their form - and maybe as importantly discipline - has fallen away.

In short his mistake has been trying to play L1 football with non-league players.

I stand by the Board for sacking a bloke I consider a pervert and re-appointing a three time title winning hero. But it's time fans expected to buy season tickets were told if Cook'll be here to create his own side or there's some underhand reason they're being coy over his future.

Like I believe most Town fans I'm still behind Paul Cook - yet we need to know if that faith is gonna be reciprocated...

There is absolutely no excuse for what it seems was Rowe's behaviour and the Trust were right in getting rid.

However, in most leagues players are given jobs to do according to a game plan. It doesn't matter whether the manager is a disciplinarian or not that is the case. Similarly there have been plenty of photographs showing players with smiles on their faces whilst playing in Rowe's way. I'm not so sure they are looking as happy now and I am not so sure they know their individual roles within Paul Cook's approach or that they are expressing themselves and playing a more expansive game. In fact, the football has been shocking and devoid of excitement.

A 50% loss record from where we were when PC arrived, whether we point to injuries or not, is not good. He had several weeks before the transfer deadline to assess his squad, with and without injuries, whilst finance availability was increased to do so, yet it seems his shopping list was small and not one single addition was recruited. Some ST holders near me have already stopped attending. Whether they renew or not remains to be seen whilst they were happy with Cook's return they are somewhat disillusioned now.

I have an Ipswich supporting friend and several Norwich supporting acquaintances who are somewhat derisive of Paul Cook's managerial skills. I cling to his previous succesful record with us but he even then he was a bit of a one trick pony. Hopefully, the Trust have not made a short-term popular appointment and, hopefully, Paul Cook knows what he is doing and starts next season winning matches with regularity otherwise we have the worst scenario possible ahead of us.

[LondonBlue]

 Misnomer, on 07 May 2022 - 02:28 PM, said:

Surely, a good manager works within the capacity of his players. We know what they are(n't) capable of; how come he doesn't?

I love how people are turning on the players, the same players that saw us top of the league, until Rowe left.

Why didn't he loan in some players when it was obvious we needed to strengthen; arrogance or stupidity?

PC is a legend, but that does not make him immune to analysis and criticism.

Bang on. He has to shoulder some blame here.

[Oldtimer]

Always amazed when Managers are allowed to hide under 'They're not my players' umbrella. Especially at this low level. Now some fools are even apportioning some of our downfall to the misguided opinion that he's trying to play league one football, whatever the heck that means. I said it at the time of his appointment and have seen nothing to change my opinion Mr Cook needed Chesterfield FC much more than Chesterfield FC needed Mr Cook

[Voiceofjoe]

I’d hope that the agreement with Cook was “Ill come ‘til end of season and then we’ll see where we are in regards next season and a long term contract “
Which hopefully the board have the bottle to say “Thanks, but no thanks”
They surely can’t give Cook a go next season and risk giving him a budget to waste. For whatever reason he looks lost, and void of ideas.
If somehow we fluke the playoffs I’d still want him replaced with a hungry young manager.

[BLUE SINCE 62]

 Oldtimer, on 07 May 2022 - 04:18 PM, said:

Always amazed when Managers are allowed to hide under 'They're not my players' umbrella. Especially at this low level. Now some fools are even apportioning some of our downfall to the misguided opinion that he's trying to play league one football, whatever the heck that means. I said it at the time of his appointment and have seen nothing to change my opinion Mr Cook needed Chesterfield FC much more than Chesterfield FC needed Mr Cook

I agree with you, he needed to be in a job to look for a better job. Like they say its easier to find a job when your in work than being on the dole.
I said at the time what a waste of money employing him, we should have stuck with Webb till the end of the season, lets face it we could'nt be worse off.
But the Trust needed to please the fans after Rowes departure, a bit like employing Jack Lester as manager just to keep some of us happy. It just smacks of a knee jurk reaction, and one that could back to haunt us.

[PontePete]

Cook appears clueless. What the actual fu** are they doing in training all week?

[Misnomer]

 PontePete, on 07 May 2022 - 04:41 PM, said:

Cook appears clueless. What the actual fu** are they doing in training all week?

Made me laugh. But in all seriousness, you are absolutely right.

If I see the f'in Sligo excuse mentioned one more time 🙄🔫...

He did shiit at Southport; did very average at Accrington; was given an excellent budget here and did brilliantly, but that was with league one/Championship players and very experienced pros. There's absolutely no comparison to be made with this current level and standard. He wants them to play like a league one team, but they aren't capable, and he's absolutely lost and clueless.

So far, all he's provided is further evidence that he can't cut it at this level, with the lesser standard of players. How many games since his tenure began? And he still doesn't know his best team/formation. You can't continually defend such poor management, poor performances and poor results with...'look what he did at Sligo'...

From chest pumping with DW at Stockport to a deflated mess with PC.

[LondonBlue]

 Misnomer, on 07 May 2022 - 05:38 PM, said:

Made me laugh. But in all seriousness, you are absolutely right.

If I see the f'in Sligo excuse mentioned one more time 🙄🔫...

He did shiit at Southport; did very average at Accrington; was given an excellent budget here and did brilliantly, but that was with league one/Championship players and very experienced pros. There's absolutely no comparison to be made with this current level and standard. He wants them to play like a league one team, but they aren't capable, and he's absolutely lost and clueless.

So far, all he's provided is further evidence that he can't cut it at this level, with the lesser standard of players. How many games since his tenure began? And he still doesn't know his best team/formation. You can't continually defend such poor management, poor performances and poor results with...'look what he did at Sligo'...

From chest pumping with DW at Stockport to a deflated mess with PC.

You have to feel we’d have more points on the board now if we’d stuck with DW. He’d have kept the shape the same and not tinkered with playing style. It seemed he also had the lads wanting to give 100% for him.

[The Rev.]

 Misnomer, on 07 May 2022 - 05:38 PM, said:

Made me laugh. But in all seriousness, you are absolutely right.

If I see the f'in Sligo excuse mentioned one more time 🙄🔫...

He did shiit at Southport; did very average at Accrington; was given an excellent budget here and did brilliantly, but that was with league one/Championship players and very experienced pros. There's absolutely no comparison to be made with this current level and standard. He wants them to play like a league one team, but they aren't capable, and he's absolutely lost and clueless.

So far, all he's provided is further evidence that he can't cut it at this level, with the lesser standard of players. How many games since his tenure began? And he still doesn't know his best team/formation. You can't continually defend such poor management, poor performances and poor results with...'look what he did at Sligo'...

From chest pumping with DW at Stockport to a deflated mess with PC.

Surely M, you're not going to shoot yourself in the left ear with a water pistol?

[Misnomer]

 The Rev., on 07 May 2022 - 05:48 PM, said:

Surely M, you're not going to shoot yourself in the left ear with a water pistol?

😂 I don't have a license for owt else

[bucko]

 Misnomer, on 07 May 2022 - 05:38 PM, said:

Made me laugh. But in all seriousness, you are absolutely right.

If I see the f'in Sligo excuse mentioned one more time 🙄🔫...

He did shiit at Southport; did very average at Accrington; was given an excellent budget here and did brilliantly, but that was with league one/Championship players and very experienced pros. There's absolutely no comparison to be made with this current level and standard. He wants them to play like a league one team, but they aren't capable, and he's absolutely lost and clueless.

So far, all he's provided is further evidence that he can't cut it at this level, with the lesser standard of players. How many games since his tenure began? And he still doesn't know his best team/formation. You can't continually defend such poor management, poor performances and poor results with...'look what he did at Sligo'...

From chest pumping with DW at Stockport to a deflated mess with PC.

Be careful as you might upset some of the Cookie can't do anything wrong brigade.🤣🤣🤣🤣

I will say it again , he is clueless at this level ( and hasn't been the 1st whose had success at a higher level that struggled)

At this level you need players who are athletes, can cover the ground quickly, physically strong and play to a pattern that suits the 10 outfield players.

[1978blue]

 PontePete, on 07 May 2022 - 04:41 PM, said:

Cook appears clueless. What the actual fu** are they doing in training all week?

Not a lot on the performances since he came back. If he spent more time on the training pitch it might help. A club employee told us today that apparently he missed training last week to travel to watch Liverpool play Villarreal in Spain!! He needs to get his priorities right and start to do the job he is paid to do. Since he came back I've seen us play well once at home v Notts County the rest as been like going back to the dark days under Sheridan. The stats show that something is not right , Danny Webb as had as many away wins as Cook and Cook as 8 defeats since he came in. Patience is wearing thin now.

[warfey is a spireite]

 1978blue, on 07 May 2022 - 05:56 PM, said:

Not a lot on the performances since he came back. If he spent more time on the training pitch it might help. A club employee told us today that apparently he missed training last week to travel to watch Liverpool play Villarreal in Spain!! He needs to get his priorities right and start to do the job he is paid to do. Since he came back I've seen us play well once at home v Notts County the rest as been like going back to the dark days under Sheridan. The stats show that something is not right , Danny Webb as had as many away wins as Cook and Cook as 8 defeats since he came in. Patience is wearing thin now.

Well it just shows you he's been to Villarreal watching Liverpool instead of plotting his next game 8 defeats in 16 said he'd be no good second time around

[Johnnyspireite7]

 bucko, on 07 May 2022 - 05:56 PM, said:

Be careful as you might upset some of the Cookie can't do anything wrong brigade.🤣🤣🤣🤣

I will say it again , he is clueless at this level ( and hasn't been the 1st whose had success at a higher level that struggled)

At this level you need players who are athletes, can cover the ground quickly, physically strong and play to a pattern that suits the 10 outfield players.

And where was Cook supposed to find those 7 players (I''ll not say all 10 as Tshimanga, Whittle and Khan are the three that we'd got (before Kabby's injury)) that fit your criteria imo) at short notice (3 months) to replace the ones that don't fit and play games in the meantime with players who don't do what you want?

[Cum on u blues]

1978blue said:

1651946211[/url]' post='1660652']
Not a lot on the performances since he came back. If he spent more time on the training pitch it might help. A club employee told us today that apparently he missed training last week to travel to watch Liverpool play Villarreal in Spain!! He needs to get his priorities right and start to do the job he is paid to do. Since he came back I've seen us play well once at home v Notts County the rest as been like going back to the dark days under Sheridan. The stats show that something is not right , Danny Webb as had as many away wins as Cook and Cook as 8 defeats since he came in. Patience is wearing thin now.

If that’s true it just confirms what a lot of us have been saying against this pr*ck about his lack of commitment and application (not forgetting his total lack of management skills) at this club. No wonder he’s got zero credibility in the dressing room. What a t*sser