Views on Paul Cook from a Southport fan.
Basically, you're in trouble.
I have respect for his career as a player but as a manager, there are alot of serious short comings.
His man-management is tottally useless. We signed him in the off season, he signed virtually a new squad. Several members of this squad had walked out with a few months, the signings that signed were expensive and worse than our previous playing staff.
He got rid of one of the most loyal players we have ever had (he signed a new contract the day after we were relegated) yet he went as Paul Cook said that he wasn't commited.
We currently have a player called Carl Baker, there are several clubs from higher leagues looking at him, yet Paul Cook once said "I have seen nothing to suggest that Carl Baker is a good player" - At the end of the season, Carl received 3 of the 4 player of the years awards there were.
Paul is tactically inept and will not hesitate to play players out of position, even though there are players who will play in that position on the bench. He has his favourite players that he will play regardless of skill. I guarantee that soon you will sign two players, Mark Boyd and Lee Hoolickin. Two of his favourites. While he was at Southport, both these players lived with him in a pub that Cookie ran.
He also likes to blame the fans for shortcomings. At southport an online audio interview with the manager is published 24 hours after a game, Paul often blamed the fans when we lost, saying that fans getting on his back doesn't help. He has a point of course, but signing crap players doesn't help either. He likes having his tantrums on the sidelines as well, our then assistant manager John Durnin ended up with tea stains on him on many an occasion (he likes a cuupa, does our Paul)
I hope he proves me wrong and that he does do well for Sligo, Southport was his first managerial oppointment, and maybe he has learned alot from that, but if I were you, I wouldn't get your hopes up.
