Steve Cook

blandford_cherry said:
Likewise would it really be sensible to allow him to move to a championship rival? I can see him ending up in the PL
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Tricky one. Given his service you could argue that he should be allowed to go wherever he wants. I can see him ending up at a QPR type club. I just can’t see what PL starting 11 he gets into.
 
Interesting one. Realistically he's not going to be signing for a champ club that doesn't have much money or isn't in the mix for promotion. Is it in our interests to allow that. Guess it depends how desperate we are are to get him off the books financially.

Not out of the realms that a lower pl club will come in for him I guess, but how many can offer 'guaranteed' football? Maybe as 1st choice backup, or challenging for 2nd choice?

Maybe a loan deal to someone like rangers/celtic, where we pay % of his wage still?
 
Waz afcb said:
Tricky one. Given his service you could argue that he should be allowed to go wherever he wants. I can see him ending up at a QPR type club. I just can’t see what PL starting 11 he gets into.
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But the championship top 10 is so competitive this year I think it would be foolish to strengthen them by letting him go there. I’m pretty sure Burnley were rumoured in the summer but it fell through, I can see a relegation fighting PL team taking him.
 
MB1980 said:
Not sure I'd say it was embarrassing. Decision made for professional/financial reasons - not part of Parkers plans. He only played due to be several stretched injury wise. I'm not holding it against Parker.
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I didn’t say it was embarrassing for Parker, the situation, created by ourselves was embarrassing. Whoever it was who made a clear decision to freeze him out.

Sure, keep him out of the squad until the summer transfer closes, but at that point, regardless of what was intended, he was our player for the whole of September, October, November and December.

There was no financial reason not to play him for those 4 months, unless he had a bizarre rewards scheme in his contract.

That’s what was embarrassing.
 
DJ said:
I didn’t say it was embarrassing for Parker, the situation, created by ourselves was embarrassing. Whoever it was who made a clear decision to freeze him out.

Sure, keep him out of the squad until the summer transfer closes, but at that point, regardless of what was intended, he was our player for the whole of September, October, November and December.

There was no financial reason not to play him for those 4 months, unless he had a bizarre rewards scheme in his contract.

That’s what was embarrassing.
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Well Parker is making the decisions as to who plays, so by definition assumed most of that 'embarrasment' would land on his shoulders?

It's just a professional decision imo. Not to use a player that's been told surplus to requirements, until we had pretty much no option. Cook probably proven he was still committed, so draughted him in as last resort when needed. Even if better on paper than other options, once someone is told their future lies elsewhere, they get 'frozen' out, as they know he'll likely move in next window, so they go to bottom of tge pile. Credit to cookie for playing like he did.

Whatever the reasoning, I really don't think it's a big issue at all.

I get it probably carries stronger feelings amongst fans, due to his previous service.
 
Thought he was being linked with QPR, hence not appearing in the squad last night.

Nottingham Forest also showing interest in him.
 
MB1980 said:
Well put, we have a top budget for this level, but still can't afford to keep everyone. Plus Cahill brought in. Someone who Parker clearly fancies a better fit/player for what he wants to achieve.

Newcastle signing him though? Although not totally unrealistic, that would be embarrassing... for them.
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I’m not even sure Parker fancied Cahill as a better player. He was brought in for one season because Cook was off somewhere else to do the same job. Personally I don’t think there is a lot between them and doubt Parker does either. Fantastic though Cahill has been he still hasn’t played as well this season as Cook did at Fulham!
 
Neil Dawson said:
I’m not even sure Parker fancied Cahill as a better player. He was brought in for one season because Cook was off somewhere else to do the same job. Personally I don’t think there is a lot between them and doubt Parker does either. Fantastic though Cahill has been he still hasn’t played as well this season as Cook did at Fulham!
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I guess Cahill has more top-level experience to pass on. Maybe that was part of the thinking. Shame, though, as Cookie wanted to stay, and is not really aging at 30. The injuries are more of an issue I guess. From our point of view, Newcastle or Watford would be great sales. From Cookie's, maybe QPR would be a good place to go. Would be great for him if Southampton wanted him unless he hates Saints as much as many of our fans do.
 
Blows my mind. Cook is an immense player. Has always given his all for us and 99% of the time looks excellent.

I guess the problem is that 1% where he's off the boil or makes a mistake but every player has that.

Unless he's earning an absolute fortune I'm amazed we're letting him go.
 
DJ said:
I didn’t say it was embarrassing for Parker, the situation, created by ourselves was embarrassing. Whoever it was who made a clear decision to freeze him out.

Sure, keep him out of the squad until the summer transfer closes, but at that point, regardless of what was intended, he was our player for the whole of September, October, November and December.

There was no financial reason not to play him for those 4 months, unless he had a bizarre rewards scheme in his contract.

That’s what was embarrassing.
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I think you are reading more into it. He was told he had to leave, he didn’t preseason with the team he found a club and it fell through last minute. By that time we had signed his replacement and went unbeaten until Nov. None of us would have played him until Kelly’s injury. By then Parker had to decide did he play Mepham a young international staying with the club or play Cook for a month before he left in Jan.

Added to that, had he done his knee ligaments Cook would have sat on our books until July on a whopping salary. From Cooks point of view as well he would have been contractless and trying to recover. When Cahills injury happened it all changed and the risk for both sides became more
worth it.

It’s taken me until this week to think all this through. Up until then I didn’t really see the logic.
 
Neil Dawson said:
I’m not even sure Parker fancied Cahill as a better player. He was brought in for one season because Cook was off somewhere else to do the same job. Personally I don’t think there is a lot between them and doubt Parker does either. Fantastic though Cahill has been he still hasn’t played as well this season as Cook did at Fulham!
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Yes, but there's probably an element of Cahill being one of his own.

Although Cooks a leader, Cahill is too plus at highest levels. Who knows benefits Cahill may have brought in mentoring Kelly, influence amongst rest of squad.

Cook may have played a blinder at Fulham, but may have less impact,consistency over course of tge season.
 
Neil Dawson said:
I think you are reading more into it. He was told he had to leave, he didn’t preseason with the team he found a club and it fell through last minute. By that time we had signed his replacement and went unbeaten until Nov. None of us would have played him until Kelly’s injury. By then Parker had to decide did he play Mepham a young international staying with the club or play Cook for a month before he left in Jan.

Added to that, had he done his knee ligaments Cook would have sat on our books until July on a whopping salary. From Cooks point of view as well he would have been contractless and trying to recover. When Cahills injury happened it all changed and the risk for both sides became more
worth it.

It’s taken me until this week to think all this through. Up until then I didn’t really see the logic.
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I think that's a reasonable summary.

Meps is clearly highly thought of both within and outside the club, certainly as one for the future so why wouldn't you use him next to someone wh has done it all when you can?

I love Cookie but from a cold-hearted club perspective, playing him in front of Mepham makes little sense and he isn't as quick as Kelly and not as reliable as Cahill.

From my POV I'd like to see him go to Rangers or Celtic, get good game time and maybe a trophy or two.
 
Notmarcjackson said:
I think that's a reasonable summary.

Meps is clearly highly thought of both within and outside the club, certainly as one for the future so why wouldn't you use him next to someone wh has done it all when you can?

I love Cookie but from a cold-hearted club perspective, playing him in front of Mepham makes little sense and he isn't as quick as Kelly and not as reliable as Cahill.

From my POV I'd like to see him go to Rangers or Celtic, get good game time and maybe a trophy or two.
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Exactly, as much as Mepham gets derided, there's a very good player in there and still plenty of opportunity to grow into that.

Cook is moving in the other direction. Makes sense to me in our situation why Mepham is chosen ahead of him.
 
Neil Dawson said:
I’m not even sure Parker fancied Cahill as a better player. He was brought in for one season because Cook was off somewhere else to do the same job. Personally I don’t think there is a lot between them and doubt Parker does either. Fantastic though Cahill has been he still hasn’t played as well this season as Cook did at Fulham!
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I love Steve Cook but I think you're talkin up his performances this season. How many points did we win with him in the side? How did our defence look overall in those games?
 
simonhpieman said:
Blows my mind. Cook is an immense player. Has always given his all for us and 99% of the time looks excellent.

I guess the problem is that 1% where he's off the boil or makes a mistake but every player has that.

Unless he's earning an absolute fortune I'm amazed we're letting him go.
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He was one of four players on 60k plus and we don’t play in that arena anymore. I’d imagine he wants a final 3 year contract at that level and he deserves that for him and his family.
 
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