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Gill and Klug to Take Caretaker Charge as Cook in Talks - Ipswich Town News

TWTD understands first-team coach Matt Gill and academy head of coaching and player development Bryan Klug will take caretaker charge of the Blues following Paul Lambert and Stuart Taylor’s departure last night.

Gill, 40, has become increasingly prominent over recent weeks, while club stalwart Klug, 60, has previously been caretaker following the exit of other managers.

The pair are set to lead training today ahead of Tuesday's game at Accrington Stanley.

General manager of football operations Lee O'Neill is set to speak to the media regarding the situation at lunchtime.

It’s understood that Paul Cook, 54, is in advanced talks with the Blues with claims that he may be at Tuesday’s game at Accrington - one of his former clubs - ahead of his appointment at Town, although that is as yet unconfirmed.

TWTD revealed in January that the former Portsmouth, Wigan and Chesterfield boss had been sounded out by owner Marcus Evans with Paul Lambert’s departure looking increasingly on the cards even at that stage.

On Friday, Cook was linked with Town as part of the US-backed takeover which is still a number of weeks away from being concluded.

TWTD understands former Blues forward Noel Hunt may be part of Cook’s staff, which it’s anticipated could also include existing members of staff, Gill perhaps among them.

Hunt, 38, played for Cook at Portsmouth and Wigan and was a member of the coaching staff at Swindon until December last year.

The former Irish international was a popular figure with the Blues in a spell which ran between November 2014 and the end of that season, most notably due to his last-gasp debut goal at Charlton.

As reported yesterday, another ex-Blue, Gary Roberts, 36, is also understood to be in Cook's thoughts for a role on his backroom staff.

Meanwhile, Saturday's opponents Doncaster are also now without a boss after manager Darren Moore departed to take over of Sheffield Wednesday this morning.

Coincidentally, Moore's last game in charge of his previous club, West Brom, was also against Town, a 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns in March 2019.

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