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Lee: Everything Should Be Based on Honesty and Paul Cook’s Your Man For That
Friday, 18th Jun 2021 16:35

Former Blues striker and academy coach Alan Lee says his former Burnley team-mate Paul Cook is the ideal manager as Town go into their new era.

Lee played alongside Cook at Turf Moor between 1999 and 2000 as they helped the Clarets to promotion from League One.

The former Republic of Ireland international says Cook’s honest approach will be integral to the club as it looks to rebuild under its new ownership.

“Most of all you need a really honest backroom staff and players themselves,” he said in part two of his Blue Monday-TWTD podcast.

“The responsibility needs to be shifted from we’ve got the tactics today and all this, we’re going to do this, we’re going to be so good on the ball, to the players when the cross the white line, they’re going to work out what needs to happen and dig deep to win every game, to try and win every game.

“I’d love to see them do it. Having played with Cooky and [first-team coaches] Robbo [Gary Roberts] and Franny [Jeffers], I really want them to succeed.”

He added: “I think for a period of two or three years, the whole club suffered from a lack of honesty from everyone.

“And once you’ve got that and no one’s accountable and no one’s responsible, anyone can do what they like.

“There were so many announcements, ‘listen, we’ve got new hedges and a new fence in the training ground’ and everyone would go ‘yes, this is really positive!’. What a load of bollocks.

“That money should have been spent on young players or as [former manager] Mick [McCarthy] did, spend it on the pitches maybe. I think the club suffered from that for two or three years.

“But it’s a fresh start. At the moment they’ve got Paul Cook and Gary Roberts, you won’t get people more honest than them.

“Everything should be based on honesty to get back where [the club] should be and Paul Cook’s your man for that, let me tell you.”

How did he find Cook as a team-mate? “I plead the fifth! He’s exactly the same as he was. The life and soul, loud. A really positive character. Would have fun with you, lift you if you’re down. The type of personality that will liven up a room.

“If you’re training and he’s not there, it can go a bit flat. If he’s there, it’s never going to be flat. A good guy, a really good player.”

Cook has told all but a handful of the first-team squad that they can move on this summer, but Lee believes that that was aimed at getting a reaction from players.

“Obviously recruitment is crucial,” he reflected. “It’s been well-reported what’s been said. I see that as Paul Cook saying ‘who’s really up for a fight and who’s going to prove me wrong next year?’

“If I was a player that would certainly be my mentality. If I’ve been told I can go, I’m coming back in pre-season and I’d be bang at it.

“I think that might turn out to be a clever bit of man-management. I guess Cooky’s hoping so anyway!”


Photo: TWTD



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borge added 16:48 - Jun 18
This interview has shifted my view a bit. I was very pro-Paul Cook when he came in, but with his 'demolition man' statement and related actions my concern was that we had a 'baby with the bathwater' situation a la Hurst and to some extent Keane - i.e. someone simply pooh-poohing everything that went before, particularly if they were failing to make an initial difference. However, Lee clearly knows the club, understands the heritage and at least had some links to a time pre-Evans when we had a more obvious and positive culture. If he is saying that the club was in a negative place and changes were needed, it gives me a greater sense of faith that Cook's actions are warranted and have the club's best interests at heart.
18

Linkboy13 added 16:55 - Jun 18
Spot on Alan Lee never did take too seriously what Paul Cook said and those of us ex players will know he was finding out who was up for the fight . Let's be honest ninety percent of the players at the club are not going to find a better or bigger club than Ipswich to play for one or two might not even find another league club.
12

blu_dru added 17:19 - Jun 18
Old School Preds and looking abit like Paolo Di Canio there...
2

blues1 added 18:03 - Jun 18
Linkboy13. Exactly, as u say. And that's what all sensible fans have said all along. That it was a challenge to the players. Or he wouldnt have said they CAN find other clubs, hed have said THEY HAVE to find other clubs. Dobra has already stated intends to fight for his place, up to the others if they wish to, or not. As u say, some would find it hard to find anywhere better to play their football.
8

buzbyblue added 19:20 - Jun 18
Spot on from Lee, SOME finkle fans on here should think abit more before posting!
You wanna play for this club then prove it - show some fight, some passion a willing to push on....

This is already the case with some as it was reported some are already back training before preseason!

COYB!!!!!
5

mib added 03:08 - Jun 19
What rubbish, the players had their chance under Cook and they blew it, still not sure about Cook, time will tell
-3

Bazza8564 added 08:40 - Jun 19
These pieces are excellent, time to get behind Cookie and get down to PR in our thousands, club is finally turning the corner
5

Cadiar added 11:00 - Jun 19
Alan Lee has really shown that the club was a box of worms for quite a long time. Under Evans the hierarchy just were not football people. Why did Evans actually think he could own & run a football club? Now we do have people who are so into the game even though they are American.
I think Lee iis right that Cook has thrown down the gauntlet to the remaining players & so far Dobra is the only one to come out and say he's going to be fighting for a place. KVY is almost certainly one of the players PC will want, but the rest are going to have to show a real desire to be at PR. Wonder how many have got that drive in them.
2

BeattiesBackPocket added 12:50 - Jun 19
Where's bettyblue or monkey blue bet they won't read this and take back their many stupid comments about how cook is running the players out. Anyone with half a clue about football knew damn well he was telling them to shape up or ship out. As Blues1 said he never said they have to find other clubs most knew it was him wanting to see some fight from them and the first one to do it is dobra a kid of the others don't want to be here then get gone. Cooks been around long enough to know who the culprits are.
4

Linkboy13 added 07:38 - Jun 20
Yes BeattiesBackPocket i wonder what's happened to the Blue family, Monkey, Betty, and Dolphin seem to have gone into hiding. Really missing their cheerful comments.
1


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