Resilient Cook can reach for the stars
LEWIS COOK has been forced to wait for his chance but Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe believes the sky is the limit for his midfielder.
Cook was skipper of England’s Under-20 World Cup-winning side in the summer but at club level is still trying to stake a claim.
An ankle injury and the presence of Jack Wilshere meant Cook had to be patient last season. And the 20-year-old was making his first Premier appearance this season here only because of injuries to Harry Arter and Dan Gosling.
But his display provided one of the positives for Howe after this scoreless draw left his side second bottom.
“A lot of players in his position would have been disappointed or stopped learning because they didn’t see a path into the team,” said Howe. “Lewis is not that type. He’s a hard worker, diligent, wants to get to the very top and displayed the attitude that will help get him there. The sky’s the limit for him.”
Cook showed a maturity beyond his years, setting the tempo that should have brought three points.
A succession of missed chances and the failure of referee Graham Scott to spot a handball by Leicester’s Danny Simpson that denied Marc Pugh an early goal proved costly.
“It wasn’t our day,” said Cook. “The ball wouldn’t fall for us.”
Leicester offered little, despite playing Jamie Vardy for 90 minutes. Manager Craig Shakespeare insisted there was no questioning Vardy’s England commitment.
“The medical departments spoke. It’s right to give Jamie this break, to fully recover from his hip injury,” he said.