Cook has recipe for success
JOHN RICHARDSON
NEW Ipswich boss Paul Cook admits that he is reaching for the stars
– at administration-hit Wigan he had to sell them.
Former Everton hero Peter Reid was Wigan’s technical director and witnessed the traumatic months which led to the club’s relegation from the championship through a points deduction.
Cook resigned and Reid thinks the Liverpool-born manager is the ideal man to bring good times back.
Reid said: “Paul has a good knowledge of the game, is tactically bright and very charismatic.”
Cook revealed on his unveiling that “we’ve got to aim for the stars” with the first task to leave League One behind.
Reid stated: “They are there or thereabouts for an automatic or play-off promotion place.
“Ipswich have a great history. If you start winning there and you get on a run, then they have got a great chance of getting back into the Championship and pushing on from there.”
SERGIO REGUILON does not miss a beat when asked if something special lies behind Tottenham’s recent defensive resurgence.
“Yes, I’m back,” quips the Spaniard, quick as a flash.
“I’m joking, I’m joking,” adds the fun-loving full-back.
“I don’t know, maybe there are moments in the season when it happens that we are tired, maybe the game is an unlucky one. It’s football, difficult to explain.
“But now we are in a good moment – and we have to build on it.”
That good moment has largely come about thanks to Spurs tightening up at the back.
In their last five games in the Premier League and Europa League, they have conceded just two goals – and successive victories over Burnley and Fulham, coupled with other results, have taken them back into top-four contention.
Reguilon, 24, said: “Now the feeling is we can make the top four because we have a very good squad and try to win every match.”
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp (below) shares that opinion.
Although, as his raging debate with Roy Keane last week proved, not everyone agrees.
Keane dismissed Jose Mourinho’s side as ‘average’, much to Redknapp’s annoyance.
And as part of his argument, the ex-Spurs midfielder claimed Reguilon is “as good a left-back as there is in the country”.
“That’s why Madrid let him go,” Keane responded sarcastically.
Reguilon hit back: “This is Roy Keane’s opinion, but we have a lot of top-class players who can play in every team.
“We have the best players but thank you, Jamie, for defending me. It was so funny – he was really angry. I watched that and smiled a lot.”
Reguilon has endeared himself to Spurs fans since joining from Real Madrid with Gareth Bale in
September. But Mourinho was disappointed at Christmas when he broke lockdown rules at a festive get-together with Erik Lamela,
Giovani Lo Celso and their families.
Not least because the manager had splashed out on a suckling pig for Reguilon – a grand gesture if you are from Spain or Portugal.
“I know Jose wants the best for me and I feel the same about him,” added Reguilon.
“It was a big bit of pork. I ate it all alone at home on December 25, I promise.”