Former Portsmouth boss speaks on Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday roles after being branded 'unprofessional'

The former Pompey boss is looking to get back into the game after leaving Wigan last August, and was touted for both the Owls and Bluebirds roles.

But the Scouser was recently slammed by Owls owner Dejphon Chansiri, who criticised his conduct in an outspoken interview.

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Cook has now spoken about both positions, with Wednesday still on the lookout for a new manager and Cardiff appointing Mick McCarthy.

He confirmed he was contacted but admitted those talks didn’t develop in the manner he would’ve hoped.

Cook told Sky Sports News: ‘It’s a difficult question when you’re an out-of-work manager because you have to be respectful to people that are in work and talk about jobs that are available.

‘I think on both of those jobs and those situations, I would have had contact from the clubs. Where that contact went to obviously wasn’t where I would have liked it to go to.

‘Certainly in Cardiff’s position, appointing Mick McCarthy until the end of the season as they’ve done in my opinion is a very strong decision, a very safe pair of hands.

‘Sheffield Wednesday as we speak have got a caretaker manager in, Neil Thompson, who is also doing an outstanding job as we speak.

‘I’m ready to go back to work now, I would have been probably two days after I left Wigan.

‘These days can be tough. Normally you’re in the middle of it, and now I’m on here speaking about it.’

Despite Cook’s claims there has been contact over the Wednesday job and he’d been offered a deal, Chasiri was adamant he’d not been in contact with the man who guided Pompey to the League Two title in 2017.

And that led to an outspoken blast on Cook and his conduct as Wednesday look for a successor to Garry Monk, who was sacked in November.

Chasiri said: ‘I have never talked with Paul Cook. I think he is a good coach.

‘My colleagues have told me that Paul Cook has been interviewed and was offered a short term contract. It is not true.

‘I think the way he has done things is unprofessional. How can I trust and believe someone who is unprofessional and then call them to interview?

‘If you want me to interview, you can do it the correct way but that does not mean to say it outside.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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