Recalled Rose earns Pompey boss praise

The midfielder came back into his starting XI at Crawley in place of the injured Amine Linganzi.

Cook believes the 29-year-old subsequently turned in a man-of-the-match performance.

Rose has proven to be one of Cook’s best summer signings, yet lost his spot to Linganzi following the home defeat by Exeter at the end of January.

Following a seven-match spell on the bench, he was recalled to the team on Tuesday.

The ex-Oxford United man produced an impressive display in the 2-0 victory which lifted the Blues into the automatic promotion spots.

And he can expect to retain his place at Colchester tomorrow.

Cook said: ‘For me, Danny was our best player at Colchester. I enjoy watching Danny play, he’s a good player.

‘Linganzi has come in and done smashing but, as I’ve said to the lads, sometimes you pick our team out of a hat because they can play. You don’t mind who plays, they are good.

‘Danny can play in any team – you will always get your chance in a team naturally.

‘He’s a great lad around the club, a model pro and one of those lads that if he’s not in the team is bubbly because he knows he is a good player.

‘He can attack, he can break lines, he’s a very intelligent man and a very intelligent footballer.

‘Like the rest of the lads, he’s a good player and in a good place.

‘If you get out of the team, sometimes you have to wait for your chance, that’s football.

‘And that is what Danny has done to get back into the side.’

– NEIL ALLEN