Should come with a health warning - Ipswich boss Paul Cook on the trouble with managing Portsmouth

And the Blues boss hinted playing in front of the Fratton faithful was like being a man down at times in his tenure at PO4.

The Scouser has explained how turning around the club’s fortunes after his arrival in 2015 proved a challenge, after the club’s fall from grace.

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Speaking at his first press conference since being unveiled Ipswich manager, Cook said: ‘Manager of Portsmouth comes with a health warning - that’s for certain!

‘When I went to manage Portsmouth, the reality of their situation dropping through the leagues was so tough on the supporters.

‘Portsmouth went from “when Sol went up to lift the FA Cup” to playing League Two football. There’s a natural reaction to that.’

Cook faced some toxic atmospheres as manager, before delivering the League Two in dramatic fashion on the final day of the 2016-17 season.

And when asked about the comparison between turning around Pompey and the club he joined this week, he intimated tackling the negativity brought on by the club’s decline was a tough task.

He added: ‘Football fans at 99 per cent of clubs believe that they’re the 12th man.

‘But sometimes at some of the football clubs they’re not the 12th man, they’re actually the 10th man.

‘It’s like losing a man because they are that critical of the team on the pitch and their performance.

‘Sometimes a football fan’s anger can come out in the wrong way.

‘I’ve been brought up as a football fan to support your team, get behind your team and have no negativity.

‘The negativity used to come when we went for a pint after the game game and we could slag everyone off then.

‘For 90 minutes during a football game, a football fan’s job is to support and get behind their team.

‘I think that’s difficult sometimes when your club has dropped levels. It’s a logical thing.’

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