Robbie Blake: Portsmouth would have won League One with Paul Cook, but he wasn't backed - so chose Wigan

Once the disorientating smoke had dispersed, just Robbie Blake and John Keeley remained.
Robbie Blake spent three seasons as a member of Pompey's backroom staff before leaving for the Rocks in 2018. Picture: Joe PeplerRobbie Blake spent three seasons as a member of Pompey's backroom staff before leaving for the Rocks in 2018. Picture: Joe Pepler
Robbie Blake spent three seasons as a member of Pompey's backroom staff before leaving for the Rocks in 2018. Picture: Joe Pepler

Pompey had been crowned League Two champions at an emotional Fratton Park, the crucial first step on the journey home.

Then, 26 days later, Cook and the majority of his backroom staff cleared their desks and initiated an acrimonious departure for Wigan.

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Sunday marks three years since the Blues manager’s exit, flanked by right-hand man Leam Richardson and first-team physios Nick Meace and Andy Procter.

Paul Cook celebrating the League Two title in May 2017 - but Robbie Blake is convinced if the manager had stayed there would have been other Pompey promotions. Picture: Joe Pepler/Digital South.Paul Cook celebrating the League Two title in May 2017 - but Robbie Blake is convinced if the manager had stayed there would have been other Pompey promotions. Picture: Joe Pepler/Digital South.
Paul Cook celebrating the League Two title in May 2017 - but Robbie Blake is convinced if the manager had stayed there would have been other Pompey promotions. Picture: Joe Pepler/Digital South.

They left behind Keeley, Pompey’s highly-regarded goalkeeping coach to this day, while Blake opted for a first-team coaching role under incoming boss Kenny Jackett.

The amiable Blake served as scout, coach, confidant and golfing partner to Cook, a popular presence whose humour and raconteur talents were pivotal to the dressing room.

And the 44-year-old is convinced Cook’s May 2017 departure cost Pompey successive promotions – and that prized Championship return.

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He told The News: ‘I fully believe that, had Cookie received the backing that year, it would have been Pompey celebrating the League One title instead of Wigan.

‘I can honestly say, I don’t know the full ins and outs of what happened. However, my take was he probably wasn’t going to receive the backing he wanted.

‘With a new takeover coming in, Cookie wanted to take that club back to the Championship. But I genuinely believe he couldn’t get the backing.

‘The Pompey squad might not have been good enough to get out of League One at the time, although the core of them were fine. So he would need to make some additions.

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‘That would have meant bringing in some signings which would be a bit more expensive than the previous couple of years. I imagine that was something to do with it.

‘I know Wigan was close to Cookie’s home. He’s an intelligent man and probably felt it was right to leave – he had taken the club as far as he could at that time.

‘I was surprised how it ended for him at Pompey, but wasn’t shocked.

‘The club could have done more to keep him. I’m not saying he’s Pep Guardiola, but he is a fantastic manager who, I know for a fact, would have got Pompey into the Championship. I fully believe that, 100 per cent.

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‘Even though he now has a different budget at Wigan in terms of resources, he went there and got them up as champions straightaway.

‘I’m not trying to criticise Pompey’s board and the chairman, they have done a fantastic job for the club. The club’s in such a great position off the field at the minute, which is through tremendous work from Mark Catlin and Tony Brown. Iain McInnes started it and the Eisners have come in with a new infrastructure.

‘However, Cookie, going forward, wanted to spend a bit to get out of the Championship, which I feel you have to.

‘I don't think he would have felt that backing was forthcoming.’

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Since departing almost three years ago, Cook has largely avoided public comment on his Fratton Park days.

As recently as March, he did not respond to attempts from The News to gain an interview, leaving others, such as Blake, to instead shine a light on that highly-successful Blues reign.

The pair have remained in touch, despite an initial fall-out after the coach declined Cook’s offer to resume their partnership at the DW Stadium.

‘Cookie is a fantastic manager, he’s very, very talented,’ added Blake, who has been the Rocks’ first-team coach since May 2018.

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‘The best compliment I can pay him is that every single player on his books knew their jobs and what was required in every position.

‘He was firm, he had them fit, he was strict, but in the right way.

‘At Pompey he worked the boys hard, he didn’t give them a breather. On the pitch was serious, but predominantly, he created such a good environment.

‘At the training ground it was bubbly and lively, that’s how he made it, that’s how he wanted it. He didn’t want a down-in-the-dumps place.

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‘Even if it was the dinner lady or cleaner, he wanted them to be happy. For him it was about having a happy environment for the players to thrive.

‘There would be laughter in the canteen, the lads played head tennis outside his office, with staff also joining in, it was a fun place to be, so much banter – but tough, tough on the training pitch.

‘As a manager, sometimes when you have a bad run you try different formations – but he stuck to his principles. Over a period of time, his win percentage at Sligo, Chesterfield and Pompey was phenomenal.

‘Everyone on the outside will go “Pompey, what a huge club. With their budget they’ll go straight up”. Yet it’s not as easy as that, nowhere near.

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‘At a big club like Pompey, that doesn't happen overnight. Certainly when you’ve had four or five years in the doldrums, not knowing where you are going, chopping and changing of managers with turmoil off the pitch with takeovers, it had been a tough time for the club.

‘There was so much pressure on that job. Even though Cookie’s record was great and he’d had previous success, it wasn’t at a big club like Pompey, which not long before had been in the Premier League and played in Europe.

‘Sometimes top teams can’t even lose a league game, it was similar to that. The expectations and mentality at Pompey were so intense. A draw at Oxford United wouldn’t be good enough.

‘Cookie knew the anticipation and expectations of what was ahead, but I don’t think he realised how big a club it was and how demanding it could be. With that pressure you must deliver.

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‘In that second year, let’s have it right, it was either promotion or losing his job. He knew how big that was.

‘I will say, though, they employed the right guy at the right time – who put the club on a platform to go on.’

Wigan’s Championship campaign will resume two points and two places above the relegation zone.

Cook had overseen a heartening revival before the season’s suspension, with five wins and one defeat during their last nine league fixtures sparking hopes of survival.

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With former Blues favourites Jamal Lowe, Kal Naismith and Gary Roberts among their ranks, the Latics have nine remaining fixtures to retain their Championship status.

Pompey’s own campaign is not over, raising the possibility of both clubs occupying the same division next season. Whatever level that may be.

Blake added: ‘Make no mistake about it, Cookie was sad as well, he genuinely loved the football club and fans. He still does.

‘I know for a fact he still looks out for the results, he doesn’t want Pompey not to do well.

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‘Managers move on, sometimes they move on on bad terms, sometimes good terms.

‘Sometimes supporters don’t know the full ins and outs of everything – and can get it a bit wrong.

‘Only Paul will know the full reasons why he left – and only the club will know the reasons why it happened.

‘Make no mistake, he was not delighted to leave, that’s for sure.

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‘I know for a fact he loved the football club and the supporters, he felt so proud to be the manager.

‘I would imagine that if you could speak to him, he would tell you he loved his time down here.’

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