Manager delighted with his players after 1-0 win at West Bromwich Albion

Paul Cook | “When you get days like today and the players play like they did today then it makes you very proud of your group.”
Manager full of praise for his players after special with at The Hawthorns
Cook: “We have a good group of lads, they give everything for the club, and we have to have that solidarity and unity.”

Wigan Athletic manager Paul Cook spoke of his great pride in the solidarity and unity his players have shown as they won for the third consecutive game this week, by beating West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

Cook has led his side to three clean sheets as well as three points in a special week for the club.

Reflecting post-match, Cook said how the players are coming together in a show of unity for their defender Chey Dunkley, who suffered a fractured tibia and fibula at Reading on Wednesday evening.

“I was texting Chey [Dunkley] before the game and I text him yesterday after his operation. It is a massive show of solidarity from the players and the club towards him and that is great.

“He has had a big knock but he will be back and he knows we are all thinking about him.

“Today’s win is great for everyone, though, football can be a cruel game, especially for our supporters who have travelled. Today is one of our better days and we have had a few latterly, especially away from home.

“Our away record has gone, that song that fans sing ‘How …. Must You Be, We’re Winning Away’, that needs to stop now because we have won a couple,” he joked!

Latics’ skipper Samy Morsy got the only goal of the game and Cook spoke of how well the captain took his goal, before speaking about how proud he has been in the club this week, after the under-18s showed a valiant effort in their FA Youth Cup quarter final with Manchester United.

“It was a great goal from Samy – a proper finish – there was only one way to finish it and that was aggressively,” Cook said.

“It was great to do it in front of the travelling supporters – who travelled in great numbers.

“I was at the Manchester United game last night for the youth team and I was very proud of them and how they conducted themselves in a big game at Old Trafford.

“We had over 2,000 fans there and I was just thinking that we really needed to turn up at West Brom for them.

“We have a good group of lads, they give everything for the club, and we have to have that solidarity and unity.”

And Cook added these days mean a lot to him, his staff and players, after some difficult days in the last 18 months.

“Management is tough because with social media and other things, it is like a free for all for criticism and sometimes it is really tough for managers and players and their families and friends because it is a tough league and a tough division,” Cook explained.

“When you get days like today and the players play like they did today then it makes you very proud of your group.

“It has been a massive week; to sit where we were last week when we played Millwall at home and you knew the damage of a defeat, but three games later you have taken nine points, it gets us on a really good points tally now, albeit we have so much work to do. We have to keep going.”

Continuing, Cook said nothing has changed from his perspective and that his side are enjoyable to watch.

“We are playing well, we have an identity and people will think that we have done things differently, the reality is that we haven’t,” he said.

“We are playing the same way; we are trying to pass the ball and it is repetition and you sit on a formula that is good.

“We have seen another game out, another clean sheet against ferocious opposition and that is great credit to the players.”

One slight change Cook has made has been the return to the starting XI of Gary Roberts, who has excelled this week.

“Never let me down in his life, Gary, and he never will. He knows football and he can play football in stadiums with no lights on,” Cook said of the forward.

“He has a great appetite for the game, great vision, a great willingness and it is hard sometimes because we have lads like Anthony Pilkington – who was coming on before Leon was sick – who need to play and have got lots of quality.

“Certainly, if we are trying to pass the ball and retain possession, then I know what Gary brings and he will do that in abundance.

“At other times, we will need other assets but it is great to have everyone around and the whole group – since the end of the transfer window – has aligned. The three lads who have come in, there is a real focus from them and I enjoy that and enjoy being around them.”

Paul Cook | “When you get days like today and the players play like they did today then it makes you very proud of your group.”