Is ex-Wigan Athletic boss Paul Cook missing Leam Richardson at Ipswich?

Paul Cook and Leam Richardson during their Latics days

While Wigan Athletic are flying high in second spot in League One, Ipswich are in the relegation zone, without a win to their name.

And ahead of Saturday's tough trip to Lincoln City, Cook was asked whether the absence of Richardson - who elected to become permanent Latics boss rather than follow Cook to Ipswich - alongside him in the dug-out was a factor.

"In football, rightly or wrongly, questions are always asked - I've never a problem with that," Cook told the assembled media.

"If you look back on my time previously, things have gone well. So when Ipswich Town aren't doing so well, that will be a natural question.

"Our board have given me every encouragement to look at every aspect of what we're doing and how can we make it better.

"So just like our supporters, we look at the club in the same light. We always think 'have we got enough?'

"But if you look back, for example, at Macauley Bonne's miss at Cheltenham - was that due to my assistant manager not being in the dugout? I don't really think so.

"If you look at Lee Evans standing on the ball against whoever it was at home and giving the goal away - was that down to an assistant manager issue?

"We've got a great belief in making the club better. If we feel that experience should come in, I'd be all for it. I'd be all for anything that makes this football club better.

"In my world, the thing that will make this football club better is more time, more games together on the pitch and starting to win.

"Once you do all those things, people won't be talking about the coaching staff, they'll be enjoying what they're seeing on the football pitch.

"And in my world, that day is coming."

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