Cooke: ''We need to start moving in a different direction''

[Dons News]

<p>Paul Cooke has spoken to the official website about his decision to focus on tasks away from the field. </p>

<p>The Dons head coach removed himself from the team in Doncaster’s last match against Dewsbury, taking a seat in the stand to influence the team away from the pitch.</p>

<p>Cooke admitted this is likely to be a regular occurrence from now onwards, believing the club needs to take a different route moving forwards.</p>

<p>He said: “I’m 34 now and playing is becoming a lot more difficult.</p>

<p>“I spoke to my family, the board of directors and Carl Hall at length about which direction the club wants to go in and at 34 in the Championship with four full time clubs, the game is becoming just a little bit too tough to do everything.</p>

<p>“If we are down to 16 players then I will play, if we are not then I won’t.</p>

<p>“We need to start moving in a different direction as a club, the board of directors are aware of that, along with my family and the people who are closest.</p>

<p>“The team has not been good enough with me in it, I don’t know how it can be much worse without me, with the way I have been performing as much as anybody else.</p>

<p>“The players ask questions when you are not playing well, I am no different when I am out there playing to anybody else out there making mistakes and errors.</p>

<p>“Had I been fully fit to play and 25, I would have still left myself out because of the way I am playing. </p>

<p>“It’s not a decision that I have taken that I am not going to remove myself from playing because of my age, but it is because I am not performing well either.</p>

<p>“I spoke with Carl Hall and the family at length, the club has had three good years out of me towards the back end of my career.</p>

<p>“We need to start looking forward as a club and a group, it has not worked in the previous eight weeks.</p>

<p>“I am not selfish enough to just want to go out there and play because I am in the back end of my career, it needs to be for the right reasons and the quality I can bring to the team.</p>

<p>“I’m not saying that’s it, but what I have done is taken a decision that I believe is best for the club, most importantly the players on the field and thirdly me my family.</p>

<p>“If we are in dire straights then I will pull the shirt on and play, but the club has to look to somebody younger than 34 player coaching to move forward.</p>

<p>“I believe now though that I can influence the team more off the field than on it.”</p>

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[Piggy's mate]

A real master at his craft Mr Cooke, and a pleasure to watch him play in the championship