"A good appointment to steady the ship" - Pundit reacts as Plymouth Argyle eye Paul Cook | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle have been linked with a move for Chesterfield boss Paul Cook, according to Football Insider.

Chesterfield are currently in the National League but are top of the division by eight points and have two games in hand on second place Bromley, so look set for a return to the Football League next season.

Despite Plymouth being in the Championship and Chesterfield being in the National League, Cook is a well-respected manager at EFL level and has had spells managing clubs like Wigan Athletic, Ipswich and Portsmouth in recent seasons.

It may not be a popular decision with Argyle supporters to appoint a manager from three divisions below, but Cook would certainly add some stability to Plymouth.

"Plenty of experience" - Carlton Palmer on Paul Cook

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Carlton Palmer deemed Paul Cook to be a good potential short-term appointment for Argyle, but was unsure if he was the right man in the long-term.

"Plymouth Argyle are now looking for a new head coach. One name that has now surfaced is Paul Cook," said Palmer.

"Paul has had several managerial roles in his career to date, after he was with Wigan, Ipswich and Portsmouth previously. He is currently in his second stint at Chesterfield, and they are top of the National League and on course to return to the fourth tier of English football.

"Paul Cook, if appointed, would see Plymouth go in a different direction. The appeal of Paul is that he has plenty of experience. Although he has struggled in a few roles, he has done well at Championship level.

"With Schumacher departing mid-season, they'd like a safe pair of hands to consolidate their Championship status. However, their previous model was to take a chance on the likes of Ryan Lowe and Schumacher, and it was an inspired decision. "I think Paul would be a good appointment to steady the ship until the end of the season while preserving the club's Championship status.

"But in the long-term, they need to follow the model that has served them well in recent times, in taking a chance on a good, young manager.

Plymouth Argyle's interest in Paul Cook

It does seem slightly strange that a Championship club are interested in a National League manager, but in all truth, Cook is more than capable of managing at a higher level than the fifth tier of English football.

During Cook's time managing Wigan Athletic, he got the side promoted to the Championship before managing to keep the Latics in the division during the 2018/19 season. He very nearly did the same the following year. The Latics finished 23rd during the 2019/20 season but had been deducted 12 points, without that points deduction, the club would have finished in 13th place.

This shows that Cook is capable of managing at Championship level and won't have off-field distractions at Home Park like he did at Wigan. It's easy to see why Argyle are said to be keen on the 56-year-old.