before QPR become "the richest club in the world", he saved their bacon
Cook gives £250,000 to QPR
New Fulham signing Lee Cook revealed today he has donated £250,000 to his former club Queens Park Rangers to help steer them through their financial troubles.
Cook — one of eight players to join Lawrie Sanchez's Craven Cottage revolution this summer — decided to give the sum, which equates to 10 per cent of his £2.5million transfer fee, when he left Loftus Road last month
Rangers are struggling for money and, as everyone knows, I'm a boyhood Rangers fan,” explained Cook.
“The club were saying that not enough money had been paid for me. I said, 'I'll give you 10 per cent of the sale'.
“It was totally my decision — there was no pressure from anyone. The transfer had been agreed but I love Rangers and I don't want to see them hard up.”
Some wingers blow hot and cold. They are usually good going forward - that is how they make their name - but can sometimes be found wanting defensively. Wingers who have consistency are those who can play well when in possession but can also affect the game by doing the ugly work and making sure that the side does not have to carry them in defence.
This is what marks out QPR's Lee Cook, a left-winger who, reports suggest, is being watched by Tottenham and other Premiership clubs. He has everything that you expect of a winger: quality crosses into the box, free-kicks that threaten to embarrass any goalkeeper, an ability to go past people at will and a talent for relieving pressure in tight situations by his willingness to receive the ball, even when marked.
I have seen this lad a number of times, most recently against Sunderland last Tuesday when he was looking below par and was substituted at half-time. I later found that he had a broken hand, injured ribs and a dead leg, so I will forgive and forget. The fact that he played that night was a good indicator of his character - there aren't too many wingers who would do that.
Cook is strong for a little 'un - he is 5ft 9in - and you can tell he has been in great form because his team-mates are more than eager to get the ball to him at every occasion, often leaving him alone to get on with the job in hand. There is no overlapping full-back to pass to, simply because his quality on the ball is second to none. He is always ready to give his team-mates an option, even when he could have been forgiven for not making himself available.
Cook is not great in the air, and is someone to whom defending certainly does not come naturally, but he has obviously worked at this side of his game, and with that willing attitude he more than does his share. He must learn to tuck himself in when the ball is on the opposite side, and his reading of flick-ons when he is the nearest player to the centre-forward has got to improve. He also needs to get around the back when balls are played across the box from the other side, as at times he gets too wide, but I'm sure that will come with experience. One thing very much in his favour is that he doesn't have to play well to earn his place in the side, as he is certainly capable of occupying not one but two of his opponents, simply because he has shown what a good player he is. When I watched him against Sunderland he was up against a very quick full-back and right midfield player who doubled up on him at every opportunity.
Even with his weaker foot his service into the box was admirable. Once or twice he went looking for the ball and seemed totally at home receiving it where he wasn't facing his marker. He could probably benefit from a full-back who is prepared to attack a little more to utilise the space he has left.
With a dearth of good left-sided players, there is certainly an opportunity for him to climb into the Premiership, probably quicker than he imagines. But I'm not sure he will fetch the £10m that QPR's chairman, Gianni Paladini, was quoted as saying the club wants for him.
"So I've said to myself that I want to be back to my old self, playing well and fully fit by Christmas and, fingers crossed, that's what's going to happen." Oct 18
Grabbed that from the Fulham site, so it looks like he should be fairly fit, maybe just needs a few games under his belt.
Comments
seeing as hodgson has signed more players than i've had hot dinners lately there might be a squeek in this
come on CAFC lets get something clever going on and pull everyone back together again!
would love to see someone in the Cook/Ledley mould coming in full time
did that Hoolahan to stoke move come off??
Not yet but it's expected as they sold Eustace to Watford
they will be dropping like a stone
loan 'til end of season
before QPR become "the richest club in the world", he saved their bacon
Cook gives £250,000 to QPR
New Fulham signing Lee Cook revealed today he has donated £250,000 to his former club Queens Park Rangers to help steer them through their financial troubles.
Cook — one of eight players to join Lawrie Sanchez's Craven Cottage revolution this summer — decided to give the sum, which equates to 10 per cent of his £2.5million transfer fee, when he left Loftus Road last month
Rangers are struggling for money and, as everyone knows, I'm a boyhood Rangers fan,” explained Cook.
“The club were saying that not enough money had been paid for me. I said, 'I'll give you 10 per cent of the sale'.
“It was totally my decision — there was no pressure from anyone. The transfer had been agreed but I love Rangers and I don't want to see them hard up.”
http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1964016,00.html
Some wingers blow hot and cold. They are usually good going forward - that is how they make their name - but can sometimes be found wanting defensively. Wingers who have consistency are those who can play well when in possession but can also affect the game by doing the ugly work and making sure that the side does not have to carry them in defence.
This is what marks out QPR's Lee Cook, a left-winger who, reports suggest, is being watched by Tottenham and other Premiership clubs. He has everything that you expect of a winger: quality crosses into the box, free-kicks that threaten to embarrass any goalkeeper, an ability to go past people at will and a talent for relieving pressure in tight situations by his willingness to receive the ball, even when marked.
I have seen this lad a number of times, most recently against Sunderland last Tuesday when he was looking below par and was substituted at half-time. I later found that he had a broken hand, injured ribs and a dead leg, so I will forgive and forget. The fact that he played that night was a good indicator of his character - there aren't too many wingers who would do that.
Cook is strong for a little 'un - he is 5ft 9in - and you can tell he has been in great form because his team-mates are more than eager to get the ball to him at every occasion, often leaving him alone to get on with the job in hand. There is no overlapping full-back to pass to, simply because his quality on the ball is second to none. He is always ready to give his team-mates an option, even when he could have been forgiven for not making himself available.
Cook is not great in the air, and is someone to whom defending certainly does not come naturally, but he has obviously worked at this side of his game, and with that willing attitude he more than does his share. He must learn to tuck himself in when the ball is on the opposite side, and his reading of flick-ons when he is the nearest player to the centre-forward has got to improve. He also needs to get around the back when balls are played across the box from the other side, as at times he gets too wide, but I'm sure that will come with experience. One thing very much in his favour is that he doesn't have to play well to earn his place in the side, as he is certainly capable of occupying not one but two of his opponents, simply because he has shown what a good player he is. When I watched him against Sunderland he was up against a very quick full-back and right midfield player who doubled up on him at every opportunity.
Even with his weaker foot his service into the box was admirable. Once or twice he went looking for the ball and seemed totally at home receiving it where he wasn't facing his marker. He could probably benefit from a full-back who is prepared to attack a little more to utilise the space he has left.
With a dearth of good left-sided players, there is certainly an opportunity for him to climb into the Premiership, probably quicker than he imagines. But I'm not sure he will fetch the £10m that QPR's chairman, Gianni Paladini, was quoted as saying the club wants for him.
How he rates
Age: 24
Born: London
Position: winger
Height: 5ft 9in
Weight: 11st 4lb
From: Watford
Attitude: 8/10
Passing: 9/10
Awareness: 9/10
Heading: 6/10
Tackling: 7/10
Team responsibility: 8/10
Valuation £1m-1½m
will need a week or so and a couple of ressies outings...
maybe back about the same time as reidy would have been
Just back from a long lay off, I don't think he has played competitively this season for Fulham, so don't expect him to be match fit...
Yeah, but Steve, he's only on loan to the end of the season.
Goes back to Fulham before the playoffs start.
;o)
So at least if he gets injured we have a ringer! ;-)
;o)
Lee Cook has already scored for Charlton at The Valley and he hasn't even signed yet! ;-)
I didn't realise he was your brother. I meant you were the flying winger .......
Grabbed that from the Fulham site, so it looks like he should be fairly fit, maybe just needs a few games under his belt.
Oi leave it :-) never played in my life and it was for charity! LOL
He still talks about that match - it made his life scoring that pen!
He isn't guaranteed to get straight in anyway so perhaps it's just as well.
Lee Cook - Youtube video