Manager Paul Cook on the subject of further arrivals and exits at Chesterfield
Manager Paul Cook says Chesterfield don’t necessarily have to move players out in order to complete the club’s transfer business.
Even though ten summer deals have already been completed and there is cover for most positions, injuries to flair players Will Dickson and Dylan Duffy means reinforcements might still be needed as the new season unfolds.
Chairman Ashley Kirk said this week that “we would love to do a bit more business on both sides of the coin” and indicated that it may take time to do it.
Asked today if, with budget constraints in mind, players would have to depart before new ones came in, Cook said: “Not necessarily, no.
"We’re are always an active club. We get amazing support from Sharon and Ash (Kirk). I think if something presented itself we wanted to do, I think we'd do it.
"The conversations we’ve had – and this is sometimes where press conferences can get a bit boring for me and I say this with total respect – I’m just saying the same stuff. I’ve spoken about the ins and the outs, I’ve spoken about it more than once, and now it’s time to concentrate on the games to come.”
On the subject of the re-shaped squad, Cook hopes the 2026/27 version has some of the ingredients he thinks were missing last term.
"Last year I wasn’t shy in saying that I never felt we were a good team. I always thought we had good players but good players don’t make a good team,” he said, speaking ahead of tomorrow’s League Two opener at home to Fleetwood Town.
"Good players can certainly help you without a shadow of a doubt but there are certain requirements that teams have to have in order to become a good team and I just felt there were times last year we were missing an ingredient or two.
"I think every team has criticism, that’s football, but that team managed to get 79 points and if you look back, 79 points is not a bad knock, it genuinely isn’t.
"If someone could give me 80 points now I wouldn’t kick a ball. I’d probably sit back and watch from Spain or somewhere.
"It’s football, and while it’s easy to be critical, you’re always looking to improve and be better.”