Plymouth Argyle: Paul Cook and 2 others named as Tom Cleverley replacements that would delight | OneFootball

FLW’s Pilgrims expert names who he’d like to see in the Home Park dugout

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Plymouth Argyle’s season continues to spiral into crisis after their fifth straight defeat left them rooted to the bottom of League One.

A 3-1 loss away at Huddersfield Town at the weekend extended a dismal run of form that has seen the Pilgrims collect just one point from their last five games, conceding 32 goals in 14 league outings.

For a club that only last year competed in the Championship, the threat of back-to-back relegations now looms large.

What has frustrated supporters even further is not just the results, but the rhetoric coming from the dugout. Manager Tom Cleverley, who arrived in the summer tasked with steadying the ship after Miron Muslic’s resignation, has faced growing scrutiny for both his tactical approach and his post-match comments.

His latest attempt at optimism - referencing Argyle’s position “top of the league” in the EFL’s Vertu Motors Trophy group stage - has been received by many fans as tone-deaf given the team’s current plight.

Cleverley insists he will fight on. The former Manchester United midfielder has spoken about the hurt of seeing his side at the foot of the table and has vowed to work harder to turn things around.

But as the defeats pile up and confidence drains from a young, injury-hit squad, many fans are now asking the inevitable question - if not Cleverley, then who?

Plymouth Argyle expert: Ian Holloway, Michael Skubala or Paul Cook to take over from Tom Cleverley

Among those in favour of a change is Football League World’s Argyle fan pundit Luke Hodge, who believes the time has come to move away from inexperienced, unproven head coaches and turn instead to a steady hand.

When asked who he’d like to see take the reins, he gave us three clear contenders who could restore order at Home Park.

“I’m kind of torn a little bit really, there's three people that I would be quite happy with,” Hodge told FLW.

“One would be Ian Holloway to come back, manager at Swindon. Skubala, I think he's doing a fantastic job at Lincoln. 
And the other one is Paul Cook.

“Any of those three, I’d be delighted with - three experienced managers, going away from the young up and coming.

“Proven managers that have been around the block that know how to get the best out of their players and that have done a really good job.

“So one of them three, if you had to push me for one, probably probably be heading towards Cook, but I'd be delighted with Skubala or Holloway.”

The appeal of Holloway, Skubala, or Cook is clear. Holloway brings decades of experience, including Premier League promotion with Blackpool, and a reputation for energising squads while navigating the challenges of the Football League.

Skubala has emerged as one of the more promising young managers in the lower leagues, delivering consistent results at Lincoln City and developing a team capable of competing at a high level in League One.

Cook, meanwhile, has proven his ability to lead clubs to promotion, most recently overseeing Chesterfield’s record-breaking National League title campaign, and is renowned for instilling organisation, resilience, and attacking intent.

What binds these three candidates is a combination of tactical knowledge, experience under pressure and the capacity to optimise the potential within their squads.

It’s at odds with the current Argyle situation, in which a young team, beset by injuries and recruitment shortfalls, has struggled to maintain confidence and cohesion under Cleverley.

While Cleverley himself has demonstrated sincerity and commitment, yet the window for him to establish control appears increasingly narrow.

As Argyle teeters on the edge of League One, the weeks ahead will be critical. Whether the club chooses to maintain faith in Cleverley or appoint a more experienced manager will shape the team’s short-term fortunes.