Sunderland-linked manager under pressure - but he's 'loving it'

Cook is facing an uncertain future at the DW Stadium after the Latics dropped into the bottom three during the week, but Cook isn’t letting the pressure affect him.

"I'm loving it...it's great,” he said, speaking to Wigan Today.

"As a manager, if you fear something, you won't manage how you want.

"I can only try and give the lads the confidence to play.

"If the lads believe in themselves, and they're as good as we think they are, everything will be fine.

"Every player, and manager, and everyone who works in football, should every now and again take a step back and realise how lucky we are to be in this industry.

"We get to wake up every day and pretend we're going to work. It's never been work - it's a great life."

Meanwhile, former Sunderland striker Victor Anichebe looks to have seen his hopes of a return to the English game fade.

The ex-Everton forward has not played competitive football in almost two years after parting company with Chinese side Beijing Enterprises, but was training with League One side Doncaster Rovers earlier this season.

But the striker now looks to have left the South Yorkshire side, with eagle-eyed supporters noticing that he has been posting a number of Instagram snaps from Lagos in recent weeks.

That suggests that Anichebe has left Doncaster – whose manager, Darren Moore, played alongside the forward at West Brom.

But Moore was reluctant to offer terms to Anichebe until he had proven his fitness levels.

“You’d want to get it those levels where he’s got games under his belt,” he said, speaking in October.

“Match fitness is a completely different thing.

“People can see you in training but when you're on the football pitch, sprinting, changing directions and reapting it over and over again, your body has to be conditioned to it.”

On a deal, he added: “Potentially you can do anything with anybody.

"We'll wait and see.

“He's got to up it and get it higher.”