Reported managerial target Paul Cook has ruled himself out of contention for the vacant job at Sunderland, according to a report in Wigan Today.

Sunderland recently parted ways with manager Simon Grayson after he left the club reeling towards the bottom of the Championship with just one win.

And since his departure, Sunderland have slid further and currently sit bottom of the Sky Bet Championship going into Sunday's clash with Middlesbrough.

Still looking for a new manager, speculation was floating around linking the Black Cats with Paul Cook.

Cook has started well with Wigan Athletic after joining the recently relegated club in the summer and his side currently sit second in the League One table.

Last season, Cook won promotion with Portsmouth and his stock as a manager continues to rise.

However, he has ruled himself out of the running.

He said:

"As a manager, if you’re doing well, then there will be speculation.

"All the speculation is good, but I’m very happy to be here."

Paul Cook also offered a recommendation for the vacant post.

The Wigan boss urged Sunderland to re-appoint Peter Reid, who has not had an English job in a while but has previously won promotion to the Premier League with the Black Cats twice.

The Verdict

Paul Cook could be a good option for Sunderland but he is clearly settled at Wigan and this is the wrong move for him at this stage of his career.

He is better off biding his time in League One before making the step up.

Peter Reid is a poor suggestion too - although he was once good, he has not managed in England for a while and this seems destined for failure.

Sunderland fans - Would you like to see Reid back? Let us know below...