This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Paul Cook has emerged as a leading candidate for the Sunderland managers' job, according to reports from the Northern Echo.

The Black Cats are looking for a new boss after taking the decision to sack Phil Parkinson over the weekend.

Cook has been out of work since leaving Wigan Athletic at the end of last season, but would he be a good shout for the job at the Stadium Of Light?

The team at FLW had their say...

Alfie Burns

I think this would be an exceptional appointment for Sunderland to target.

Cook is a level above League One, he’s shown that with Wigan. However, he’s also shown he has the nous to guide a club out of the third-tier in the past.

Sunderland are struggling to really get back on the rise in the Football League and it might take a big name like Cook to get them where they want to be.

I can certainly see why the club would want to make this decision, but perhaps the only concern is Cook taking the job…

 

Ned Holmes

In my eyes, Cook is the ideal candidate for the Sunderland job.

First of all, they won't have to worry about compensation because he left Wigan earlier this season and will surely be keen to find a new role.

Beyond that, he has fantastic experience helping sides get promoted in the EFL's two lower leagues – having won League One with Wigan and League Two with Chesterfield and Portsmouth.

The Latics were hugely unfortunate to slip to relegation last term and Cook did a near-miraculous job in nearly keeping them up despite the 12-point deduction.

Wigan did have a strong squad but that shows how capable he is in the Championship as well.

He has experience dominating in League One, which is what Sunderland will want to do, so for me it should be a no-brainer.

That said, you feel that he may not be as exciting enough a name for the new owners.

Toby Wilding

This would be a really good appointment for Sunderland in my opinion.

It is clear and understandable that the Black Cats want to win promotion from League One as soon as possible, and Cook has a proven track record of doing exactly that.

Given his recent track record with Wigan, you also feel he could help re-establish the club in the Championship for years to come, were he to guide them back into the second-tier.

However, I do wonder slightly whether Cook may be waiting for an opportunity to go straight back into management at Championship level - something which I'm surprised hasn't happened yet - meaning it could be difficult for Sunderland to tempt him into a move to the Stadium of Light.