Former Drogheda United and Bray Wanderers manager Mick Cooke believes Cork City's underage structures and position as a one-club city will be a major boon as they look to build on a storming start to the 2017 League of Ireland season.

John Caulfield's side are already 14 points clear at the top of the Premier Division and are already heavy favourites to end a 12 year wait to bring the league title back to the second largest city in the country which is affectionately known as the "real capital" to those from the area.

And unlike the Dublin clubs, Cork City have the advantage of having no rivals in the city itself which he expects to be something massive to build on should they win the league this season.

"It's a massive advantage if you want to encourage players from across the world to a city like Cork rather than say, go to Sligo or even Derry," he said.

"Cork has its own attractions, nice place to live in, major city, major infrastructures around the place. And in the last few years, John Caulfield - even before John came - had a great system. Their underage structures is very good. They've won the under-19 league and cup for the last few years. So the youth is coming through as well as the experience that John is bringing in and I think in the last few years, John has done a fantastic job.

"Obviously for the last couple of years they've been the bridesmaids against Dundalk but to get that cup win, certainly last October was a major breakthrough psychologically for Cork and I think they've shown with the performances this year that it took them two years to get the breakthrough and now they're the ones in charge of their own destiny." 

Mick Cooke backs Roddy Collins to push Athlone Town up the table

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