Nottingham Forest haven’t had the fairytale start to their long-awaited Premier League return that supporters would have been dreaming of, and now a reliable source has given an update on Steve Cooper’s future at the club after their fifth consecutive league defeat on Monday night.
What’s the latest?
According to Midlands journalist John Percy, Cooper’s job remains safe at The City Ground for the time being, despite rumours that he could be sacked.
Percy tweeted on Wednesday afternoon:
“Steve Cooper set to stay as NFFC head coach, following boardroom talks on Wednesday. Cooper expected to take charge for the Villa game on Monday night. Forest also to appoint Filippo Giraldi (ex-Watford) as new sporting director.”
It’s good news for Forest
With so much change surrounding the club in the last few months from Premier League promotion to 22 new players signed this summer, Forest need a sense of stability and familiarity around the club. Therefore, it’s good news for everyone at the club that the powers that be are aiming to now keep the manager in the dugout.
Indeed, the Garibaldi have had to wait 23 years to return to the top flight and when the Welsh manager was appointed just 12 months ago the team were cemented in the bottom three of the Championship, but their fate changed drastically upon his arrival.
Over 41 Championship games, the Forest boss won 24, drew ten and lost only seven games with a two-point per game average over the season, leading them to their play-offs success and now their top-flight return. For that alone, he deserves time to try and figure out how this squad can be best pieced together.
Cooper has remained coy over his future at The City Ground and claimed he is “not thinking” about his future when asked by the media about how much time he thinks he will be given to turn things around.
He said: “I understand where the question comes from, but I’m not thinking about my personal situation, apart from how I can be at my best every single day.
“The tougher and harder it gets, the harder I work and the more it means to me. Hopefully, that’s what leadership is, standing up and being counted, trying to be a role model within the training ground.”
It has been reported that former Everton, Liverpool and Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez could be lined up as Cooper’s replacement should the club feel that he is not the man to turn things around.
With that being said, Forest will host Aston Villa at The City Ground on Monday night and the clash could be career-defining for the manager to prove that he really is up to the task at this level.