Steve Cooper is anticipated to lead Nottingham Forest’s game against Wolves this Saturday as the team’s leadership looks into potential candidates for the role, including Julen Lopetegui.
Cooper’s current situation is very unstable following the humiliating 5-0 defeat at Fulham on Wednesday, marking their fourth consecutive loss. Cooper expressed feeling “ashamed” despite receiving widespread support from the away fans, who chanted his name at the end of the match.
Evangelos Marinakis, the Forest owner, holds grave concerns about the direction of travel under Cooper. Forest are six points above the relegation zone after one win in 11 games since September. Marinakis also owns Olympiakos and this week sacked Diego Martínez with the club fourth in the Greek top division but in recent weeks he has been encouraged to give Cooper time.
Cooper has faced considerable pressure before, but there is a sense of disappointment at Forest as they are not meeting expectations despite spending over £100m on their team during the summer. In order to meet financial fair play regulations, they agreed to sell Brennan Johnson to Tottenham for £47m.
In October of last year, Forest offered Cooper a new contract following a string of five consecutive losses. However, with recent defeats against West Ham, Brighton, Everton, and Fulham, Cooper is now facing renewed criticism. Forest had hoped that Cooper would improve the team’s performance, starting with the match against Fulham.
Unfortunately, Lopetegui is currently unemployed due to his departure from Wolves just before the start of the season. It is believed that Forest is still interested in hiring former Eintracht Frankfurt manager, Oliver Glasner.
Cooper conducted his pre-game media briefing on the designated day of Thursday. When questioned about the significance of the upcoming Wolves match for his future, Cooper stated: “I do not subscribe to that thought process. While we are disappointed with recent results, especially last night’s performance, it is crucial to maintain belief and demonstrate character in our aspirations, values, and representation of the club and its supporters.”
Marinakis was present at Craven Cottage, but reportedly left around 20 minutes before the game ended due to Fulham scoring their fourth goal. Following the match, a lanyard with Marinakis’s name on it was discovered in a nearby bush. Cooper did not have a conversation with Marinakis himself, but did speak with his son Miltiadis and the Forest sporting director Ross Wilson.
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When asked if he was disappointed in his team’s performance, Cooper responded by saying that moments like this offer a chance for players to demonstrate their dedication to the club. On Saturday, we hope to see our players step up and show their commitment. Personally, I am determined to do so.
Source: theguardian.com
