To relieve the burden on Steve Cooper, Nottingham Forest must win their next three Premier League games against Everton, Fulham, and Wolves.
After Saturday’s 3-2 home defeat to Brighton, Steve Cooper’s position at Nottingham Forest appears to be in jeopardy.
Forest are 14th in the Premier League table, eight points above the relegation zone. Although they are not in danger of relegation at the present, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is thought to be dissatisfied with the team’s lack of improvement this season.
Cooper was appointed when Forest were still in the Championship in September 2021. They had only one point from their first seven games that season, but Cooper turned things around by winning promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs.
During Forest’s first season back in the Premier League, Marinakis spent more than £150 million on players such as Morgan Gibbs-White and Jesse Lingard. Despite this, they only just avoided relegation by finishing 16th, four points above the bottom three.
Marinakis continued to splash the cash during the recent transfer window, bringing in seven players on deadline day, including Ibrahim Sangare and Callum Hudson-Odoi for £30 million. Nonetheless, Forest is still trying to get into the top half of the standings.
According to the Daily Mail, Marinakis is losing patience with Cooper and wants to see outcomes improve following two losses in a row. Forest’s next three games will be against Everton, Fulham, and Wolves, all of whom are in the bottom half of the standings.
Cooper’s relationship with Marinakis is said to have been difficult in recent months, but Forest isn’t currently seeking for a successor. At the City Ground, ex-Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui has admirers, but Cooper will be allowed time to right the ship.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was in the stands for Saturday’s defeat to Brighton
Cooper is still a popular figure among Forest fans, and several clubs in both the Premier League and the Championship would be interested in hiring him if he was fired. The Welshman has even been dubbed a potential England manager.
Former Swansea manager memorably led England to U17 World Cup triumph in 2017. Marc Guehi, Phil Foden, Rhian Brewster, Jadon Sancho, Emile Smith Rowe, Connor Gallagher, and current Forest players Gibbs-White and Hudson-Odoi were all in his squad.
On Saturday, Anthony Elanga scored in the third minute to give Forest the lead. Evan Ferguson equalized before Joao Pedro scored again to make the score 3-1. Brighton’s Lewis Dunk received a red card for dissent, and Gibbs-White converted a penalty, but the visitors held on.
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