that’s a red the silly fucker
He gave the ref no option there at all
it wasn’t even a proper elbow, silly stuff.
1-1
A fair result. Burnley will survive the drop
Who do you think will go down?
Luton Everton and Wolves
Luton and Everton, yes. One from Bournemouth, Wolves and Sheff Utd
I expect Forest to pip West Ham for a European spot
1 Like
Big Lancashire relegation 6 pointer at Turfmoor next weekend.
Poor showing. Montiel given a football lesson for 60 odd minutes. Sangare and Mangala couldn’t stop fouling. Hudson Odoi quite apart from the goal. Aina and Turner the only bright spots.
Thought second Burnley goal should have stood, it was more chest than arm and if it was arm, no way was it deliberate. VAR fucked them over.
Cooper has set us up to be a counter attacking side, so we will always struggle to dictate at home against supposedly inferior teams.
Really? Wow that you think both clubs would be up there.
Sheff United will go down. Wolves will be okay
2 Likes
Agreed.
Sheff Utd, Luton and Bournemouth to be your bottom three. Wolves and Everton will be fine.
Does Dyche need to go or will he turn it around?
I honestly think he will turn it around. Question is, will he be afforded the time….
Steve Cooper arrived at Forest two years ago today. The results are clear
By Paul Taylor
Sep 21, 2023
49
Paranoia. It is a word Steve Cooper has used regularly during his time as Nottingham Forest head coach.
The Welshman generally sleeps pretty well at night. But on the occasions when he does find himself lying awake, it is normally the same thought occupying his mind: He does not want to let anyone down.
That ‘paranoia’ still grips and motivates him every day; the worry he might not fulfil the responsibility he believes he holds on behalf of his players, staff and, most importantly, Forest fans and the people of Nottingham.
It is two years since Cooper was unveiled in the 1865 Suite at the City Ground, tasked with guiding Forest away from the wrong end of the Championship table. Despite the short time, so much has been crammed into his reign.
When Cooper became Forest’s sixth permanent manager since 2017, they were not a club on an upward trajectory. It was September 2021, and the concern was the two-time European champions were shaping up for another plunge into the third tier of English football.
Cooper in 2021 with his dependables, Joe Worrall and Ryan Yates (Michael Steele via Getty Images)
Forest had collected four points from the first eight games of the season and only the 12-point deduction imposed on neighbours and arch-rivals Derby County, for going into administration, kept them off the bottom of the Championship table.
Even as he inherited a team devoid of confidence from the sacked Chris Hughton, Cooper spoke about restoring Forest’s Premier League status, of leading them back into the top flight after more than two decades away.
Hughton had been a popular figure in previous managerial posts at Newcastle and Brighton, delivering promotion to the top flight in both cases (in 2010 and 2017 respectively) on a diet of steady progress, but he was never a good fit in just under 12 months at Forest.
That Hughton’s tenure was so flat, having failed to forge any real bond with supporters, only served to put what followed into sharper focus.
Cooper, who won the Under-17 World Cup as England manager in 2017 and then took Swansea City to the Championship play-offs in 2020 and 2021, getting to the final in the latter, arrived with the freshness of a breeze coming off the River Trent. He immediately knew what to say; immediately had a finger on the heartbeat of this club. He spoke of wanting to deliver attacking, exciting football; of wanting Forest to play on the front foot — exactly what the fans wanted to hear. That ambition felt far-fetched at the time, but it was not.
The scale of change since that day has been truly remarkable. And at the heart of it all is one man’s desire not to let anyone down.
Cooper felt the responsibility of keeping Forest up last season (Clive Mason via Getty Images)
Forest fan Peter Blackburn: “In a game which feels increasingly tainted by a lack of class, greed and corruption, Cooper carries himself, and represents our football club and city, with great dignity. He seems as proud of us as we are of him. When he speaks, it’s always “we”, “us” and “ours” – and that matters. It’s an absolute pleasure to be at the top table of football again – and there’s no doubt Cooper is the primary driving force in Forest’s return – but most of all it has been a pleasure to fall in love with football again. All of that is thanks to Steve Cooper.”
Forest fan Mikey Clarke: “What Cooper has done for Forest is nothing short of miraculous. He’s a PR master, quickly getting the fans on board with his passionate yet measured comments. We were playing some of the worst football I’ve seen in my lifetime (under Hughton) — Cooper quickly changed the style and with it the mood in the city as a whole. There are very few managers out there who could have achieved what he has in two years. The team (and the city) was on its knees.”
Forest fan Mike Boynes: “Before he came in, games at times were a chore — I found myself choosing to watch on TV than use my season ticket. Cooper has reignited that desire to go to games, to be part of something and to feel once again properly connected to the club.”
GO DEEPER
‘People are proud of Forest again’ - Steve Cooper has transformed a city as well as a team
Cooper is the best manager Forest have had since Frank Clark, the man who followed up promotion from the second tier in 1993-94 by forging an unlikely push for the title and, in the process, leading the club back into Europe.
But is the sense of unity and the bond Cooper has established with supporters the best since Brian Clough, the man whose massive shoes Clark was tasked with filling 30 years ago? You can make a strong case that it is.
During the two periods when Cooper’s job was most at risk — following defeat to Leicester in early October 2022 and this April when it was being openly discussed in the Elland Road boardroom that Cooper was a dead man walking as Forest lost at Leeds — the response from supporters was uproar, rather than resigned acceptance.
Cooper knows what Forest means to the city (Clive Mason via Getty Images)
There are now sections of supporters who seemingly refuse to believe it was ever a possibility and, following a bright start this season, it is increasingly hard to envisage a world in which Cooper is not Forest coach.
He has overseen 41 victories, 23 draws and 32 defeats, taking the club from the Championship relegation-fodder he inherited to looking like they are ready to re-establish themselves as Premier League regulars.
But Cooper is not one for looking back.
“The only thing in my mind is that I am really pleased that it has been two years, because it is a really tough job being a manager at any club. It is not often the case that you get a spell (of such length) at a club,” says Cooper. “I have said a million times how much of an honour it is to be involved here, and my family feel it as well. It is not just me. We carry that pride with great responsibility and accountability.
“For me, I have a real paranoia about wanting to continue to try to improve. The longer I do the job, the more that increases. I am constantly thinking about how we get better. That has to be the right mentality. I know there have been good moments in the last two years but I do not sit around reflecting on that. I sit thinking about what training will look like tomorrow, what the team will look like in the next game.
“That is how it should be. The greater good of this club will always be the most important thing — the supporters, the history, the togetherness around the city. I will always be honoured to play a small part in that.”
He has played more than a small part. In many senses, he has been the most significant catalyst for it.
Nobody will have expected Cooper to deliver a promotion push during that first season. But, his post-match fist-pumps swiftly became a trademark, as he celebrated a flurry of wins which culminated in a 1-0 play-off final defeat of Huddersfield Town at Wembley.
Cooper bringing Forest into the Premier League (Christopher Lee via Getty Images)
And, while the fist-pumps were less frequent as Forest battled for survival back in the domestic elite last season, when they happened, they somehow meant even more.
The October win over a Liverpool side that came close to a quadruple five months earlier offered a fresh level of hope. Then Taiwo Awoniyi scoring the only goal at Southampton in January proved Forest could win away in the Premier League.
When Europe-bound Brighton were beaten at the City Ground in late April, the incredible atmosphere on the banks of the Trent felt like the culmination of something special. A wall of noise swept Forest to the most precious of three points.
It was a similar story as they then beat Southampton and, most memorably of all, Arsenal at the City Ground, to secure their Premier League status — and Cooper’s job security.
“Staying in the (division) gave us an opportunity to continue our growth,” says Cooper. “I have progressed so much as a manager. Last year was my biggest year for learning. It might end up being the most valuable one as well, even if it did not feel that way at times.
“I am only in my fifth season in first-team coaching. If you think you are anywhere near the level you should be (after so little time)… I know I am not. I really believe in myself and back the things we have implemented here, but like any player, we need to constantly be asking ourselves how we can improve, how we can get better.”
Since Cooper arrived there have been 47 new signings at Forest across four transfer windows, starting with the loan of Keinan Davis from Aston Villa in January last year and finishing with the £10million arrival of Andrew Omobamidele from Norwich this month.
While the flurry of players coming through the door has partly been inspired by the recruitment team and the club hierarchy, it is Cooper who is often relied on for persuasive powers; the one to sell Forest to potential signings.
Cooper has sold Forest to the likes of goalkeeper Matt Turner (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
In August, for example, a deal was agreed with Arsenal for goalkeeper Matt Turner. The United States international was desperate for regular first-team football after a season on the bench in north London, but it was a phone call from Cooper that convinced not only him but also his wife, Ashley, that Forest were the club to join.
“I asked a lot of questions about what they saw in me; about why they felt I was a good fit here,” says Turner. “Those conversations ticked every box when it came to what I wanted to hear. My wife was listening in and, when we finished the call, she gave me the nod of approval. She could see it in my face that I felt good about it. Even when other teams came in, I had tunnel vision. I knew this was the place I wanted to be.”
Turner, who cost £10million, has started every game since that transfer and has impressed — never more so than in the 1-0 win at Chelsea, which felt like a landmark moment for Forest and their head coach, suggesting they will be even more competitive in the Premier League second time around.
“I love the way he relates to players. He gets in on the conversations in the changing room. He is just a ‘Tells you like it is’ manager, which is really refreshing for a lot of guys,” Turner says. “You know what you are going to get with him. You can see his adaptability from game to game, along with his willingness to trust players. They are all really good qualities. He has done an excellent job. It is not just the way the players respect him, you can see it from the fans as well.
“Every time you walk around the City Ground after a win, you can see how much the fans love him. It is such a cool feeling to see how respected your manager is. You can see that he is loved. He is a guy that you really want to fight for. From a visiting team’s perspective, the last thing you want to do is to let our crowd get in the game. And from our perspective, you want them behind you.
“If you wear your heart on your sleeve and you give your all, those fans will adore you for it.”
Forest fans show their love for Cooper (Christopher Lee via Getty Images)
Cooper’s impact on Nottingham extends beyond the walls of the City Ground.
The family of Ian Coates — the Forest fan who was one of three murder victims in an incident in the city in June — were invited to spend time at the training ground, an indication that Cooper is a man who has grasped the importance of the club to the city and its people from day one, and the responsibility that comes with that.
A year ago, Forest broke their record transfer fee to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Wolves in a deal worth an initial £25million. This summer, they added Callum Hudson-Odoi who, with Gibbs-White, was part of that triumphant England side in the Under-17 World Cup six years ago under Cooper — a manager who has also been key in helping shape Nigeria international Awoniyi into a potential 20-goal-a-season striker, while also understanding the importance to the club of homegrown players such as Joe Worrall and Ryan Yates.
Whether they are academy products or World Cup winners, Cooper — a man with a modest playing career in non-League and the son of former top-flight referee Keith — has a knack for earning their respect. “The manager and his staff have good energy, good spirit. When you go out on the pitch, you feel comfortable. They have helped me a lot,” says Hudson-Odoi.
In recent weeks there have been discussions at Forest about the potential difficulties of gelling another 13 new faces into the squad following another busy transfer window, but there have also been conversations about what the next step should be for Forest; about becoming more than just a side who spend the whole season fighting against relegation.
Cooper, in public at least, is vague about what the next target is and just how far Forest can go. But, while he will be the most realistic person at the club, after the events of the last two years, even he might be reluctant to put too much of a cap on their ambitions.
Following that game against Arsenal which secured survival, in a rare television interview, Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis said that keeping Cooper had proven a wise decision, but also conceded part of the reason he wasn’t fired was that the club had not been able to find anyone better to take over.
Marinakis, unquestionably, has backed his head coach again, with another flurry of signings. Sticking by him looks smarter with each passing week, because Cooper is indeed looking increasingly hard to replace — at least with anyone who would be a better fit and has such a finely-tuned understanding of this club, this city and its people.
MGW dropped. Nice guy Steve Cooper flashing his teeth. Starts for Elanga and CHM
Looks onside
Elanga has to do better there
HT and it remains 0-0 in the major global sporting event of the day.
Forest picking up where they left off in the City game, utterly dominant but just lacking real cutting edge up front. Murillo mixed good with the bad but a promising debut overall.
Sangare and Dominguez beginning to gel nicely.