Fans plead for Nottingham Forest not to replace Steve Cooper with 62 year old Rafa Benitez after being thrashed by Leicester on Monday.
Steve Cooper’s position as the East Midlands outfit’s head coach has been plunged into doubt, with Rafa already emerging as a potential replacement.
Cooper is said to be fighting for his future after a fifth successive Premier League defeat in Monday night’s derby at Leicester, which leaves Forest bottom of the table with 4 points from 8 games.
Benítez is said to be Forest’s top target should they dismiss Cooper, with the Spaniard keen to make a return to English football after a difficult spell with Everton ended in January.
As most will know, he has vast experience of the Premier League after spells with Liverpool, Newcastle and Everton while was also an interim position at Chelsea, and will be regarded as a high-profile appointment if, as expected, Forest make the decision to axe Cooper.
Rafael Benitez in the frame for Nottingham Forest job as defeat pushes Steve Cooper to the brink ✍️ @JPercyTelegraph
— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) October 3, 2022
Cooper guided the club to the top-flight after a 23-year absence in May but his job is now under serious scrutiny after this heavy defeat.
When asked if his future was now in doubt, Cooper said: “I completely understand the situation and the question and respect it 100 per cent
“But my concern is we have lost another game for this club, not my own situation because I care more about the club more than my personal circumstances.
“We are on a run of results that are not good, I am not going to shy away from that.
“I’m not thinking about my personal situation apart from how I can be at my best every day, but the tougher it gets the more I work and the more it means to me.”
After Forest won promotion via the Championship playoffs, 23 new signings were brought in during the summer transfer window with over £150 million spent.
It has proved a difficult start on their return with Cooper struggling to work out his best team after so many additions.
Cooper’s position looked bleak before the international break following the defeats against newly promoted teams in Bournemouth and Fulham, and this latest loss could be the end of his tenure.
🗣 “I’m not thinking about my job, I’m doing my job.”
Steve Cooper is not worried about his future at Nottingham Forest, he only cares about the club’s position pic.twitter.com/4MZui5XdKZ
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 3, 2022
Forest don’t return to action until next Monday with a home game against Aston Villa. Benítez is already known to Lee Charnley, the former Newcastle managing director who is now in a senior role at Forest.
“We are not the team we want to be,” said Cooper. “We are having phases where we’re letting the result run away from us, and we’ve done it again tonight.
“I refuse to be really critical of the players as a group, I don’t want to sound soft or fluffy but it’s tough for them to play with new players.
“Relationships and stuff are built over time and it’s not what we have. It’s a unique situation and we are trying to face up to it and get through.
“This is a fresh challenge for us. Some of the guys have only met each other these last couple of weeks.”
🗣 “I’m getting to know players, there’s some that have only come through the door in the last week or so. It’s impossible to look like a real connected team at the moment.”
Steve Cooper doesn’t feel like Nottingham Forest are a “team” right now pic.twitter.com/x1YyS12FRJ
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 3, 2022
Leicester City secured a derby victory over Nottingham Forest thanks to two goals from James Maddison and one apiece from Harvey Barnes and Patson Daka.
Player ratings
Leicester: Ward (7), Justin (7), Faes (8), Evans (7), Castagne (7), Ndidi (7), Tielemans (8), Dewsbury-Hall (8), Barnes (8), Maddison (10), Vardy (7).
Subs:Soumare (6), Daka (7), Praet (n/a), Albrighton (n/a).
Nott’m Forest:: Henderson (6), Williams (6), Cook (6), McKenna (6), Lodi (6), O’Brien (6), Kouyate (6), Gibbs-White (6), Lingard (6), Johnson (6), Awoniyi (6).
Subs: Freuler (6), Yates (6), Aurier (6), Dennis (5), Mangala (6)
Man of the match: James Maddison
“It has been too long to be honest,” Rodgers told Sky Sports. “We should have won before now and we have had some tough games. But I thought we were excellent tonight with our intensity in the game and our pressing.
“There was pressure on us, especially after the last time we played Forest. It is a great night for the players and it is brilliant for the supporters. I said beforehand that it was a season-changing game if we could get a result here and push on. I thought they were excellent.
“We have got some technically gifted players and guys who are tactically very good but you cannot win matches without a desire and a mentality to defend.
“This season, that had not been there consistently but tonight we did that. We kept our first clean sheet which is very important.”
“We are going through difficult moments you normally look at in pre-season and we are having to go through that process in the most difficult league in the world. It’s tough at the moment, I won’t shy away from that,” said Cooper.
“I’ll believe in them until the end. I refuse to be really critical of them in the dressing room because this is such a tough challenge with a new group. We are finding out about that in the toughest league in the world. I will never say they are not good enough as that will have a negative effect. But at same time we need to be much better.
“This is a fresh challenge for us. Some of the guys have only met each other these last couple of weeks. That’s the realism of the situation and something we have to deal with. At the moment we are getting punished because of periods in games where we are not a team and key moments as well.
“I completely understand the situation and the question and respect it 100 per cent. But my concern is we have lost another game for this club, not my own situation because I care more about the club more than my personal circumstances. I refuse to criticise the players as a group as it is a fresh challenge.”
Fans plead for Nottingham Forest not to replace Steve Cooper with 62 year old Rafa Benitez…
@jman_oslo: Brian Clough couldn’t get this lot playing football, they’re awful.
@bluesofgoodison: Hahhahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahjahajanahananhahahahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahahahah
@CBobblers1878: God help Forest
@clarke__78: When you thought it couldn’t get worse for Forest. Christ.
@forest_elite: God I hope not
@Nottsclassics: Plesse no. Get dyche in if anyone
@toddmills_1988: This would be the absolute worst.
@toffee5000: Dear lord. If they do this they deserve everything that’s coming to them. Why would you go for him over dyche?
@IanLloy78: He takes Rondon wherever he goes, so expect a swap deal for Brennan in January.
@RedDogCam: Marinakis family, ‘must get pedigree’ still not learning from their countless mistakes previously.
@Rads_23: Don’t do this Forest, please #NFFC
@kat_lfc13: You can’t sign an entire new squad and expect to be a cohesive Premier League team within a few weeks. Surely Cooper should get more time?
@callumowen98: A lot of speculation over the last 12 hours over the future of Cooper, I for one hope he doesn’t go, he’s been our best manager since Clough he’s made fans dream and belief again, letting him go now will be such a bad move, I really fear this tweet could be outdated soon #NFFC
@ChrisPerez75: Why give Steve Cooper funds to bring in 20 players then get rid after 8 games 🤷♂️. Cooper has worked a miracle getting them promoted & 17th place will represent a good season for them. Give the man a chance to turn it around. He has earned the right imo
@benkirgy: If anyone wants Benitez over Cooper they genuinely need their head testing. #nffc
@d_p_ball: Rafa Benitez… is not the answer. We should stick to our guns. Fanbase has been immense. This is a project which needs backing long term #nffc
@efcstaffo: Surely Benitez is not getting another job in the prem after last season 🤣
@jackbryan8: Give Cooper until the winter break at least. He deserves that. If we’re not good enough to stay up, we aren’t good enough. Whoever comes in inherits the same squad regardless. If we appoint Rafa fucking Benitez we’re throwing the towel in anyway. #nffc
@Panks80: Thanks but no thanks.
@toddmills_1988: No hiding that the last three matches have been an unmitigated disaster. Unacceptable performances. But if we replace Cooper with Benitez, we ruin everything. #nffc
@MrDore_: I Might be hurt as a #NFFC fan last night but what ever happens with Steve Cooper…legend gets throw a lot sometimes but what’s he’s done for @NFFC in the last 12 months is just unbelievable… SC cares alot about forest like he said in his interview after the game 🔴⚪️
@Ldevlin24: Praying the board hold their nerve with Cooper. 7 league games until the World Cup, he deserves that time. There is still 90 points for, and it’s who’s bottom in May, not October that counts. Rafa isn’t the answer, just look at his time at Everton. Fans are far to fickle #nffc
— Davo M (@davo261088) October 3, 2022
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