Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has caught the eye with his achievements with the club since arriving at the City Ground.
The Welshman joined the club in September 2021. In those 18 months he has led the Reds from the bottom of the Championship to the Premier League via the play-offs. His task is to now keep the club in the top division.
There was much speculation over Cooper’s future back in October, when a dismal run of results left the team at the bottom of the Premier League. But instead of dismissing the manager, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis gave him a new contract following a 4-0 defeat against Leicester City.
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There has been a turnaround in results since then, but the Reds do remain in the fight to stay in the Premier League at the end of the season. They currently sit in 16th place, two points clear of the bottom three.
Cooper has been praised for the job he has done at the City Ground, and it seems that other clubs have taken notice too. The Forest boss has been linked with a number of clubs in recent months, including Southampton and Tottenham.
The latest to be linked with an interest is Crystal Palace , who will be after a long-term successor to Roy Hodgson in the summer after reappointing the manager on an interim basis.
When addressing his future over the season, Cooper has been clear where his priorities lie and in his stance on any speculation. With that in mind, here is everything he has had to say on his future this campaign.
October 2022
“It’s good that there’s clarity to the contract situation, because there have been a lot of questions about it over the last few weeks and months. I guess it puts an end to those questions,” he said after signing a new contract with the club.
“Everyone who knows me, knows how much I have loved and am loving my time here, at Nottingham Forest. I think everyone knows how important it is to me.
“If I’m being really honest, my real focus at this moment in time is winning a football match, because we are on a poor run of form. Let’s not hide away from that. That is the thing which is on my mind, more than anything.
“But okay, contract signed, brilliant, and thank you. But nothing really changes in terms of my work and making sure each day we try to get the best out of it, try to be ready for the next game. We need to do better. We have to do better. The supporters deserve better. That’s really where my focus is.”
March 2023
“Nottingham Forest means everything to me, and this job that I do - from the day I walked in to where we are at now,” Cooper said. “The only thing that is important, apart from my family, in my life is this football club. That's where I am at.”
March 2023
“I’ve felt it from the start,” he said. “Signing the contract is maybe a more high-profile thing, but bumping into a supporter in the street will be as important to me.
“I will never worry about my individual situation. I never think about myself. I just don’t. Our club is about the togetherness and the belonging of everybody.
“It’s just not something that crosses my mind. What I do know is how important this club is to me and my family, and how responsible I feel for just not letting anybody down.
“Obviously we’re all trying to succeed, but what motivates me is not letting anybody down because everyone has just been so good to me - both in and out of the club. You just want to do good by people.
“Days like last Saturday (a 4-0 defeat at West Ham United), you’re obviously disappointed with the loss and some things that went on, but I just want to quickly get straight back to work. I don’t want any days off, I don’t want any time not living and breathing Nottingham Forest, because that’s how important it is to me.
“Away from my family, it’s the only thing in my life. It’s the only thing I want.”
March 2023
The Forest boss again addressed his future when asked about links to Tottenham Hotspur.
“It is irrelevant,” he said when asked about the Tottenham link. “I said what I said last week, I don't really need or want to say it again.
“The only focus for me is the game, the guys I am working with every single day and trying to be at my best and do a good day's work, trying to get them to do the same, and then we give ourselves the chance of trying to be a better team away from home."
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