Rangers manager Michael Beale has said that he is ‘disappointed’ to lose sporting director Ross Wilson to Nottingham Forest after his appointment was confirmed on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old replaced the outgoing sporting director Filippo Giraldi at the City Ground after he was dismissed just over 24 hours earlier. Wilson’s arrival at Forest sees him end a four-year association with Rangers.
In that time he worked with Beale as both an assistant manager and upon the coach’s return to the club in November. Wilson has received some criticism from Rangers fans, but the manager has nothing but good things to say about him when reacting to his exit from the club.
"Firstly you're disappointed to lose a good person, someone I worked closely with over three-and-a-half years in two spells at the club,” he told RangersTV.
"Ross was hugely positive in his day-to-day work here at the club and he brought a lot of departments together. His job was to oversee the first team operations, recruitment, medical, the academy - bring all that in line. The women's team as well.
Awoniyi opens up on injury
Taiwo Awoniyi has revealed the full extent of his struggles this season after the Nottingham Forest striker missed over two months of the season through injury.
The 25-year-old arrived at the City Ground last summer from Union Berlin in what was reportedly at the time a club record £17 million deal. Awoniyi got off to the perfect start in a Reds shirt after scoring Forest's first Premier League goal of the season in a 1-0 win over West Ham back in August.
But the Nigerian picked up a groin injury in January which saw him out of action before he returned in the fixture against Wolves at the beginning of the month.
And the forward has revealed the impact of his injury struggles which have prevented him from hitting top form for the Reds.
He told BBC Radio Nottingham : "Football is what you love doing. Injuries are part of the game and once you find yourself missing out, you get upset sometimes. You just have to work hard and get back to fitness.
Players fully behind Cooper
Keylor Navas says head coach Steve Cooper retains the full support of the dressing room as Nottingham Forest fight to avoid the drop.
The Welshman’s position has come under scrutiny amid a nine-match winless run which has seen the Reds drop into the relegation zone with eight games to go. Last week, owner Evangelos Marinakis released a statement backing the manager, but warned results and performances needed to improve “immediately”.
A better display followed, against Aston Villa, but Forest still fell to a 2-0 defeat. As they prepare for Sunday’s clash with Manchester United, Navas says there is just as much pressure on the players to turn the situation around as there is on Cooper.
“There’s not just pressure on him, there’s pressure on all of us,” said the PSG loanee. “In the week we’re working really hard, giving our all.
“Steve Cooper has done a great job, but unfortunately results haven’t come. But we’re a team, we’re in this together and everyone is backing the manager.
Forest injury update
Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has given little away about the extent of the hamstring injuries suffered by Moussa Niakhate and Cheikhou Kouyate last weekend.
The duo were forced off during the 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa, having only recently returned from lengthy lay-offs. Midfielder Kouyate was making his first start since spending four months on the sidelines but had to make way in the first half, while the Reds had to play the final 10 minutes with 10 men as they were unable to make any more substitutions when centre-back Niakhate came off.
Cooper has had a lengthy absentee list to contend with as Forest battle to avoid relegation. Emmanuel Dennis was classed as a “risk” being included on the bench against Villa after picking up a knock in the previous game against Leeds United, while Scott McKenna was an unused substitute after being out of action since February with a hamstring issue.
READ NEXT
