After another memorable night under the City Ground lights, Steve Cooper was asked how it feels to be reviving a club of Nottingham Forest’s stature.
“Well, we haven’t yet,” was the straight-faced answer, before the Welshman left nobody in any doubt his attention would quickly turn to Saturday’s league clash with Reading.
“Some people have said about turning things round, but we’re ninth in the league. That’s not enough for this football club, and we know that.”
It might not be a full-fledged revival just yet, but there is no disputing Cooper has breathed life into a campaign which was threatening to head in a very different direction.
There is still plenty more to come - all to play for in the play-off race and a mouthwatering FA Cup quarter-final on the horizon.
But Cooper and his squad have already given Reds fans some of the hardest commodities to come by in football. Hope, belief and a team to be proud of.
Monday evening epitomised that.
The FA Cup ties this season have been magical occasions, and this one was another special one to add to a growing list.
Up against a Huddersfield Town side who hadn’t lost since November, and with the carrot of a meeting with Liverpool to play for, it had the potential to be a tricky one to navigate.
Even more so when the hosts found themselves having to come from behind, having seen a perfectly good goal chalked off for offside.
One of Forest’s greatest strengths this term, however, is a refusal to be beaten. They simply do not give up.
They had been by far the better side prior to Tom Lees heading the visitors in front, and continued to stick to their task after the setback.
Far from dwelling on his earlier celebrations being quashed by the assistant referee’s flag, Sam Surridge showed excellent composure to bag the leveller.
He had the midfield duo of James Garner and Ryan Yates to thank for the chance. Both were outstanding against the Terriers.
Choosing who starts in the centre of the pitch is one of the toughest dilemmas for Cooper every week. It will be difficult to leave out either of those two against the Royals after their display in the fifth round tie, though.
Yates has had his fair share of critics in his relatively short career so far. But there can’t be many left who doubt him now. He has to be one of the first names on the team-sheet.
His run to latch on to an exquisite Garner through-ball had Huddersfield creaking, with the ball then bouncing perfectly for Surridge to apply a delightful finish.
And you could pick out countless examples of Yates and Garner pulling the strings - from hustling the opposition, to making tackles and displaying a vast array of passes, to everything in between.
That the pair combined for what proved to be the Reds’ winner was a case of getting their just desserts.
Garner’s set-piece delivery was met by the head of Yates, who continued his purple patch to make it three goals in five games - and six for the season.
Garner could have had one himself, too, in the second half. Both the Manchester United loanee and Djed Spence spurned good chances to make it an emphatic scoreline.
It is not just in midfield where Cooper had a tough decision to make when naming his team. The biggest call was over who should take up position between the posts, with Brice Samba available again after suspension.
Ethan Horvath got the nod. And he more than justified his place, pulling off some strong saves at important times.
Whether that means a changing of the guard in goal going forward remains to be seen. Horvath has shown that there is no reason to be any less confident about Forest’s chances of securing a positive result when he starts, though.
His performances have certainly added food for thought, and potentially given Samba a significant kick up the backside.
Back when Cooper arrived, in September, the idea of Forest making the last-eight of the FA Cup and still being in with a shot of promotion would have been laughable.
Now, another goosebump-inducing night at the City Ground awaits as Jurgen Klopp’s men make the trip later this month.
The Cooper revival may not yet be complete, but it’s enough to get the heart racing and the blood pumping so far.
