Former Swansea City player Jake Bidwell gave the inside track on Steve Cooper’s coaching methods as he back Nottingham Forest to retain their Premier League status.
Following a tough start to the season as the club’s plethora of new signings bedded in, Cooper has steered the Reds clear of the relegation zone. Forest remain in trouble and last weekend’s collapse against West Ham was a stark reminder of the challenge facing the team between now and the end of the season. Next up is a huge showdown against relegation rivals Everton on Sunday.
Ahead of the game Bidwell, who was part of the Swansea side which reached the play-offs under Cooper, has described the coolness and confidence the Welshman exudes on matchdays and on the training ground.
READ MORE: Former Nottingham Forest and Everton striker hits 12-minute hat-trick in 13-0 win
READ MORE: Sean Dyche recalls Roy Keane pub visit before Nottingham Forest debut amid Everton struggles
“He has got a process he works to. It’s not just a plan stuck together,” Bidwell, now of Coventry City, told MailOnline. “He started his coaching career early and he has worked incredibly hard in that period to fine-tune his process. He has so much confidence in it that if he sticks to it, he can tweak and change in small ways.
“His message is: ‘This is the plan and it will work if we stick to it. We can add to it at the right time.’ You don’t start from scratch at training every Monday. I had my job and I knew exactly what it was. Nine times out of 10 if we lost a game it was because we did not carry out the plan.
“On a Monday you would go to training knowing exactly how the week would look, what the schedule would be and what you would be doing on certain days.
“It’s not based only on results. He has that much confidence in the way he sees the game because of the work he has put in over the years, and his knowledge of the game is very good.
“Nothing shocked us. He had always done that much homework that he could predict exactly what was going to happen in a certain game.
“He signed me from Queens Park Rangers and took my game to the next level. I admire and respect him greatly and I hope he keeps Forest in the Premier League. I am pretty confident he will."
What’s your prediction for the Everton game? Tell us in the comments section
READ NEXT
- Moussa Niakhate decision explained as Nottingham Forest defender's 'brilliant effort' rewarded
- Steve Cooper makes Nottingham Forest stance clear as Simon Jordan backs it with 'remarkable' claim
- Lodi, Henderson, Niakhate - Forest injury update provided ahead of Everton
- Forest predicted XI for crucial Everton clash as Cooper faces key decisions
- The latest Nottingham Forest news in one place
