Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper blasts Blackburn…

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper blasts Blackburn Rovers over failed Lewis O'Brien transfer

Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper has hit out at Blackburn Rovers for “letting down” Lewis O’Brien over the collapse of his January deadline day move.

The midfielder had been due to join the Championship side on loan for the rest of the season, in a deal which would also include a purchase clause should promotion be achieved. However, an issue over the timing of the paperwork being filed before the window closed meant the switch was not approved by the English Football League.

Rovers challenged the decision, but an independent arbitrator this week rejected their claim. With O’Brien having been left out of the Reds’ 25-man Premier League squad, he faces the prospect of not playing competitively for the next few months. A loan move to the MLS remains an option, however, with their window remaining open until April 24.

Cooper said: “The lad has been completely let down, and so have we in a way because we agreed Lewis could go and play somewhere else, which I wasn't 100 percent in favour of but I understand where he was and what he wanted to do, so we made the decision that he could go. He had a lot of offers, as you can imagine.

“He made the choice and then it didn't get through and he has been let down. I personally, and I know nobody from the sporting side, has heard a word from Blackburn, whether that is an explanation or an apology. I don't think we would behave like that.

“We end up with a lad who has had to wait for the appeal process. We treat him properly, like he should be, so he has been training with the group, no problem. We love Lewis, he is a fantastic lad, good player.

“We made the decision for him to go and play, for a Nottingham Forest player to become a better player, because we felt that was the right thing for him and us. We have ended up in a poor situation for him, first and foremost, because the whole reason he wanted to go was because he wanted to play football. I commend him for that and didn't stand in his way.

“If anything, he hasn’t just been denied where he decided to go, but he’s been denied to play for us as well. With what has gone on with injuries since that decision, there is nothing good about it. It is complete mismanagement of a situation.

“We are annoyed at that, and the common courtesy of not even having a call or a text from anyone - and I know some of the people who work there on the football side as well, I’ve known them for a while. Let's just say we wouldn't treat a player or a club the way we or Lewis have been treated.

“Sometimes when you are on the other end of things like this, you learn how not to do things and how not to treat people. That is where we are at.

“As I said straight after the transfer window, we won't let Lewis down. Others might, but we won't.

“We are working on trying to find something that fits for him. There are still some options around the world, although they are limited. Lewis and his guys are working with Filippo (Giraldi, sporting director) on seeing what that is.

“For me, my day to day is working with Lewis on the training ground. He is part of the training group and we love having him around. It is just a pity that he has been let down.

“The MLS is an option. I hope he gets somewhere, he deserves it.”

A Blackburn Rovers spokesperson said: "Throughout the appeal process, which was a complex legal matter, confidentiality between all parties was absolutely key, to ensure that sensitive information, which could prejudice the case, wasn't leaked. The club was in constant communication with Nottingham Forest and the player’s representative throughout the entire process."

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