Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has a clear message for his players as they prepare for their final seven games of the season.
There will be no changing of approach to matches or weighing up of different permutations in the table. Instead, the Reds will stick to the same way of playing which has got them up to fourth spot. And they will maintain tunnel-vision when it comes to looking after their own affairs.
Since his arrival in September, Cooper has been keen to instil an attacking brand of football, with a positive mindset to match. There will be no veering away from that now, as his team make the trip to Luton Town on Friday looking to cement a top-six place.
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“There’s not loads of games left, and things could take shape everywhere, in every league,” said the Forest head coach. “But the real message I’m trying to give the players, first and foremost, and everybody else, is to stick to the plan.
“Stick to the plan. Be calm. Be focused. Look after your own work and yourself as an individual, and what you need to make the day a good one. And then you give yourself the best chance of contributing in a positive way, whether you are a player, staff or support staff.
“We’ve just got to keep the bubble nice and close. Control the controllables, which, for me, is just preparation for Luton - a game that we’re really looking forward to.
“We want to prepare the same as we always prepare. The whole point of having a plan, having a strategy and having a philosophy is that you stick to it through thick and thin - especially the thin!
“For us, it’s believing in how we work, sticking to the plan and trying to be in the best shape possible for the next game, to try to deliver.
“The only way of finishing as high as you can in the league, wherever that may be, is just thinking about what it takes to play well and win the next game. If you do that, you give yourselves a chance of adding more points to your tally.
“You repeat and do it again and again. And then you end up wherever you end up. That’s what we’re going to do, we’re going to keep going.”
