Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson has revealed he's been enjoying his football more than ever under head coach Steve Cooper this season.
The 20-year-old has started every single match since Cooper arrived in October and is enjoying a breakout season in the Championship for Forest after adapting seamlessly in the set-up from last season spent on loan in League One at Lincoln City. That is emphasised by Johnson again hitting double digits in terms of goals and is one shy of the 13 scored last season with another month of this campaign remaining.
This form has also led to additional recognition at international level as interim manager Rob Page has utilised the youngster in five of seven matches so far this campaign to take the Nottingham-born Welshman to seven caps in total. Johnson will hope to make that eight on Thursday as they take on Austria in the play-off stage of World Cup qualification.
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A win would see them set up a winner-takes-all tie against either Scotland or Ukraine, which is pencilled in for June. Speaking on international duty, the forward has discussed how enjoyable playing and scoring for Forest has been as of late.
"Yeah, I've been really enjoying it, Johnson told Sky Sports. "I think this is the most I've been enjoying my football. I think it's just the confidence that the team's been playing with, the manager's brought to the club.
"I think everything's just been going right at the minute. And, yeah, I've been reaping the rewards and getting some goals and stuff.
The player also addressed receiving recent praise from Roy Keane when asked about being in that exclusive club. "Yeah, I did hear a bit about that [praise], and it's just really nice and flattering to hear from such good players, especially ones that played for Forest as well and back in when Forest were doing a lot better. But yeah, it's really, really, really nice to hear."
