Danny Murphy has called for Steve Cooper to be given ‘a stay of execution’ as speculation swirls around the Welshman’s future at Nottingham Forest.
A crest-fallen Cooper watched his side relinquish an early lead to lose 2-1 to Leeds United on Tuesday evening, a result that extends their winless run to eight games.
It was also a result that has left Forest just one place above the bottom three and out of the relegation zone on goal difference alone – and one that added fuel to the discussion around the 43-year-old’s position.
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Speaking on the White and Jordan show on talkSPORT, the former Liverpool midfielder backed Cooper and says he has earned the right to stay at the City Ground.
“That’s because he took them from relegation in the Championship in one season to the Promised Land, which is phenomenal and there have been many managers that have had many more years than him at Championship clubs who have taken them up and struggled to stay up. It’s a massive task.
“Irrelevant of how many players were brought in in the summer, whether he had the same squad or a better squad, more money, less money. We have seen Championship clubs come up, I remember Fulham come up and spending over £100 million and going back down. There is no guarantee of success when you come up from the Championship.
“Look, if one manager stands out to me who deserves a stay of execution it’s Steve Cooper. It doesn’t mean he stays in the job forever, because of what he’s done. In a world lacking no loyalty or no understanding of a situation. If you put it in context, the overall picture is Nottingham Forest have done wonders to get where they are – and too quickly, too soon in a footballing sense because of the squad they went up with.”
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