Former Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis McGugan says fans have once again kept Steve Cooper in a job but the pressure is unrelenting.
Cooper looked like he might be sacked after the defeat to Leeds United but owner Evangelos Marinakis issued a statement backing the manager, although he stated results and performances must improve immediately. Forest lost 2-0 at Aston Villa on Saturday though to slip into the bottom three with games against Manchester United and Liverpool up next.
Speaking on the latest Garibaldi Red podcast, McGugan feels team and manager might be in the last chance saloon this season with fans having rallied behind Cooper when he was in line for the sack last October.
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"The pressure is on. They have to win games now. They have Southampton to come but they have to go and beat a big team now and a very good Brighton team," he said.
"We have to be optimistic but also have realism. They have got to win games.
"It's a testing time really. The owner came out with the statement. He said he's backing the manager but also said things have to change quickly. If you look at Leeds and Everton they've had a new manager bounce and got results. That's doesn't help Steve Cooper.
"If I'm honest, it seems the owner was seriously thinking of getting rid of Steve Cooper after the Leeds game but the backing from fans made him reconsider. The statement was one of we'll back him for now, but things have to change quickly.
"For the last 18 months the atmosphere has been incredible. The owner has to look at that. He'll have people working for him who are in the know with fans and see the general conversations and mood online.
"That's a factor because he won't want to sack the manager and then lose the connection between fans and the team. That won't help anyone.
"He'll have people earmarked but it's about when does he pull the trigger? I thought it was possibly time after the Leeds game. The stuff coming out in the news and on Sky doesn't happen if conversations aren't taking place.
"The backing from the fans after Leeds I think got Steve Cooper a bit of extra time."
Some fans have pointed to Crystal Palace's move to bring back Roy Hodgson as a reason to remove Cooper in the hope of a similar rebound in terms of results. McGugan says new manager bounce is real, but it does not always work with Leicester's decision to fire Brendan Rodgers an example, as well as Hodgson's nightmare stint at Watford a year ago.
"It's real. It's like any work place. Some people will be happy, some won't. When a new manager comes in those on side get a clean slate and have a spring in training," he said.
"Roy Hodgson already knows Palace. He might not have changed much. He might have given players some confidence.
"At times man management is the difference. They're all exceptional players in the Premier League. Confidence is the be all and end all in football. There's no feeling like it.
"You can look at Leicester and say changing manager hasn't worked at all. There's arguments both sides, but new manager bounce as a thing."
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