Steve Cooper may benefit from staying at Nottingham Forest for a ‘significant period of time’, former Premier League owner Simon Jordan tells talkSPORT while playing down suggestions of a switch to Southampton or Tottenham Hotspur (3 March, 10.30am).
How many top-flight jobs will become vacant this summer? Ruben Selles is only Southampton’s head coach until the end of this season. Ditto Javi Gracia at Leeds United. Antonio Conte, meanwhile, is yet to sign a new deal at Spurs.
Perhaps West Ham will consider moving on from David Moyes. Copy and paste Leicester City and Brendan Rodgers.
It would be naïve in the extreme, then, if Nottingham Forest were not at least braced for interest in a coach who once guided England to U17 World Cup glory. Fortunately, with the ink still drying on the new contract Cooper signed back in October, Forest are well protected in the event of any potential raids on the City Ground kingdom.
Will Steve Cooper stay at Nottingham Forest?
“There should be some reciprocation in terms of the loyalty. I do think it was right for Nottingham Forest to give him a new contract because, quite frankly, he dragged them out of a division after 23 years of being away from the Premier League,” Jordan says.
“From the bottom of the Championship to the Premier League. He deserved the opportunity he got to be in the Premier League.”
Despite two defeats in their last three games, Nottingham Forest supporters will be more than happy with their current placing of 13th; Cooper galvanising a squad almost made up entirely of newcomers and turning them into a ‘team’.
And in Evagenlos Marinakis – who has spent over £100 million since promotion – Cooper has the backing of one of the Premier League’s most ambitious owners.
‘He’s not going to Tottenham’
“In terms of bigger football clubs, I don’t think he needs to leave Nottingham Forest any time soon. First of all, the guy who owns the club (Marinakis) is remarkably committed,” Jordan adds.
“Cooper is a decent manager. Whenever you have a decent manager doing a decent job, other clubs start to look at him.
“He signed a new contract with Nottingham Forest. I would expect him to remember the fact that he was given an opportunity.
“There are only certain clubs in the Premier League who are bigger than Nottingham Forest. Forest’s achievements are quite remarkable. I’ve been at that club and watched that fanbase. Nottingham Forest is a very, very good football club to stay at for a significant period of time.
“Southampton are going to get relegated. He’s not going to Chelsea, he’s not going to Tottenham.”
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