Steve Cooper has been sacked by Nottingham Forest after a run of one win in 13 matches.
It is understood that Cooper was informed of his departure earlier today. His replacement, Nuno Espirito Santo, was at the City Ground this afternoon finalising a deal to replace the Welshman. Announcements on one or both developments are expected over the coming hours.
Forest have struggled this season and were humbled 5-0 by Fulham two weeks ago – their fourth loss in a row after being downed against Everton, Brighton and West Ham – before a draw at Molineux against Wolves stopped the rot.
But after the 2-0 home loss to Tottenham on Friday, owner Evangelos Marinakis has been left unsatisfied, and decided to pull the trigger with the club in 17th place, just five points clear of the relegation zone.
Mail Sport revealed on November 25 that Cooper was under huge pressure after Forest were beaten 3-2 at home by Brighton and he was close to being removed after the 5-0 defeat at Fulham on December 6, as well as last weekend having lost to Spurs.
Steve Cooper has been sacked as manager of Nottingham Forest after one win in 13 matches
Cooper’s final game in charge was Friday night’s 2-0 defeat by Tottenham at the City Ground
Former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is a leading contender to replace him
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis – who had targeted a top-10 finish after survival last season – has been frustrated at recent displays and has made his move on Cooper’s future
Cooper was close to the sack twice last season and now the Greek shipping magnate, who has spent close to £300million in the last three transfer windows, has made his move.
Yet Cooper is believed to have turned down two Premier League jobs during his time at Forest and Crystal Palace are thought to have been impressed by his work at the City Ground.
Marinakis had targeted a top-10 finish this term following last season’s narrow escape and had been increasingly frustrated with recent displays.
Cooper’s role at the club, which he has held since 2021, saw him guide the team from the Championship to the Premier League after his first season, and kept them up with a late run of form towards the end of their 2022-23 campaign.
He is highly regarded by the club’s fans, who loudly chanted in support for him at full time despite the crushing defeat by Fulham two weeks ago.
Mail Sport understands that while Nuno is the front-runner, Oliver Glasner is one other individual on the list of coaches under consideration.
Glasner is out of work after leaving Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of last season having won admirers for winning the Europa League in 2021-22.
Former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui is also one of the coaches Marinakis admires.
Another is the manager who might have played a role in ending the Cooper era – Fulham’s Marco Silva, who worked under Marinakis at Olympiacos.
The East Midlands outfit have just 14 points in 17 league games and despite a bright start to the season, they have won only one of their past 13 matches.
Ahead of the meeting with Wolves on December 9, when asked about his position, Cooper said: ‘The players are in this afternoon and we have to get ready for the game on Saturday. It was a difficult night at Fulham, but now it’s about standing right at the front and accepting responsibility for that.
‘I spoke to Miltos (Marinakis) on the phone about the game, and Ross Wilson (chief football officer). We just spoke about the game. It was a good conversation, as it always is. We all got on the bus and back on the laptops and carried on.
‘But I’ve not heard from anyone else. We were back in early and carrying on with our day’s work.
‘I won’t walk out of here fearing for my job, that’s a terrible thing to think. All I will think about is changing last night into something more positive.’
After the Fulham drubbing, Cooper insisted he did not deserve the vocal backing he’d received from the fans.
He told BBC Sport: ‘I’m embarrassed. I don’t deserve it. I’m grateful. But I don’t deserve it the players don’t.’
‘I have to take ownership for that (the defeat). But it’s embarrassing. I don’t deserve it (the applause from fans). And we have to take responsibility for that.
‘I’ve just been asked do I fear for my job and that’s the right question to ask and a normal one to ask. Genuinely I probably think about that the least, I think about what’s right for the football club.’
Marinakis – who also owns Olympiacos – was in attendance to watch his side’s dismal display before leaving the match early.
A fan picked up his alleged accreditation attached to a lanyard, which the owner seemingly tossed into a bush in frustration.
Ex-Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner is another name under consideration by the Forest hierarchy
Forest owner Marinakis allegedly threw his accreditation pass from Craven Cottage in a bush outside the ground after their 5-0 defeat to Fulham
‘Found this thrown on a bush in someone’s front garden just outside Craven Cottage… someone clearly left in a strop…’, they wrote on X.
Ahead of meeting Tottenham on Friday evening, Cooper claimed that he didn’t listen to the ‘noise’ surrounding his future, but admitted that the Premier League was ‘relentless’.
‘I don’t listen to it, I get asked by all your colleagues and wherever and it’s not (something I listen to). I’m not putting on a sort of brave face or hiding away from it. I’ve sort of learned quickly to hide it away,’ Cooper told Sky Sports.
‘To be honest, I think as a manager, you’re always under pressure and probably the most pressure I felt in this job is when I first took over because of where the club was and the size of the club and you take responsibility for that.
Forest were undone by Tottenham at home following costly errors by keeper Matt Turner (left)
The 2-0 defeat means they have won just one of their past 13 games and sit in 17th place
‘The pressure exists all the time. It’s a relentless and ruthless league. There’s no doubt about that. And for me, you’ve always got to look forward, stay true to yourself and believe that you can, you can do well in the next game,’ Cooper added.
Cooper leaves Forest with the club five points above the relegation zone, but his tenure will no doubt be fondly remembered by Forest fans after he led them to promotion via the Championship play-offs in May 2022.
Despite some wobbles, he managed to consolidate their position in the top flight last season, finishing 16th and four points above the drop zone.
The first game in charge for the new boss or interim manager will be buoyant Bournemouth at home on Saturday December 23.
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