Taiwo Awoniyi and Ola Aina’s time under Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest has come to an abrupt end, following the sacking of the manager on Tuesday after a string of disappointing results
Cooper, who famously guided Forest back to the Premier League after a 23-year hiatus, departs the club following a tumultuous tenure marked by inconsistency.
The Welsh Manager is the second to lose his job in the Premier League this season.
Though Cooper did well; rescuing Forest from relegation in 2021/22, the current season has been a different story.
Time for change
With just three wins and nine losses in 17 matches, culminating in a six-game winless streak, the club owner, Evangelos Marinakis, decided a change was needed.
“Recent performances have been unacceptable,” Marinakis stated. “Improvements must be immediate.”
After Cooper secured promotion, a significant transfer splurge which saw Forest signing 44 new players at different times did not yield the positive results anticipated.
The sacked coach managed only 12 victories in 55 Premier League matches.
Ultimately, his fate was sealed by a string of poor results, culminating in the 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite the sacking, Marinakis expressed his appreciation for Cooper’s achievements. “His return to the Premier League will forever be etched in Forest’s history,” he said, praising the manager’s dedication and connection with the fans.
Next move
Already, Forest are planning for life after Cooper as reports suggest they are looking in the direction of former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo to replace the Welsh.
Nuno himself was recently dismissed by Saudi club Al-Ittihad.
If the Portuguese manager comes on board, the Super Eagles duo of Awoniyi and Aina along with the rest of Nottingham Forest team will be keen for a change in fortune as they try to escapr relegation from the Premier League again.
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