Grimsby boss Paul Hurst has heaped praise on Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup contest.
The Reds travel to Blundell Park for the first time in almost 20 years looking to reach the third round of the competition.
David Johnson scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win on Forest’s last visit to Cleethorpes. Tonight, another hero will be required for the Reds.
Forest boss Cooper is expected to ring the changes this evening; with games against Tottenham and Manchester City to come next in the Premier League.
Hurst defied the odds in a similar fashion to Cooper last season; helping Grimsby reclaim their place in the EFL.
The Mariners boss offered some kind words towards his counterpart as they prepare to lock horns in the cup tonight.
He told Nottinghamshire Live: “He did a fantastic job with the youth teams in England, which is probably where he earned his initial reputation.
“You can see from the way that he and the club are going about the transfer business that they don’t just want to be here to survive.
“It’s a massive club. He’s brought the good times back to a certain extent.”
Hurst praise for Cooper but it’ll be business as usual this evening
The Reds will want to enjoy a decent cup run this season; with fewer games to prepare for in the Premier League.
Top-flight sides often get chastised for playing weakened teams when they’re not in Europe and it should be a strong team that starts tonight.
The likes of Remo Freuler, Emmanuel Dennis, Cheikhou Kouyate and Wayne Hennessey could all come into the team for a starting berth.
Forest will be wary of the threat that Grimsby can pose. Ultimately the Reds should have enough to progress, even if the squad is rotated.
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