Some Nottingham Forest players are said to be unsettled amid talk of Steve Cooper’s future possibly being on the line, according to the Daily Mail.
The Reds incumbent has come under fire after a run of five straight defeats in the Premier League.
On Monday, he saw his side blitzed 4-0 by Leicester and other managers have started to be linked with a move to the City Ground.
None of them looks particularly appealing.
Certainly, of the list that has been doing the rounds, Forest would simply be better off sticking with Cooper.
Rafa Benitez, Nuno Espirito Santo and Bruno Lage have all been linked with the Forest job.
All three have their cons, however, whilst former Forest academy player Sean Dyche is also in the mix.
Forest have offered Cooper a stay of execution. He will be in charge on Monday night when the Reds face Aston Villa.
Now, perhaps more worryingly, the players aren’t happy.
It’s claimed in the latest report that a large number of the squad enjoy working with Cooper and are now unsettled.
That doesn’t bode well ahead of a huge game on Monday and the uncertainty feels crippling on Trentside.
Nottingham Forest players unsettled and hierarchy have huge call to make
The constant speculation isn’t helping anyone.
Still, there is perhaps a sense that the media is overhyping things just a tad and things are actually calmer behind the scenes.
Evangelos Marinakis has spoken fondly of Cooper previously and he’s not willing to wash his hands of him just yet.
Football is a results-based business, however, and the current form can’t go on.
Even if Forest could get themselves a point on Monday night, it would stop the rot and offer a platform to work from.
The Reds fan base appears unanimous that they want Cooper to stay at the club.
He worked miracles last season and he hasn’t just become a bad coach overnight.
As a result, and given the fact he’s got to blend 22 new players together, Cooper should be given until the World Cup at least.
Then, the squad might settle down and begin to fulfil their potential.
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