Nottingham Forest European Cup winner Martin O’Neill has told TalkSPORT that Steve Cooper is doing a great job. However, he’s taken a small, somewhat bitter, swipe at the club’s hierarchy.
The Reds reached the Premier League last season. Forest came from the bottom of the league in October to win the Championship play-off final by beating Huddersfield Town at Wembley.
As a result, Cooper’s stock couldn’t be any higher at Forest. He deserves the freedom of Nottingham and many believe that he’s worked absolute miracles already on the banks of the River Trent.
O’Neill didn’t perform quite so well at Forest. When Aitor Karanka was sacked in January 2019, the Reds were on course for the play-offs but O’Neill proceeded to take the team out of contention.
He was expected to get the 2019/20 campaign too. After just one week of pre-season training, however, the Reds decided to make a change and bring in Sabri Lamouchi to replace him.
O’Neill has been discussing Cooper on the radio but he also couldn’t help dropping a cheeky dig at the club’s hierarchy who decided to replace him.
He told TalkSPORT (15/11; 11:35): “Well, I had 19 games in charge, so I wasn’t best pleased with how that went.
“The new manager had done absolutely great to win promotion and step back into the Premier League.
“He’s got lots of new players to work with and if there all chosen by him then fine. If they’re not, that’s something he’s got to deal with.”
O’Neill says Cooper is doing a great job but takes swipe at hierarchy
O’Neill did speak fondly of his time playing for Forest and working under the legendary Brian Clough.
He has a lot of time for the Reds and it was nice to hear him speak about the glory days in some detail.
When quizzed on Cooper, it may have sounded somewhat disrespectful that he took a swipe at the hierarchy before praising the head coach.
O’Neill was perhaps a little unfortunate to get only 19 games. The fact remains, however, that Lamouchi brought a feel-good factor back to the club.
Thankfully the ex-winger did at least give some praise to Cooper during his interview with TalkSPORT.