Marinakis has just done something that could prove to be a Nottingham Forest masterstroke

Add as preferred source on Google

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has this afternoon released a statement and he might have just completed a masterstroke.

The Reds are in turmoil on the pitch. Steve Cooper has overseen eight games without a victory and reports had suggested that a change was imminent.

This afternoon, however, those reports are nothing more than tomorrow’s fish and chip paper. Marinakis has spoken and he’s thrown his weight behind Cooper.

In a statement on the club’s official website, he said: “We wish to end the speculation and the false and disruptive reporting in the media to confirm that Steve Cooper remains our manager at Nottingham Forest.

“We have all been disappointed with recent performances and it’s very clear that a lot of hard work needs to be done to address this urgently. Results and performances must improve immediately.”

Forest will head to Aston Villa on Saturday to face the form team in the Premier League. After that they play Manchester United before travelling to Liverpool.

As a result, it does seem unlikely that the results will pick up immediately. It would be quite something if Forest can get any points from their next three games given recent results.

Forest owner Marinakis has released a statement and it could be a masterstroke

It’s perhaps a little surprising that the club have released a statement. Usually statements are only forthcoming when a manager is set to get the sack.

Clearly, Marinakis is a big advocate of reading the room. He’s a wise man and he will know that fans have been sharpening their pitchforks ready to turn on him if he dared to hand Cooper his p45.

This move could become a masterstroke. Straight away the fan base is united once again and it would appear there is more determination than ever for the Reds to start getting some points.

Perhaps now it’s the players who need to stand up. There is only so much that Cooper can do and he’s been badly let down by certain players during 2022/23.

The squad at Forest boasts a lot of quality. Now, they have to roll their sleeves up and start producing the goods that they have shown they can this season.

Marinakis has done his bit and now the onus is on the squad he paid so handsomely for.