Journalist Ian Ladyman has predicted what will happen to Nottingham Forest if they sack Steve Cooper.
The head coach is under increasing pressure ahead of Saturday’s game against Wolves at Molineux.
Last night, the Reds were beaten 5-0 by Fulham at Craven Cottage to pile the pressure on the boss.
He applauded the fans at the end of the contest and appeared to apologise for such an abject performance.
Ladyman predicts what will happen if Forest sack Cooper
The Reds boss looks to be on borrowed time at the City Ground and it’s hard not to feel a little tinge of sadness.
Cooper has brought the good times back to Forest and he should forever be worshipped by the fan base.
However, the results that Forest have picked up this season simply haven’t been good enough at all.
It’s not one win in 11 Premier League matches and that simply won’t do for such an ambitious owner.
Ladyman thinks the Reds are about to make a huge mistake, however, and he’s slammed the Forest hierarchy.
He told the It’s All Kicking Off Podcast: “The time is probably nigh for Steve – I’m not saying it’s right by the way.
“I tell you what Steve Cooper doesn’t deserve is to work for a club and an employer like Evangelos Marinakis who doesn’t appreciate him. I tell you what if he’s not performed and if the players haven’t performed for him based on what they know in terms of the faith shown by the owner has evaporated, who can blame them? Steve Cooper is well out of it.
“I’m fond of Forest, I worked in Nottingham, it’s a great club but he’s been treated shabbily by the owner and he’d leave with his head held high and he will walk straight into another job. Steve Cooper’s career will go on an upward trajectory and Forest will go into reverse without him. I promise you that.”
Forest have huge call to make
When Chris Hughton was on the verge of being sacked, similar claims of this nature were made by other journalists and pundits.
Forest made the change, appointed Cooper and started winning matches. With that in mind, there is no saying that won’t happen again.
The results simply haven’t been good enough this season. With three wins out of 15 matches, it’s hardly surprising that the pressure is on.
It’s a romantic notion that Marinakis will simply stick with Cooper for now. However, the club’s performances have got progressively worse; with the players seemingly downing tools of late.
Only time will tell whether or not Cooper can recover from this situation. A win on Saturday would change the landscape considerably and hopefully the players can turn up.
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