Whilst Nottingham Forest have so far avoided a place in the bottom three of the Premier League this season, their 5-0 defeat at Craven Cottage against Fulham has seemingly made Evangelos Marinakis question things at the City Ground, putting Steve Cooper's job once again at risk.
And this comes as no surprise, either, given that the former Swansea City boss has seen his side go from victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to recent capitulation to leave them just four points clear of the dropzone. With that said, reports suggest that Forest are already eyeing one particular replacement for Cooper, who faces a vital week when it comes to keeping hold of his job.
Nottingham Forest manager news
According to Football Insider, Cooper has told friends that he expects to be sacked soon at Forest and is aware of the whispers regarding his position at the club. With Forest sitting dangerously close to the relegation zone with just three wins all season, Cooper could have finally tried his luck one too many times with Marinakis, who has previously come close to relieving the manager of his duties on two separate occasions. With a replacement reportedly eyed, the Midlands club could be about to start afresh.
Nottingham Forest eyeing "sensational" manager to possibly replace Steve Cooper
Evangelos Marinakis is assessing his options in the dugout after yet another disappointing result.
ByChloe ChadwickDec 8, 2023
According to The Guardian, Marinakis and Forest are eyeing a move for Julen Lopetegui if they sack Cooper. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss has been out of a job since his shock decision to leave Molineux at the end of pre-season and could now have his pathway back to the Midlands and the Premier League.
Ironically, Cooper's fate could be in the hands of Wolves, who next face a Forest side who know how vital three points will be for not only their season but also their manager's job security.
"Strong" Lopetegui deserves Premier League return
Lopetegui's Wolves exit wasn't about results. The former Sevilla boss guided the Midlands club away from the Premier League's relegation and kept them up in a short stint, before preparing for his first full season in charge. After the club's summer spending failed to back the manager, however, and Lopetegui learned of Wolves' financial constraints, he decided to depart. Now, Forest could hand him a Premier League return, and in contrast to Wolves, they seemingly have the financial power to back Lopetegui.
During the summer, Forest's spending hit the €122m (£107m) mark as they welcomed the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ibrahim Sangare and Anthony Elanga. It is the type of backing that Lopetegui could thrive from and the type that Cooper is currently failing to take advantage of. The Spaniard, despite how things ended at Wolves, was initially praised by the club's owner, Jeff Shi, who told their official website:
"Julen has a strong personality and he’s a coach with clear leadership, not just with football players but with the clubs he has been at. He has a lot of experience in elite football and his track record is proven. We know we are in a difficult moment as a team right now, so we especially need a strong leader, with a strong personality, more than any other time I have been here. It is because of this that Julen was always our preferred choice."
