Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis hands Steve Cooper a public vote of confidence – but tells manager ‘results and performances must improve immediately’
- Evangelos Marinakis sent a veiled warning to Steve Cooper in his statement
- Forest are in 17th place hovering above relegation based on their goal difference
- Nottingham Forest fell to a 2-1 defeat on the road to Leeds on Tuesday evening
Steve Cooper has been handed a stay of execution by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis but warned that he has no more room for error in the battle for survival.
The Forest boss has been on thin ice since the 2-1 home defeat by Newcastle before the international break and they have taken only one point from games against fellow strugglers Wolves and Leeds since.
For the second time this season, Marinakis has contemplated removing Cooper only to step back – though he made it clear the manager must improve results immediately.
‘No one denies that our Club is in a difficult position in the Premier League, but we wish to end the speculation … to confirm that Steve Cooper remains our manager at Nottingham Forest,’ said Marinakis in a statement released early on Wednesday afternoon.
‘We have all been disappointed with recent performances and it is very clear that a lot of hard work needs to be done to address this urgently. Results and performances must improve immediately.
Steve Cooper has been handed a public vote of confidence by Nottingham Forest’s owner
Evangelos Marinakis handed Cooper a public vote of confidence as well as a warning about results
‘Now is the time for everyone connected with our club, from us as owners, to the board, our supporters, backroom staff, coaches and players – to come together and fight to secure our status in the Premier League.
‘There can be no time for distractions, rumours and speculation. There is only time for hard work, determination, a commitment from Steve and the players to getting the results we need and, of course, the continued magnificent support of the fans of Nottingham Forest.’
The 2-1 loss at Elland Road means Forest have taken six points from a possible 42 away from home, and they are above the relegation zone only on goal difference as they prepare face Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday.
Cooper is arguably Forest’s most popular manager since Brian Clough. When he took over in September 2021, Forest were bottom of the table and he led them to promotion eight months later.
Then Marinakis spent £160million on 30 new players and until the recent run of seven games without a win, Cooper looked to have moulded them into a cohesive unit.
But the latest message from Marinakis leaves growing doubt over the 43-year-old’s long-term future at the City Ground.
Forest fell to a 2-1 defeat to relegation rivals Leeds on Tuesday night after taking the lead
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