Nottingham Forest sack Steve Cooper with ex-Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo lined up

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Steve Cooper has been sacked by Nottingham Forest Credit: PA Images

Nottingham Forest have sacked manager Steve Cooper after just one win in 13 matches.

The club is holding talks with former Wolves and Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who looks set to take his place.

It comes after Cooper lost 2-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Friday, with Forest only picking up one point in their last five games.

Forest Owner Evangelos Marinakis said: "Everyone at Nottingham Forest would like to thank Steve for his superb contribution to our football club.

"His achievement in guiding Forest back to the Premier League will undoubtably remain an iconic moment in the Club's history."

He adds: "We thank Steve for his dedication and commitment during his time with us, as well as the incredible connection he forged with our supporters and city of Nottingham.

"Steve will always remain a friend of the Club and will forever be welcome at The City Ground."

His dismissal has split many fans at the club, as even despite a heavy recent 5-0 defeat to Fulham, Forest fans still sung his name at full time.

Cooper, for many, had a successful spell at Forest getting them promoted via the playoffs in 2022 and finishing 16th in the 2022-23 season, when many predicted relegation.

He spent big in the summer of 2022, breaking the previous record of new signings by one club in a transfer window, bringing in 21 players and spending close to £150 million.

However, his recent form has left Forest five points above the drop and worried for their top-flight safety.

Now, his new rumoured successor Nuno Espírito Santo, will have to work with the squad that Cooper built and hope that he can make it click.

The club have confirmed that an announcement on the appointment of a new head coach will take place soon.

Who is Nuno Espírito Santo?

Nuno managed Porto, Valencia, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, but his most recent outing was at Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Professional League.

He was sacked last month and was let go from his most recent Premier League outing with Tottenham after less than four months in charge.

However, despite failures elsewhere, his success with Wolves is what Nuno is known for.

Nuno carried Wolves from the Championship back into the Premier League after a six-year absence in 2018.

He then took Wolves to seventh in their first season, one of the highest-ever finishes for a newly promoted team in the Premier League and Wolves' second highest ever top flight finish.

After finishing seventh, Nuno backed it up with another seventh place and Wolves' highest-ever Premier League points tally.

He even managed to reach a Europa League Quarter Final along the way.

Nuno left Wolves by mutual consent in 2021 and is remembered by fans as the most successful manager they've had in the Premier League era and maybe the most successful manager they've ever had.

Forest fans will be hoping that the Nuno of old can command their team away from a relegation battle and cement them as a solid Premier League team.


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