Key members of the Crystal Palace boardroom rate Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper highly ahead of a potential swoop for his services.
Crystal Palace are keeping an eye on Steve Cooper’s situation at Nottingham Forest as he has been a long-term target for chairman Steve Parish.
The Welsh tactician is in danger of losing his job at the City Ground, with owner Evangelos Marinakis growing frustrated at a lack of progress this season.
Palace initially looked at offering Cooper the job two years ago, when he was in the Swansea City hot-seat.
Crystal Palace ‘definitely admire’ Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper, and journalist Dean Jones has told superssport whether Eagles chairman Steve Parish could aim to lure him into the Selhurst Park dugout midway through the season.
Having penned a fresh one-year contract during the summer, Roy Hodgson is currently at the helm and enjoying his second stint in charge of the south Londoners, but there is growing speculation that his successor is already being pinpointed.
Palace have suffered four defeats from their last five Premier League outings, ahead of making the short trip across London to take on West Ham United this weekend, and Cooper appears to be firmly in the hierarchy’s sights.
Cooper highly rated by Palace chairman Parish
Palace are prepared to make a move for Cooper if he is sacked by Forest, according to talkSPORT, as Parish is a long-term admirer and not willing to run the risk of missing out on the 43-year-old should he become available.
But the report suggests the Eagles could face competition as, despite coming under pressure after suffering another defeat at the hands of 10-man Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, he has also been identified as a potential successor to David Moyes at West Ham.
It is understood that Palace have been monitoring Cooper for a prolonged period of time, having initially shown an interest in handing him the reins when he was in the Swansea City hot-seat two years ago, while they are fully aware that they will need to appoint a younger coach with fresh ideas next season instead of extending the 76-year-old Hodgson’s tenure.
The Eagles could be handed an opportunity to pounce in the coming weeks because the Welshman is under increasing pressure in the City Ground dugout as Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is growing frustrated at a lack of progress this season, leading to fears that he may be axed following Saturday’s clash with Everton.
Steve Cooper’s record at Nottingham Forest
Matches
104
Won
43
Drawn
26
Lost
35
Goals for
149
Goals against
140
All statistics according to Transfermarkt up to and including December 1, 2023
Sunday People chief sports writer Neil Moxley recently told GIVEMESPORT that Cooper is not expected to remain in at the Tricky Trees’ helm until the end of his contract due to the objectives put in place behind the scenes.
The former England under-17 chief is well-liked within the Forest fanbase, particularly after leading them into the Premier League for the first time in 23 years thanks to a Championship play-off final win over Huddersfield Town in May 2022, while he went on to ensure their top flight status was maintained last season.
But the Midlands outfit went into the weekend having registered fewer Premier League wins than Everton, who were dragged into the relegation zone due to being handed a 10-point deduction for failing to comply with profitability and sustainability rules earlier this month, and their struggles have come despite Marinakis being willing to splash the cash during the summer.
Dean Jones update – Steve Cooper
Jones understands that Cooper has admirers behind the scenes at Selhurst Park, and his unavailability thanks to being at the Forest helm led to Palace deciding to stick with Hodgson ahead of the current campaign.
The respected reporter feels the Eagles’ interest means the tactician is in a strong position – even if he is shown the door by his current employers – but there are doubts over whether the capital club would be open to dispensing with Hodgson before the end of the season.
Jones told Superssport:
“He is a manager that Palace have admired for a while. I know that he is impressive in the way that the club’s future is mapped out and how Palace might want to step forward next time around.
“When they kept Hodgson on for this season, it was because they couldn’t find the right manager that fitted where they wanted to go next. But I know that Steve Cooper is one of the managers that they definitely admire.
“He is in a pretty good situation, I think. If second season syndrome does strike at Nottingham Forest, he has pretty much already got an out here.
“I don’t know whether Crystal Palace would be willing to sack Roy Hodgson midway through a season because, to be honest, he has done a massive favour by helping them through a period when they were struggling after Patrick Vieira.”
Marc Guehi has been identified as Manchester United’s number one target ahead of the January transfer window opening for business, according to Football Insider, which has led to Palace’s Premier League rivals wasting no time in completing background checks.
The report suggests the central defender, who has been on the Eagles’ books since sealing a switch worth £18million from Chelsea two years ago, is being courted by Red Devils chief Erik ten Hag due to Lisandro Martinez remaining on the sidelines through injury.
But Manchester United are not the only side to have set their sights on testing Palace’s resolve as Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea have also been linked after Guehi has established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet at Selhurst Park.
