Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall has heaped praise on manager Steve Cooper for transforming what appeared to be “a bit of a misfit team” into promotion winners.
The Reds can now start planning for life in the Premier League after a 23-year wait to get back to the top-flight. Victory over Huddersfield Town at Wembley on Sunday completed a remarkable turnaround under Cooper.
The Welshman picked up a team which was bottom of the Championship table when he walked in and carried them to success in the play-offs. Worrall says it was a squad packed with quality, which Cooper helped bring together.
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"It's been a long time coming. It doesn't just happen overnight. It doesn't just happen with a month to go,” said the centre-back, who captained the side under the arch.
"If you look at our form guide this season, we've been the best in the league since the manager's come in. That equals Premier League.
"We're really good value for it. We don't mind saying that, because we know what ability we've got.
"It's not just about Brennan Johnson, Philip Zinckernagel or Keinan Davis, it runs through the spine of the team. You've got Yatesy (Ryan Yates), who I've run out of superlatives for - what a guy, what a guy!
"You've got Brice (Samba). He's come up trumps in massive, massive games this season. You've got Ethan (Horvath), who's been like a hand in a glove - literally - when he's come into the side.
"It's everybody, across the whole pitch. Jack Colback, playing left-back when Max Lowe has been injured.
"Djed (Spence). I'd played against him a couple of times and thought, 'yeah, he's good', but my goodness, what a player. He's very, very good. Still have to keep hold of him, mind, but he's a good player.
"The lot of them. I could run through the whole team. James Garner. Zinckernagel. We've been really good value this season.
"But a shoutout to the manager. He deserves every single plaudit which comes his way. He's come in and taken what is, from the outside, a bit of a misfit team, and a team that was low on confidence last season and hardly scored goals - we were okay defensively, but we couldn't score for toffee - to a team which has been a breath of fresh air.
"I think everybody has enjoyed watching us. Premier League!”
