Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has spoken about the challenges managers face in trying to control their emotions during and after games.
The Welshman has been charged by the Football Association for alleged “improper conduct”, following comments about referee Thomas Bramall after the Reds’ 1-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month. He had until yesterday to provide a response.
Cooper said there was “not much” he could say about the charge, and did not specify whether he had accepted it. But he did admit it can sometimes be tough to keep feelings in check, in what is an incredibly high-pressured environment.
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“I will talk when I can. But at the moment it is just going through the process, so I am not thinking too much about it. I am more focused on the game,” he said, ahead of Sunday’s trip to face Premier League leaders Arsenal.
He added: “It is difficult for everybody involved - supporters, managers, players. I do my very best to try to stay in control, whatever emotions you are feeling.
“In general, I like to think I am okay at that. You aim to be a good version of yourself, as much as you can be.
“They are emotional jobs; they take you to places you might not have felt before. But you try to stay true to yourself, what you believe in and what you think is right.
“Sometimes that might mean standing up for your club or for your team, or something that you may do or say, and that is how it is. Game in, game out you try to be at your best. I will try to do that on Sunday.”
The match at Molineux was decided by a Ruben Neves penalty and wasn’t without controversy. Wolves’ spot-kick was awarded after Bramall went to his pitchside monitor, following a lengthy VAR check, with Harry Toffolo penalised for a handball. A similar incident in the first half, however, saw nothing given when a Neco Williams shot was blocked.
Forest did get a penalty late on, after another considerable stoppage for VAR, when Matheus Nunes was punished for a foul on Ryan Yates. But Brennan Johnson’s effort was saved by Jose Sa.
Announcing the charge, the FA said in a statement: “Nottingham Forest FC’s Steve Cooper has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3.1 following their Premier League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers FC on Saturday 15 October 2022. It is alleged that the manager’s comments during post-match interviews constitute improper conduct in that they imply bias and/or question the integrity of the referee and/or bring the game into disrepute. Steve Cooper has until Thursday 27 October 22 to provide a response.”
After the match, Cooper admitted he was left “biting his tongue” over the referee’s performance. “We know the referee well from last season. We had him in the Championship,” he said at the time. “We know the differences of what you can get with him. So we knew that was part of what we had to deal with today.”
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