Nottingham Forest reportedly sounded out two high-profile managers before handing Steve Cooper a new deal.
The man who led Forest to promotion last season looked to be under increasing pressure after the club’s heavy defeat to Leicester. The Reds had been in talks over handing the former Swansea City coach a fresh contract but that looked to be put on hold as Forest discussed Cooper’s future at the City Ground.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis held a meeting with the club’s hierarchy where there was a unanimous decision reached to stick with Cooper, who eventually put pen to paper on a three-year deal to end the uncertainty. However, though the Welshman was given a clear vote of confidence by the board, the Reds did reportedly explore other options before making their decision.
READ MORE: Predicted Nottingham Forest XI to face Wolves in key clash
READ MORE: Wolves dealt blow in search for new manager ahead of key Forest clash
Cooper was reportedly on the radar of both Southampton and Wolves as clubs awaited Forest’s decision to part company with the 42-year-old. Former Wolves managers Bruno Lage and Nuno Espirito Santo were listed as potential candidates for the Reds, as well as ex-Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez - but The Athletic have claimed that Forest set their sights even higher.
“They did sound out possible replacements for Cooper,” journalist Paul Taylor told The Athletic Football Podcast . “They were thinking about people like Pochettino and Tuchel, which was very ambitious. It became very clear, very quickly that they were unrealistic.”
Tuchel left Chelsea last month, having won the Champions League and Club World Cup during his 20-month stint at Stamford Bridge. Pochettino earned his reputation with Tottenham Hotspur, guiding Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final, before replacing Tuchel at PSG, where he won the Ligue 1 title.
Were the club right to stick with Cooper? Let us know in the comments section
READ NEXT:
