Steve Cooper has questioned where Nottingham Forest would be without Brennan Johnson.
The 21-year-old has been the shining light for Forest after a difficult season in their return to the top flight. Johnson has often carried the team this season, becoming the top scorer with 10 goals and two assists in all competitions.
Ahead of a crucial final few weeks, Forest need their homegrown star to make a difference that will determine the club's fate. And Cooper is backing Johnson to guide the club to safety just like when he played a significant contribution in their promotion campaign last season.
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"Just imagine where we'd be without him," the Reds boss told the Daily Mail. "I love working with Brennan, I see how hungry he is to do well. I know how important the club is to him and his family.
"I love seeing a young player wanting to learn and get better and not just doing the stuff on the training pitch and match days but the stuff around it as well - the holistic approach to being an elite athlete. I've loved working with him, like all of the lads.
"But Brennan, I really, really enjoy working with him because he's so committed to be the best he can be and doing well for this club that he absolutely loves and also he's got a talent we need to nurture because it's really helpful to us. He'll definitely be playing on Sunday and we'll be trying to work in a way where he can flourish because that's what it gives us."
Johnson's outstanding performances will undoubtedly attract interest from clubs, but Cooper has dismissed the possibility of him being sold.
"I don't want to say that now - that's for the end of the season," he added. "What I do know is he's super talented. Brennan is a really humble, hard-working and caring."
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