Skip to content
Premier League

Forest sack Cooper: Espirito Santo currently in talks

Published on December 19, 2023
Updated on December 20, 2023
Chris
Written by Chris

Best Bookmaker Offers

18+ New Customers only. Max Win £10 Free Bet. Qualifying bets at odds 1/1 or greater. Paid as bonus token. Min 4/5 odds required. Skrill, Neteller, Paypal not eligible. BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs apply.
New UK, IE & Malta customers only. Min £10/€10 first deposit using Debit Card. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 1.5 and get £10. Further £10 credited after 7 days and a further £10 credited after 14 days. Full T&Cs apply.18+. begambleaware.org  
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. The promotion reward functions as a £30 Surprise Bet. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. Full T&Cs
18+ | Play Responsibly | T&Cs Apply. Begambleaware.org
Forest sack Cooper: Espirito Santo currently in talks
  • Nottingham Forest sack Cooper
  • Forest fourth bottom after one win in 13
  • Espirito Santo the likely successor to Cooper

Nottingham Forest have taken the decision to part ways with manager Steve Cooper following a series of disappointing results, including five losses in their last six games. Talks are currently underway with former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo to fill the managerial vacancy. Forest are fourth favourites to be relegated.

Check out the best Premier League Betting SItes in the UK with Betting.com.

Cooper sacked despite backing of the fanbase

Cooper was informed of the decision on Tuesday after Nottingham Forest’s struggles in the Premier League, where they currently sit in 17th place. The team has managed only one victory in their last 13 league games, earning eight points during that period. Recent performances have seen them secure just one point in the last six matches, leaving them five points ahead of the relegation zone, with third-bottom Luton having a game in hand.

Despite consistent backing from the Forest supporters, owner Evangelos Marinakis has expressed increasing concern about the club’s position in the league. The upcoming fixtures against Bournemouth, Newcastle United, and Manchester United will be crucial for the team’s prospects.

Nuno Espirito Santo, aged 49, is the leading candidate to replace Cooper. The Portuguese manager had a successful tenure with Wolves, achieving promotion from the Championship in his first season and securing consecutive seventh-place finishes in the Premier League. However, his stint at Tottenham Hotspur was cut short after a series of disappointing results.

Former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner has also been considered as a potential replacement, but Nuno appears to be in pole position for the managerial role. Nuno had a brief spell with Saudi Pro-League club Al-Ittihad, where he was dismissed in November after guiding the team to the Saudi title last season.

The Forest faithful will be watching closely to see how Nuno Espirito Santo can turn the team’s fortunes around if he takes over the managerial position at the City Ground.

Forest fourth favourites to go down

Sheffield United, Luton Town and Burnley are the three favourites to go down. However, Forest are considered the next most likely to make the drop by the bookies. In fact, the bookies seem to think that sacking Cooper was an error, with the odds on Forest to go down shortening. At the time of writing, BetUK have Forest at 5/2 to be relegated. Sheffield United are favourites, priced at 1/14, with Luton 2/9 and Burnley at 7/25. Punters looking for value may look at Forest’s odds and feel that they offer good value, especially if one of the three newly promoted sides put a run together. Luton are only five points behind Forest with a game in hand. The Hatters’ direct style has caused some established Premier League sides some uncomfortable moments this season.

Bettors need to study Forest’s form after their new manager is appointed and analyse whether they think they can pull clear. Also, once the new manager is in place, bettors might look at Forest’s first few fixtures and try to find value on a Forest win if they enjoy a “new manager bounce”. 

For your Premier League picks, check out our top list of the  best Premier League Betting SItes in the UK and the best bookies for football.

Share this article
Article link copied!
Chris

Chris is a former athlete and a qualified PE teacher. He is a keen football fan, watching many matches at different levels throughout the season, and enjoys following many different sports. With betting and sports sites, he has a keen eye for detail and can to highlight positives and negatives for users. His experience in sport as a performer, teacher, writer and fan allows him to see things from many different perspectives.

Betting.com Editorial Promise