Roy Keane believes Steve Cooper was a ‘dead man walking’ two months ago when Nottingham Forest threw away a 1-0 advantage over Luton Town at the City Ground. Forest led the Premier League match by two goals, owing to a brace from Chris Wood, the second of which came with less than 15 minutes remaining.
Forest’s lead appreared unassailable heading into the final ten minutes against a newly promoted side struggling to adjust to life in the top flight, but in the 83rd minute Chiedozie Ogbene struck to give the Hatters hope before Elijah Adebayo netted deep in stoppage time to draw level and secure an unlikely point.
Forest would have moved up to 11th in the Premier League table if they had hung on. Instead, they dropped to 15th place and have subsequently lost six of their next eight games, resulting in Cooper’s dismissal. In the meantime, the only points earned were three against Aston Villa and a fighting draw at Wolves.
Indeed, up until the Luton draw, Forest had only lost away to Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal, and they’d won at Chelsea, but failing to get three points against Rob Edwards’ team was fatal for Keane – even though Cooper survived two more months.
“They were 2-0 up against Luton at home a month or two ago, and they drew 2-2,” Reds old boy Keane told Sky Bet’s Stick to Football podcast. “We’ve all been there – there are certain outcomes where you think, ‘That’s cost them the momentum and the feel-good factor,’ and you’ve got an owner waiting to say, ‘I’m going to get rid of them.'”
Steve Cooper has been walking dead for the last month or two. It’s as if they’re saying, ‘You’ve got one more game,’ and then they lose to Fulham. What a wonderful place to work. I understand you’re under pressure, but it’s the same question every week: ‘Is the manager going to come in today?'”
“I would have given him a little more time, but I’ve said that about most managers because I’ve been there, but this idea of people loving him – is the game about love?” It’s a business, and you have to win.
That’s what I’d give Steve Cooper credit for – not the team’s performance, but how he’s handled the chaos surrounding him. We’re talking about football management, recruitment, and managing upwards with an owner – we recently discussed the owner and how he’s treated other managers, whether Martin O’Neill or others. That’s where I believe Steve Cooper has excelled and demonstrated great class.”
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