Steve Cooper. Photo: photosport
Struggling Nottingham Forest parted ways with manager Steve Cooper on Wednesday, days after they suffered their fifth defeat in six Premier League games in a 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
Forest are 17th in the standings with three wins this season, on 14 points from 17 matches, five points above the relegation zone.
They have earned just one point from their last six games, which also included a 5-0 defeat by Fulham, where Forest fans sang Cooper's name as a show of support.
"Steve Cooper has today been relieved of his duties as head coach of Nottingham Forest, following a spell of over two years in charge", the club said in a statement.
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is in the frame to succeed Cooper, according to British media reports.
"Everyone at Nottingham Forest would like to thank Steve for his superb contribution to our football club," owner Evangelos Marinakis said.
"His achievement in guiding Forest back to the Premier League will undoubtedly remain an iconic moment in the club's history."
Cooper is the second Premier League manager to lose his job this season, after newly-promoted Sheffield United sacked manager Paul Heckingbottom earlier this month.
Cooper joined Forest in September 2021 on a two-year deal when they were the bottom side in the Championship. He led them to promotion by the following May, winning the playoffs after finishing fourth.
His contract was extended to 2025 in October 2022.
Forest, who broke the record for most transfers by a Premier League club in the close-season 2022 window, had a rocky start to their first top-flight campaign since 1999.
They survived a relegation scare after losing four matches straight in April 2023 with wins over Arsenal and Southampton in May and finished 16th, four points above the bottom three.
- Reuters