Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has challenged his players to “give even more” in order to avoid relegation this season.
Forest have won just three points in their previous nine games, dropping them to 18th in the Premier League, just behind Everton on goal differential.
Cooper appreciates the importance of collecting points with eight games remaining in the season, and they can break their skid when Champions League-chasing Manchester United visits on Sunday.
Cooper, on the other hand, wants to see more from his team, which has a respectable record at the City Ground this season with five victories and six draws in 15 games. In contrast, they have only won once away from home.
“Our goal hasn’t changed in terms of what we want to accomplish this season,” Cooper said. “We’ve made it slightly more difficult as a result of the recent results; there’s no getting around that.”
“We have to give even more, whether it’s how we play, how we believe, work-rate, confidence, togetherness, or anything else that we need to win a football match.”
“Even the times when we’ve won and played well, even that’s not enough. At this time of the season the stakes feel like they’re higher and the context is bigger because there’s less games to play.
“What we’ve given so far isn’t enough but there’s such a determination and the motivation do that. Personally I can’t think when I’ve ever been so motivated to succeed, I’m feeling that from the players as well and that will be helpful to any success we have.”
Cooper, who confirmed none of several players that have been sidelined recently would make a return this weekend, was publicly backed by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis this month despite the downturn.
“This is the time of the season for real leadership, real strong characters, real strong belief, real quality, and decisive moments at both ends of the pitch,” Cooper said.
“We must stand up and be counted in terms of how we play and the risks we take.” That’s what it’s going to take, because we’re so determined to succeed.”
Forest fired sporting director Filippo Giraldi earlier this week, after only six months on the job, and replaced him with Ross Wilson, who left Rangers.
“It hasn’t interfered with my day-to-day work, nothing does, to be honest – I have to give that 100 percent,” Cooper continued.
“I had a good relationship with Filippo, and I’ll do everything I can to have a good relationship with Ross.”
“The exact rationale behind the change, I’m not entirely sure because I’m focusing on the players,” he says, “but the (sporting director) role is an important one for the club from a multi-disciplinary point of view in helping the club grow.”
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