Crystal Palace wants Steve Cooper if he's let go at Forest

Crystal Palace is keeping a close eye on Steve Cooper and his situation at Nottingham Forest. Both Palace and Forest may be in the market for a coaching change with the two in the bottom third of the Premier League table. Palace may sack Roy Hodgson with the club losing four of its last five games in the Premier League. Likewise, Nottingham Forest has dropped points in eight of its last nine games. That puts Steve Cooper on the hot seat after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.

That is a familiar position for Cooper. Last season, Forest plotted to sack Cooper after monumental spending in its return to the Premier League. Cooper has been at the helm since September 2021. He took over at the City Ground when Forest was at the bottom of the Championship. He guided Forest to the playoff, where it beat Huddersfield Town. That returned Forest to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years.

Crystal Palace sees Cooper as a young coach who can bring a new era to the club. He is still just 43 years old, but his success with Forest in the Championship shows his potential as a manager. Additionally, he had an entirely new squad with Forest in its return to the top flight. The overturn in personnel did not force relegation back down to the Championship.

Yet, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis wanted to see more improvement in Cooper’s second full year with Nottingham Forest. Instead, Forest has just three wins, four draws and six losses. The club does have games coming up that are winnable. Forest faces Everton, Wolves, Fulham and Bournemouth in four of its next five games. If Cooper does not pull out results, he may be headed for the sack.

Crystal Palace may snatch Steve Cooper up if that happens

If Forest releases Cooper, Crystal Palace is ready to welcome the Welsh manager with open arms. Roy Hodgson is only under contract at Selhurst Park until the end of the season. Hodgson returned to Palace in March of this year, and he, like Cooper, helped Palace remain in the Premier League. However, Palace is once again in a state of limbo. It has a 10-point buffer on the relegation zone, but it is five points behind West Ham, which is in ninth.

Palace owner Steve Parish is an admirer of Cooper and what he was able to do with Forest. Cooper is a long-term solution to Palace’s coaching issues. It looked like Patrick Vieira would be a solution after a successful first season where Palace finished 12th. Parish was not content with the growth in the second season, which led to Vieira leaving the club.

West Ham also wants the manager

Palace will not be alone in trying to woo Steve Cooper. West Ham wants the Welsh boss to replace David Moyes at the end of the English manager’s contract. Moyes’ time with West Ham may be up at the end of the season, as that is when his current deal with the Hammers expires.

Of course, both clubs will need Forest to let Cooper go. The club signed Cooper to an extension through the 2024/25 campaign last season. That demonstrates Forest’s previous commitment to its boss.

PHOTO: IMAGO.