Nottingham Forest told to re-hire former manager amid looming relegation threat

Nottingham Forest have been urged to bring back an ‘incredible’ former manager if they replace Vitor Pereira.

The Portuguese is still awaiting his first Premier League win since taking charge at the City Ground.

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Following two draws and two defeats in his first four matches, Forest sit 17th in the table.

Meanwhile, they are only above West Ham United and the relegation zone on goal difference.

Former Forest midfielder Jack Colback has tipped his old club to re-appoint Steve Cooper if Pereira is dismissed.

Cooper is currently in charge of Danish side Brondby having been sacked by Forest in December 2023.

It follows a four-month spell as Leicester City boss at the start of last season.

The Welshman guided Forest to promotion via the play-offs in 2022, ending their 23-year absence from the Premier League.

Forest had been bottom of the Championship when Cooper was appointed in September 2021.

Cooper tipped for Forest return

Colback made 57 appearances under him during his time at the club and has backed his former manager if he were to return to Forest.

Asked about the possibility of Cooper returning, he told Hawksbee & Jacobs: “I think that would be incredible if he did. My experience with Steve was so good.

“Obviously we had the promotion coming from where we did, which was bottom of the league, then do it at Wembley.

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“It was so special and I still got a lot of respect from the Forest fans.

“I think the amount of managers changing now, it’s a difficult one. The owner has got his way of doing things and he’s not happy then he makes them decisions.

“I think he’s got to stand by them. He’s not always made the right ones.”

Having won promotion in 2022, Cooper secured Premier League survival the following season.

His side finished four points clear of the bottom three in 16th at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

Forest are already onto their fourth permanent manager of the season.

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Owner Evangelos Marinakis has parted ways with Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche so far this term.

Colback on Marinakis

Colback admits the players were once sent a ‘warning’ by the Greek businessman during his time at the club.

However, he revealed Marinakis did not come into the dressing room to confront the players.

Asked if he had experienced the owner coming into the changing room, Colback explained: “I didn’t experience that. We had one or two zoom calls when we weren’t doing very well.

“He was home in Greece and he kind of sent a little warning to the lads.”

The 36-year-old added: “Forest was my first experience where there was more of that outside influence.

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“I would say I’d never experienced something like the chief executive in the tunnel before the game and stuff like that.”

Colback had two loan spells at Forest before completing a permanent switch from Newcastle United in 2020.

He would spend a further three years at the City Ground, making a total of 134 appearances.

The promotion-winner announced his retirement from football earlier this month.