•Nuno Espirito Santo
Super Eagles striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, now has a new manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, following Nottingham Forest’s decision to sack Steve Cooper.
According to reports in the English media, Cooper was sacked yesterday by Nottingham Forest after a run of one win in 13 matches.
Nottingham Forest are five points above the relegation zone and Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, has appointed Santo in time for Saturday’s clash with Bournemouth.
Despite the dreadful recent form, Cooper would leave with his stock high.
When he took charge of Forest in September 2021, they were bottom of the Championship. The following May, Cooper had led Forest to the Premier League for the first time this century and then kept them in the topflight with a game to spare.
The 43-year-old was close to the sack twice last season and now Marinakis, who has spent close to £300 million in the last three transfer windows, has made his move.
Yet Cooper is believed to have turned down two Premier League jobs during his time at Forest and Crystal Palace are thought to have been impressed by his work at the City Ground.
Marinakis had targeted a top-10 finish this term following last season’s narrow escape and had been increasingly frustrated with recent displays. Awoniyi will return to training this festive period to meet a new manager in charge of the former European champions.
Nuno has been out of work after being dismissed by the Saudi Arabian club, Al-Ittihad, early in November, months after he won the title there. His most recent Premier League post was an ill-fated 17-game spell at Spurs that ended in November 2021. Before that, Nuno – a client of the agent Jorge Mendes – led Wolves into the topflight and kept them there for three seasons. The Portuguese is set to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal at the City Ground.
Forest also held talks with the former Eintracht Frankfurt manager, Oliver Glasner, who expressed a willingness to take the job, but Glasner was behind Nuno in the thinking of Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis. Julen Lopetegui was on Forest’s radar but discussions with the former Wolves manager did not progress.
