TOM COLLOMOSSE: Nottingham Forest could create a problem instead of finding a solution by removing Steve Cooper... as club legend Garry Birtles urges Evangelos Marinakis to give their manager 'a little bit of time'

Steve Cooper may be fighting for his position as Nottingham Forest manager but nothing can tarnish one of the most impressive managerial jobs of recent times.

When Cooper took charge at the City Ground, Forest were bottom of the Championship and it would have been a fine achievement to lead them to mid-table that season. Instead, Cooper got them promoted for the first time this century.

Once in the top flight, Cooper had a revamped squad to manage and had little input into recruitment. It was often a chaotic campaign, hampered by injuries to key players, but still Cooper kept them up.

Though this season has been a slow burner, Cooper has again had to work with a reshaped playing group and lost key forward Brennan Johnson, who joined Tottenham for nearly £50million last summer. 

At this stage last season, Forest were bottom of the table. A year later, they are comfortably above the drop zone despite Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Brighton, with Cooper trying to alter the playing style and integrate new signings alongside collecting points.

The flip side is that owner Evangelos Marinakis has invested £270million in new players since promotion and would probably like a quicker return on his investment but even such a large sum does not guarantee success. 

This is Aston Villa's fifth straight season in the Premier League and only now are they challenging at the sharp end, with Unai Emery – one of the best coaches in the game – at the helm.

Where other managers shy away from Forest's history, Cooper has embraced it. 

'He's very professional and very classy,' Garry Birtles, who set up the only goal for John Robertson in the 1980 European Cup Final against Hamburg, has said. 

'(Fellow Forest legend) John McGovern and I went to meet him and from the training sessions you could see what an impressive coach he is.'

When Marinakis decided to show faith in Cooper last season, McGovern said: 'I think the owner has been absolutely brilliant. He knows Steve produced literally a miracle to get us into the Premier League and he has stuck by him. You have to give him a little bit of time.'

Mail Sport understands Cooper has turned down two Premier League jobs during his time at the City Ground because his affection for the club runs deep – as does Marinakis'. 

It is believed the pair's relationship has become increasingly strained in recent times, which is a great shame.

Because with Marinakis' wealth, experience and network, allied to Cooper's skill at managing players and coaching acumen, this should be a partnership to last the course.

Though the Welshman has selected very few of the players Forest signed during his reign, he recognised that some – like Brazilian pair Danilo and Murillo – were outstanding prospects. Others like Taiwo Awoniyi, Orel Mangala and Nicolas Dominguez were smart recruits who Cooper could develop.

Forest have let points slip away this term but they are still 14th. Had Marinakis been offered that when Cooper joined in September 2021, he would have been pretty happy.

Elite clubs have virtually unlimited resources and a weekly wage bill that would barely be covered by a Euromillions jackpot. 

Even to break into the top 10 – which is Marinakis' target – is a mighty task. Aston Villa had to hire Emery to do it and it is unlikely Forest could recruit that calibre of coach.

There is strong interest in Julen Lopetegui, who did well to keep Wolves up last season, but he is not in Emery's class. Besides, Cooper's team defeated Emery's earlier in November and there was nothing in the duels between Forest and Lopetegui's Wolves last term, both of which ended level in normal time.

Marinakis' only objective is to keep the club on an upward trajectory. Only time will tell but the risk is that by removing Cooper, the Forest owner would create a problem instead of finding a solution. Saturday's meeting with Everton feels pivotal.