Steve Cooper will be BETTER OFF if he’s sacked by Nottingham Forest after their 5-0 humiliation at Fulham, Ian Ladyman insists on It’s All Kicking Off, as he claims the club has ‘behaved shabbily’ towards the manager

• Steve Cooper is set for the sack after Fulham’s 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest
• Ian Ladyman believes Cooper will be ‘well out of it’ if he ends up getting the boot
• No one cares like Steve Cooper cares about Forest, the club means so much to him – It’s All Kicking Off 

Steve Cooper will be better off if he is sacked by Nottingham Forest, Ian Ladyman has claimed on Mail Sport’s It’s All Kicking Off podcast.

Forest dropped to 16th in the Premier League on Wednesday after suffering a dismal 5-0 defeat against Fulham in west London, casting doubt over Cooper’s future at the City Ground. 

Mail Sport revealed on November 25 that Cooper was under huge pressure after Forest were beaten 3-2 at home by Brighton, and now it seems the 43-year-old boss is facing the axe after his fourth consecutive league defeat at Craven Cottage.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who witnessed the mauling on Wednesday, is now poised to start the hunt for Cooper’s replacement, with former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui one of the coaches he admires.

Ladyman and former Premier League champion Chris Sutton explained on It’s All Kicking Off how sacking Cooper could create a domino effect in the Premier League, as there are reports the Forest boss is keenly admired by Crystal Palace.

Steve Cooper is on the brink of the sack after Nottingham Forest’s 5-0 humiliation at Fulham

But Mail Sport’s Ian Ladyman (above) believes Cooper would be better off if he gets the chop

The Eagles are 14th in the Premier League under 76-year-old manager Roy Hodgson, who initially arrived at Selhurst Park midway through last season on a short-term basis before agreeing to a longer stay.

Ladyman admitted that the 5-0 hiding at Craven Cottage does likely call an end to Cooper’s tenure as Forest boss. 

‘I think the time is probably nigh for Steve,’ he told Sutton during Thursday’s podcast.

‘I’m not saying it’s right but from what we’re hearing I think Steve might be on his way, and what is interesting is there’s a school of thought that if Cooper does leave, Crystal Palace may feel compelled to do something about Roy Hodgson so they can slide Cooper in.

‘There could be a bit of a domino effect about to happen in the Premier League. And that shows how precarious a manager’s standing can be.’

Agreeing, Sutton continued: ‘On Match of the Day, Cooper did a brilliant interview where he was actually very emotional about that connection with the fans. And I think, with the reports in the last week or so, we probably both feel that the writing is on the wall. 

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Fulham ran riot over Forest as Alex Iwobi (below) and Raul Jimenez (above) each scored twice

Chris Sutton (above) admitted he wants the head coach to stay at Forest on It’s All Kicking Off

‘When you lose to Fulham – who actually had a good performance at Liverpool but ended up losing and are still sort of mid table – to be humiliated in the fashion that Nottingham Forest were, it looks like the players aren’t playing for him.

‘Listening to him speak at the end – and that’s a throwaway phrase (I made) that the players aren’t playing for him, they clearly weren’t on that particular evening – but if I ever wanted a manager to get a stay of execution, it would be Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest.

‘The Nottingham Forest fans are applauding him. There’s pictures of him saying he was sorry. The club means so much to him. You often see managers come out after defeats and they care, but they don’t care like Steve Cooper. 

‘Am I going soft? I don’t know, but I actually think this season, given that it’s a season where Nottingham Forest will stay in the Premier League, I actually feel he deserves to stay on in his position. It’s about small steps. And if the owner genuinely at the start of the season thought or thinks that they could get in a European spot, then he’s deluded.’

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was in attendance at Fulham and watched the thrashing 

Ladyman insists the club has ‘behaved shabbily’ towards Cooper and he’d be ‘well out of it’

Ladyman responded: ‘You talk about what Steve Cooper doesn’t deserve. What Steve Cooper doesn’t deserve is to work for a club and for an employer and an owner who doesn’t appreciate him.

‘And I tell you what, if he’s not performed or his players haven’t performed particularly well in the last week, then who can blame them given what they know, given that they know the faith from the owner and the manager has evaporated or slowly drips away. Who can blame them? 

‘Steve Cooper’s well out of it. I’ll tell you that mate. He’s well out of it. I’m fond of Forest. I worked in Nottingham for the local paper many years ago. I covered them the last time they were briefly in the Premier League. Beautiful city, great football club. But they’ve behave shabbily towards Cooper. 

‘He leaves with his head held high and he walks straight into another job. And I tell you what, Steve Cooper’s career trajectory will be only one way and that’ll be up. Forest will go into reverse without him, I promise you they will.’

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify

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