Steve Cooper in management return link as Nottingham Forest repeat targeted

The promotion-winning Forest manager could be going back to the Championship as Michael Carrick’s replacement at Middlesbrough

With Middlesbrough looking increasingly unhappy at Michael Carrick’s recent form, a former Nottingham Forest manager may be in for a move to the North East to save their season.

After a stellar few seasons at Forest, gaining the club promotion in 2022, Steve Cooper has emerged as a potential replacement for an out-of-form Carrick, if he fails to turn his poor run at Boro around.

There are rumours that Cooper could be brought in for a rescue mission, as Carrick’s recent record shows five defeats out of six games, culminating in boos from fans at the Riverside Stadium after his 1-0 loss to Watford on Saturday.

Reflecting on the situation in a post-match BBC interview, Carrick admitted: “There’s no sugar-coating it, we’re in a tough spot at the moment. You could smell it and feel it around today, and [we need to] face up to the reality that results haven’t gone as we would like of late.

“I felt a lot for them because their attitude is top-class, honestly, they’re desperate to do the right things and in the sport when things aren’t going for you and you’re not in your peak mentality, the confidence dips a little bit and it becomes more difficult to play.”

After joining a bottom-of-the-table Forest side in September 2021, Cooper quickly installed some confidence and an attacking style of play that turned their season around, scooping a play-off spot before eventually beating Huddersfield in the final to secure a spot in the Premier League.

However, after a string of poor results beginning in the spring and lasting until the winter of 2023, Cooper was eventually let go. He joined Leicester six