Nuno Espirito Santo Takes Over as Nottingham Forest Manager After Steve Cooper's Sacking

Nuno Espirito Santo has been appointed as the new manager of Nottingham Forest, the Premier League club announced Wednesday.

The 49-year-old Portuguese coach has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Midlands club after Forest sacked Steve Cooper on Tuesday. Nuno has managed over 460 games in his career, including in the Premier League, La Liga, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

Nuno returns to English football following a two-year absence since his departure from Tottenham and managed Wolverhampton Wanderers prior, with his first match in charge of Forest this Saturday’s game against Bournemouth.

His last managerial stint was in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad, where he led the club to league and domestic cup honours last season.

Forest are currently 17th in the standings with three wins this season, on 14 points from 17 matches, five points above the relegation zone.

They have earned just one point from their last six games, which also included a 5-0 defeat by Fulham, where Forest fans sang Cooper’s name as a show of support.

“Steve Cooper has today been relieved of his duties as head coach of Nottingham Forest, following a spell of over two years in charge”, the club said in a statement.

“Everyone at Nottingham Forest would like to thank Steve for his superb contribution to our football club,” owner Evangelos Marinakis said.

“His achievement in guiding Forest back to the Premier League will undoubtedly remain an iconic moment in the club’s history.”

Cooper is the second Premier League manager to lose his job this season, after newly-promoted Sheffield United sacked manager Paul Heckingbottom earlier this month.

Cooper joined Forest in September 2021 on a two-year deal when they were the bottom side in the Championship. He led them to promotion by the following May, winning the playoffs after finishing fourth.

His contract was extended to 2025 in October 2022.

Forest, who broke the record for most transfers by a Premier League club in the close-season 2022 window, had a rocky start to their first top-flight campaign since 1999.

They survived a relegation scare after losing four matches straight in April 2023 with wins over Arsenal and Southampton in May and finished 16th, four points above the bottom three.

(With inputs from Agencies)