Nottingham Forest Appoints Nuno Espirito Santo as Their New Head Coach After Sacking Steve Cooper

After enduring a six-game winless streak, Nottingham Forest's board decided to part ways with Steve Cooper. In his place, they have selected Nuno Espirito Santo, the former manager of Tottenham and Wolves, who recently led Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. Nuno's debut match as the head coach will be the upcoming home fixture against Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, December 23. Nottingham Forest currently sits in 17th place in the Premier League.

The Nottingham Forest board has officially appointed Nuno Espirito Santo as their new head coach, succeeding Steve Cooper. Nuno, the experienced Portuguese manager with past stints at Wolves and Tottenham, has inked a two-and-a-half-year contract with The City Ground. Notably, he was most recently at the helm of Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, but his tenure was cut short due to a string of disappointing results.

Nuno's inaugural match in the managerial seat will be the home league clash against Bournemouth scheduled for December 23. Nottingham Forest is currently positioned at 17th in the Premier League, holding a five-point buffer above the relegation zone. The decision to part ways with Steve Cooper, who secured promotion in 2022 after a 23-year absence from the top flight, stemmed from the team's recent struggles, losing five of their last six matches.

Despite the managerial change, owner Evangelos Marinakis expressed gratitude to Cooper, acknowledging his pivotal role in the historic promotion. Marinakis emphasized Cooper's dedication, commitment, and the profound connection he established with supporters and the city of Nottingham. While parting ways with Cooper, Marinakis affirmed that Cooper would always be considered a friend of the club and is warmly welcomed at the City Ground. He extended best wishes to Cooper in his future endeavors.

Regarding their incoming coach, Nuno, who served as a goalkeeper during his playing career, commenced his managerial journey at Rio Ave. There, he successfully guided the Portuguese side to two cup finals and secured qualification for the Europa League.

Following his tenure at Rio Ave, Nuno ventured to Valencia and Porto before making his mark in English football. His coaching prowess was evident at Wolves, where he guided the team to Premier League promotion. Nuno's tenure at Wolves featured back-to-back seventh-place finishes, earning the club European football and a notable run to the Europa League quarter-finals in 2020.

In May 2021, Nuno took charge at Tottenham, but his time in London was short-lived. Struggling at the beginning of the season with five defeats in seven matches, Nuno was relieved of his duties after just four months in charge.