Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Nottingham Forest - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - October 18, 2022 Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper reacts after the match Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Crystal Palace are interested in appointing Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper this summer, according to The Daily Mail.
The Lowdown: Three wins from 11
The Eagles decided to part ways with Patrick Vieira prior to the international break and confirmed on Tuesday that Roy Hodgson has returned on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
Paddy McCarthy will assist the 75-year-old, with Ray Lewington returning as first-team coach. The club also added that Dean Kiely will remain as goalkeeping coach at Selhurst Park.
Hodgson and Lewington are hoping that three wins from the club’s last 11 Premier League games will be enough to keep them in the division, with Palace’s last top-flight victory coming on New Year’s Eve.
Club officials appear to be already looking at Hodgson’s long-term replacement, with Adi Hutter and Paulo Fonseca possible targets, however, a manager in work in England appears to be another contender.
The Latest: Cooper update
The Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel provided an update from Palace in the last 48 hours, claiming the club remain committed to appointing a new manager in the summer.
He reported that a number of managers Palace are interested in are currently in work, name-checking Cooper at the City Ground.
The Verdict: One to watch?
Hodgson will be taking on Cooper’s Forest side at Selhurst Park on the final day of the season, a match where Palace will be hoping they are already safe. The Reds are one of Palace’s relegation rivals, so if Cooper fails to guide Forest to safety, a move for the Welshman could become a real possibility.
Cooper, who shares the same agency as Eberechi Eze, has done a brilliant job with his current employers since taking over in September 2021 when they were towards the bottom of the Championship, leading the club to promotion following a playoff final win at Wembley. He has won or drawn more games in the Premier League than he has lost, coming out on top in his only meeting with Vieira back in November.
Sam Allardyce even thinks Cooper would have ‘done the best job of all the managers in the Premier League’ if he keeps Forest up, however, doing just that may impact Palace’s chances of a move.
Cooper could be a name to keep an eye on over the coming months, but Palace supporters will be desperate for the club to remain in the top flight and may not be worrying too much about who could take over from Hodgson at this moment in time.
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