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“What a REGRET to Forest, player who didn’t get a sniff under Cooper’s now among the best in Europe”- Steve Cooper’s mistake at Nottingham Forest is now clear, as a five-goal player is emerging as one of the top performers in Europe for 2024.
Nottingham Forest returned to the Premier League after a 23-year absence under Steve Cooper’s management, earning the unwavering gratitude of the club’s supporters for his achievements at the City Ground.
However, Cooper’s tenure was not without its mistakes, and not everything went smoothly during his time in charge.
While Cooper wasn’t always directly responsible for player signings, it’s fair to say that his decisions sometimes compounded issues.
In Forest’s first season back in the Premier League, several new signings failed to make the desired impact, and many were simply not up to the task.
One of the more glaring missteps came in the summer of 2023, when Forest made the decision to loan Andrey Santos from Chelsea.
Despite his promise, Santos was never given a real chance at Forest. With Cooper not having a say in his arrival, he opted to overlook him, even as the team struggled in midfield.
Santos was given only seven minutes in a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Premier League before being recalled by Chelsea in January. Shortly after, he was sent on an 18-month loan to Strasbourg, where he has since flourished, becoming one of Ligue 1’s standout performers.
This season, Santos has scored five goals from central midfield, demonstrating the talent that went untapped at Forest. His absence from the squad now appears to be a significant oversight.
Santos’ performances at Strasbourg have been impressive on a European scale, with stats from FBRef placing him sixth in tackles won across the top five European leagues.
He also ranks ninth for a combined total of tackles and interceptions, showing that Chelsea may have a real gem on their hands.
While Cooper generally had a positive influence at Forest, his failure to provide Santos with more opportunities is arguably his biggest mistake during his tenure.
