by CHRISTMAS WITHOUT THE COPIES
When last year’s Phoenix-like revival of Friday night Fantasy Football League ladder-climbing TV staple Flames on Sky, it was largely well-received even if one sketch at Nottingham Forest’s lampoons met with opprobrium in the pages the back of your daily po-faced. Email. In a segment gently mocking the newly inspired club’s influx of 29 summer signings, one of the presenters did an impersonation of Steve Cooper that consisted of him speaking with a slightly cartoonish Welsh accent and one eye half-closed. He was subsequently sacked by the Comedy Police for the horrific crime of “significantly altering his appearance” to outwit the manager in a skit deemed “cruel, crazy and very ill-judged”. Football Daily can only speculate how cruel and subtle this very subtle attack might have been had the Welsh comedian responsible not been a die-hard Swansea City fan who their well-documented love for Cooper is more powerful than 10,000 suns.
Related: Steve Cooper’s departure was no surprise but is Nuno the next step for Forest? | Will Unwin
A jovial, ego-free man with seemingly no airs or graces, the recently released Forest manager was highly regarded by regulars at the City Ground, largely due to ending his 23-year exile from the Premiership. League, but also as it just happens to be a very nice and humble guy. With the exception of Marcelo Bielsa during his time at Leeds, few managers have showered Cooper with such unconditional love in recent years and his obvious embarrassment at being smothered by Forest fans us and after the recent 5-0 goal at Fulham spoke. volumes about the club, its fans and their relationship with this unanimous Cretan who brought them back to the promised land.
While it could be argued that the decision to get rid of him with Forest five points clear of the relegation zone was cruel, callous and extremely ill-judged, it is understood that the volatile, volatile Greek billionaire who fired him took it out on him. intend to replace Cooper for a while. It was for that reason that his dismissal on Tuesday was greeted with unrelenting sadness but no great surprise. Already being scouted as a possible replacement for Roy Hodgson when the Crystal Palace manager returns – or is put to pasture – Cooper is likely to be in high demand and will not be out of action for long.
Already in place to take charge of Forest from their home win at the hands of Bournemouth on Saturday, it is now up to Nuno Espírito Santo to establish the club in the higher echelons of the Premier League table, where their ambitious owner feels Evangelos Marinakis that they belong. Having failed to impress the Spurs fans during a short and fruitless spell in charge, the Portuguese will have to sleep with half an eye open if their reign continues in the same vein.
LIVE ON A BIG WEBSITE
Join Scott Murray from 8pm GMT for MBM’s Milk Cup quarter-final coverage of Liverpool 3-1 West Ham, while Sarah Rendell will be on deck for updates from Häcken 1-2 Chelsea in the Women’s FA Cup.
STATEMENT OF THE DAY
“I feel very normal and I love it. I take the tram to [Manchester City] training, it feels like I’m playing local football. I definitely Googled myself after the World Cup but that kind of stuff – I try to stay out of it … to know who I am and not be too bothered by other people … I try to be true and if that makes someone want to chase a dream then that makes me happy” – Mary Fowler from Australia tells Caitlin Cassidy how Greater Manchester’s public transport system is helping to keep her grounded after a remarkable year – and women’s football.
THE TOP 100
Moan about it if you like, but you’ll still want to click on the latest installment of our top 100 male footballers of the year countdown – now trickling down to the all-important No 41 spot.
DAILY FOOTBALL LETTERS
In a sport more revered than 19th century India, any of Rio Ferdinand’s comments (Football of yesteryear) should be followed by a clip of him trying to mark Lionel Messi in the 2011 Grand Cup final. Just a enjoy it man. I did” – Kev McCready.
Not only have I watched York City, and love them, but may I suggest that losing to York is not Citeh nadir (Still Want More yesterday, full email edition)? I think playing in the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia is probably the nadir, and the way things are going, there will only be more embarrassment to come” – Jon Millard.
Mick Beeby (Football Daily letters yesterday) opens the floodgates by inviting further player behavior suggestions to expand VAR’s correction of ‘glaringly obvious errors’. Let them stress the use of nicknames, first names and inappropriate abbreviations on the players’ shirts – all started, if I remember, by Cruyff Junior using ‘Jordi’, an understandable desire to distinguish himself from his old man. Too bad he let his football do the talking” – Alan Giles.
Mick forgot to walk on their lawn with the music loud after 5pm” – Mike Dax.
Send any letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter winner is … Kev McCready, who receives a superb copy of The Lion Who Never Roared by Matt Tiller, published by Pitch Publishing. Visit their bookstore here.
