Cooper making a lasting impression on Nottingham Forest

Not all managerial appointments bring about immediate success but Steve Cooper has certainly brought the feelgood factor back to Nottingham Forest.

In fact, impacts tend to be more short-lived and are rarely as substantial as the one Cooper has had on the Tricky Trees, who have recovered from a sluggish start to emerge as genuine promotion contenders.

Cooper has Championship pedigree - he guided Swansea to the playoff places in each of the last two seasons - but few would believe he would be able to repeat the feat with Forest when drafted in as Chris Hughton’s replacement in September.

When Cooper arrived at the City Ground, Forest found themselves languishing in 23rd in the Championship, having amassed just four points from their opening eight assignments.

However, fast forward five months and they are on the cusp of the top six, hoping to showcase their promotion credentials in Friday’s televised trip to second-placed Bournemouth.

Forest have excelled under Cooper’s care, losing only four times in 23 league games and they have taken 43 points during the 42-year-old’s five-month spell in charge.

Only table-topping Fulham have been more productive than Forest since Cooper entered the Forest dugout, which highlights his extraordinary achievements.

Not only are Forest fans dreaming of their Premier League return, but the magic of the FA Cup has returned to the East Midlands and a trip to Wembley is not out of the equation.

The two-time FA Cup winners are into the fifth round for the first time since 2014, having recorded home wins over Premier League big boys Arsenal and Leicester.

Another home tie with Championship rivals Huddersfield is the reward for claiming those top-flight scalps, although Cooper and his men must first deal with league matters.

Victory over the Cherries on the south coast would see Forest jump up to fifth in the Championship, albeit maybe only for a short while, and, as a result, see their promotion odds of 9-1 contract further.

Click to read our Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest preview

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