TERRIBLE MISTAKE: “Will always be in my heart” Might be a HUGE mistake by Evangelos Marinakis after Steve Cooper’s City of Ground experience in blockbuster comparison to King Power Stadium Amid chants over real fact towards forest sack.
Steve Cooper appeared to be a different man during his time at Leicester City. The relaxed demeanor that characterized the coach who led Nottingham Forest to promotion and Premier League survival was replaced by a more intense persona when he took charge at the King Power Stadium.
Perhaps the Welshman believed his achievements at the City Ground, particularly the miraculous promotion campaign, gave him enough credibility to handle the challenges of managing a top-flight team, even under the demanding Evangelos Marinakis. However, that credibility never carried over to Leicester. Instead, Cooper faced the difficult task of succeeding a highly successful manager who had also achieved promotion and then moved on to a bigger role at Chelsea.
At Forest, Cooper enjoyed the unwavering support of the fanbase—a luxury he was never afforded at Leicester. His appointment, as a former Forest manager, was met with skepticism by many in the King Power Stadium faithful.
It was puzzling why Cooper chose to take the Leicester job in the first place, especially after reportedly declining other opportunities following his dismissal by Forest in December 2023. Replacing Enzo Maresca would have been a tough challenge under any circumstances. But to take the role with Leicester potentially facing a points deduction for financial breaches, coupled with strict limitations on summer transfer spending, was a near-impossible mission—and unfortunately, it proved to be just that for Cooper.
As a manager, Cooper focused on maximizing the resources available to him, aiming to make Leicester tough to beat. City displayed resilience, securing a few wins, battling back for unlikely points, and putting up a fight even in tough games like the one against Arsenal. However, whether this approach would have been enough to secure their Premier League status is something we will never know.
The points deduction never materialized, and some fortunate refereeing and VAR decisions went Leicester’s way, but none of this could stop Cooper from becoming an increasingly beleaguered and frustrated figure as the challenges mounted. Post-match complaints about referees became frequent, even though the evidence suggested Leicester benefited from as many questionable decisions as they suffered.
Ultimately, Cooper found himself in an untenable position with certain Leicester fans, where every decision he made was met with scrutiny and criticism. A mutual parting of ways may be the best solution for all involved. Yet, there is no doubt Cooper was determined to succeed and prove himself as Leicester’s manager, no matter the obstacles.
Cooper’s track record—with Nottingham Forest, Swansea, and even England’s youth teams—shows he is a talented coach. Hopefully, he will find a club better aligned with his ambitions in the near future.