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After doing what Steve Cotterill initially came to Forest to do, he still finds himself under immense scrutiny, and regularly getting criticised by the Nottingham Forest faithful, and it seems anything he does, fans are quick to put a negative slant on it.
With that in mind, would it be better for both parties, if Cotterill was to depart from Forest?
Whilst bringing Sean O’Driscoll to the club proved to be a masterstroke, it has also worked against Cotterill, as fans are eager to praise Cotterill’s right-hand-man for the drastic improvement in form since his arrival. Instead of looking like a perfect partnership, to some, they are viewed as two individuals, with O’Driscoll’s managerial attributes over-riding whatever Cotterill brings to the table.
It seems the dreadful first few months in Cotterill’s tenure is well and truly wretched in fans’ mind, and understandably so. With Forest breaking records for failure to put the ball in the back of the net, it was a gloomy watch for Forest followers, mainly at the City Ground, and coupled with dire football, frustrations were starting to boil over.
One thing Cotterill is good at however, is making excuses. To Cotterill’s supporters, the phrase ‘making excuses’, would be altered to, ‘taking the pressure off the players’. It is frowned upon by many Forest fans, to bring up Billy Davies in any situation nowadays, but he’s unavoidable in this argument. Billy Davies was a media expert. He knew what to say, when to say it, and how exactly to say it, knowing which way it’d be perceived.
As well as being a media expert, he has enough attributes in his CV, to now go and publish ‘A Book of Excuses’. From the board, to the age of the players, he certainly knew how to manipulate a situation. Forest fans were taken in by this, because Billy could do no wrong, creating a siege mentality, meaning Forest could progress up the league with everyone on the same side.
Cotterill, despite attempting to use the same media tactic, has fallen short. From blaming the referee, to criticising the size of the City Ground pitch, the Forest manager has certainly used his own variety of excuses to try and release some pressure from the players, in an effort to get them playing with relaxation and freedom.
As Cotterill is less structured, and more spontaneous and free with his comments, than Billy, he often doesn’t express his thoughts in the more widely accepted way, often coming across as slightly erratic, which has seen him labelled by some, as the ‘village idiot’. With Davies, it was evident he put a lot of thought into the content, because the perception of himself to others was key. Unlike with Cotterill, where it sounds as if everything is said in the spur of the moment, with a tad more informality, leaving his interviews to be questioned by many.
With new owners expected, Cotterill himself, may be unsure of his own job security. Having secured Championship status for Forest, he I’m sure, will be looking to next season, to try and progress the club to make a name for himself. The club has had a poor season, and stability may just be what it needs, but with new owners, and probable money, Cotterill would be expected to hit the ground running. If he doesn’t, new owners, with unreasonable targets, tend to hit the panic button, bringing instability.
If Cotterill was to go, what are his possible replacements?
Sean O’Driscoll, the first team coach, judging from his recent roles, such as acting as advisor at Plymouth Argyle, and his current role at Forest, shows he enjoys working under the radar, and he doesn’t have to face the media, which he disliked. Would he really want the high pressures of the Forest job?
Roy Keane, the man who always brings a smile to my face, for never bringing a smile to his own face. Failed miserably at Ipswich, despite being provided with money to spend, but did well at Sunderland. After his showing at Ipswich, would he be worth the gamble?
Other names may include Lee Clark, Alan ‘I’m definitely worth a Premier League job’ Curbishley, and Karl Robinson.
The names may sound quite tempting, but Cotterill and O’Driscoll have shown definite signs of being the perfect blend for Forest. With a full transfer window, hopefully with money, Cotterill will be keen to get his own players in, and release anyone that hasn’t shown the right application. He’s earnt the time to do that, hasn’t he?
The testing time would come if Forest get off to their traditional bad start, which would test the patience of the majority. How long would Cotterill get to gel his own team, before people call for his head, again?
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