COOPER UP FOR A FINAL PUSH
Flowering Forest in mood for play-off promotion
HULL CITY
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BY SIMON BIRD
STEVE Cooper smiled and summed up the emotion and stress experienced by a manager chasing promotion.
Will he enjoy the play-offs? “Is any of it enjoyable? I don’t know if enjoyable is the word for any of this job,” replied the former Swansea and England Under-17 boss.
It was a response that reflected a chaotic end to the regular season. Brennan Johnson smashed home a 92nd-minute penalty that would have kept Forest third in the league, only for Keane Lewis-potter to equalise in the 94th minute to push the Reds down a place.
But it has been mainly ups since Cooper took over in September, with Forest roaring up the table and finishing 13 places higher than last season.
On reflection Cooper relishes the battles ahead, knowing his side have a shot at Wembley and promotion to the top tier for their first time since 1999.
He said: “Yes, you have got to get excited about it. I can’t think of anything worse than finishing the season this weekend.
“We want to keep going. It is who we are. It’s monumental and shows how good these guys are. We watched the Sunderland (League One) play-off game on Friday. You could see the excitement.
“That is coming for us. They are unique, they are brilliant and you want to be part of them.
“Get excited about it, get up for it and back yourself. It will be two huge attendances and both trying to get in front of an even bigger one in the final.”
Summing up Forest’s journey from the bottom of the league to a play-off semi-final against Sheffield United, Cooper said: “Yes, we thought we’d get there.
It has been a brilliant campaign, no doubt
“First we couldn’t get into the top 10. We were floating around 13th, 14th and I was thinking we don’t seem to be going anywhere here. You were still looking down a little bit.
“We kept going, broke into the top 10. Then we couldn’t get close to sixth and at one time I thought, ‘Maybe the gap is too much to make up’.
“We won a few games, got five points away, three away and went on a brilliant run late on and got in comfortably.”
How will Cooper use all his organisational and psychology skills to ensure Joe Worrall (below with his manager) and Co cash in on their big chance?
He said: “We want no regrets. Succeeding in life is about taking opportunities, seizing the moment. We are really excited. The lads know deep down how well they have done and so do I.”
Hull will offer Lewis-potter, 21, a new deal to keep him next season. Coach Shota Arveladze said: “It is not just about the financial, it is the boy’s future, his progression. He has a two-year contract.
“We will have an offer for him the club can’t refuse or we make him an offer he can’t refuse.”