Emmanuel Dennis’ Coach gets vote of confidence from club owner

Soccer Football – Premier League – Leeds United v Nottingham Forest – Elland Road, Leeds, Britain – April 4, 2023 Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper looks dejected after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

By Ed Emeanua

Emmanuel Dennis’ Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has openly supported his coach Steve Cooper after a string of poor Premier League turn-overs, but the Greek shipowner insisted that the side’s downhill motion on the table should be immediately corrected.

Forest loss away to Leeds United on Tuesday stretched their winless tally to eight league games on the trot and currently sees them in the 17th spot on the table with 27 points, same as three other strugglers, and partly avoiding the drop line because of their more impressive goal difference over periled Bournemouth.

The defeat by Leeds mounted immediate additional pressure on Cooper’s job at City Ground, with earlier rumors suggesting that the Welshman could become the 13th Premier League head-coach to be chopped off his  job this season.

“No one denies that our club is in a difficult position in the Premier League, but we wish to end the speculation and the false and disruptive reporting in the media to confirm that Steve Cooper remains our manager,” Marinakis said in a statement.

“We have all been disappointed with recent performances and it is very clear that a lot of hard work needs to be done to address this urgently… There can be no time for distractions, rumors and speculation.

“There is only time for hard work, determination, a commitment from Steve and the players to getting the results we need…”

Frank Lampard spotted at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea consider appointing him as caretaker manager: report

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Chelsea are currently on the hunt for a permanent manager after sacking Graham Potter last weekend, but owner Todd Boehly could make the shock decision to appoint Frank Lampard on a temporary basis until the end of the season, Ryan Dabbs reports for Four Four Two.

Bruno Saltor is currently the interim head coach of the Blues, overseeing Chelsea’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night. Saltor served under Potter as a coach during his short tenure at Chelsea.

However, with Lampard spotted in attendance at the game, The Sun are reporting that Chelsea are considering appointing him as caretaker manager until the end of the current campaign.

Frank Lampard in possible Chelsea return

Lampard managed Chelsea under the previous ownership, from 2019 until his sacking in January 2021. The Chelsea legend was in the dugout for 84 games during his 18 months at the helm, posting a win percentage of 52.4 per cent.

He also led them to the FA Cup final in 2019/20, where Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side beat them.

Chelsea have nine Premier League games and a Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid to come in the remainder of the season. When Chelsea won Europe’s premier competition in 2021, Lampard got them out of the group stage but didn’t have the opportunity to navigate the knockout stages prior to his sacking.

More recently, the 44-year-old kept Everton in the Premier League last season, surviving relegation after taking over the Goodison side in a precarious position. Failure to help the club progress this campaign ultimately led to his dismissal in January, though, with Sean Dyche replacing him.

In Chelsea’s hunt for a permanent manager, there are a host of names being linked with the job.

Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann is said to be a front-runner and have a “great relationship” with Todd Boehly, while out-of-work Luis Enrique, Zinedine Zidane and Mauricio Pochettino are all reportedly holding talks with club executives.

Enrique has previously expressed his desire to manage in England, but it seems Pochettino prefers a move back to Tottenham. Elsewhere, former Chelsea bosses Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho have also been linked with the vacant role.

Luis Enrique traveling to London for Chelsea manager talks

Luis Enrique is traveling to London for further talks with Chelsea after impressing in initial discussions with the club, Miguel Delaney writes for Independent Sports UK.

The 52-year-old, who left the Spain international job after the World Cup, is said to have successfully sold a clear vision for the team.

Luis Enrique explained his high-intensity and high-pressing approach, that especially fits the young players that Chelsea have brought in.

The club have previously been interested in the former Barcelona coach before, but both his wage demands and comparative lack of English put the club off amid other choices. Luis Enrique has been working on the language, though, and the current hierarchy are sufficiently interested by his tactical ideal.

The former midfielder also has the benefit of being the only candidate currently being considered to have won the Champions League, after his 2014-15 treble with Barcelona.

The 52-year-old is understood to want the job and is flying over with his friend and representative Ivan de la Pena, according to reports in Spain.

A treble-winner with Barcelona, the coach has been out of work in the club game since 2017, but has stayed relevant in international football, playing a progressive, possession-based style with Spain until his sacking after the World Cup.

He is one of at least five coaches expected to be interviewed to replace Potter, who was sacked on Sunday.

A treble-winner with Barcelona, the coach has been out of work in the club game since 2017, but has stayed relevant in international football, playing a progressive, possession-based style with Spain until his sacking after the World Cup.

He is one of at least five coaches expected to be interviewed to replace Potter, who was sacked on Sunday.

The Blues appears to be in no hurry to make an immediate decision

Graham Potter Chelsea exit leads to Todd Boehly search for a new manager. (Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images) (Image: Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

By Ed Emeanua

Sacked Chelsea coach Graham Potter’s replacement, Julian Nagelsmann, is scheduled to arrive Stamford Bridge before pre-season.

According to the Guardian, Chelsea want their next manager to arrive by the start of pre-season, suggesting the Blues are in no rush to make an immediate decision, with owner Todd Boehly keen to learn from the Potter experience as he targets a brighter future.

Potter was let go by Chelsea, relinquishing his six-months reign over the coaching staff at Stamford Bridge on Sunday night, just over 24 hours after a Premier League home game defeat to Aston Villa.

At the moment, three serious candidates are vying to take over from Potter – with former Bayern Munich boss Nagelsmann in top consideration for the job.

Chelsea hired Potter with the hope he would develop into the role when they fired Thomas Tuchel and hired the former Brighton boss last September.

However, Chelsea failed to take off under Potter, ultimately leading to his on Sunday as Todd Boehly decided to let him go.