Owner Marinakis makes changes at Forest – Club adds Giraldi as new sporting director

Last despite record spending 

This article first appeared on Oct. 5 and has been updated with new information. 

Nottingham Forest started their first Premier League season in 23 years with a record transfer window. The club paid €162 million for 23 new players and now have the biggest squad in the entire division. The result, so far, has been last place in the league, with five defeats in the last five games and a goal difference of -14. No team in any of Europe’s top leagues has had a worse start. Not surprising, The Times and The Telegraph have are reporting that Steve Cooper is now under pressure. Furthermore, the club announced the appointment of Filippo Giraldi as the club’s new sporting director on Wednesday. 

“I refuse to be really critical of the players as a group, I don’t want to sound soft or fluffy, but it’s tough for them to play with new players,” Cooper said after his club’s defeat to Leicester City on Monday. According to a report by The Telegraph, Rafael Benítez has already been approached to take over the job. “Relationships and stuff are built over time, and it’s not what we have. It’s a unique situation, and we are trying to face up to it and get through. This is a fresh challenge for us. Some of the guys have only met each other these last couple of weeks.” 

The Telegraph further reported on Tuesday that there will be significant changes coming at Nottingham Forest. Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis is planning drastic measures and wants to fire the decision-makers behind the club’s summer transfer window. Cooper aside, squad planner George Syrianos, head of scouting Andy Scott and CEO Dane Murphy are all under pressure. It is expected that there will be significant changes before the game against Aston Villa. Marinakis is reportedly frustrated after his large investments have not led to positive results. Marinakis’ son, Miltiadis, has internally gained in standing and was the driving force behind the Jesse Lingard transfer—Syrianos and Scott, in the meantime, are in the center of criticism. 

Whether changes will be made will depend on new sporting director Giraldi. A club source told Transfermarkt that Giraldi is auditing the sporting decisions made throughout the summer and the overall structure of the club. Giraldi has previously worked at Watford, where he signed, among others, Brazilian star Richarlison. 

Benítez knows how to establish promoted Premier League sides

For Benítez, Nottingham would be his 14th club overall and his fifth in England. The Spaniard has experience when it comes to promoted teams from his time at Newcastle United. Benítez first won promotion with Newcastle in 2017 and then established the club in the following two seasons, finishing 10th and then 13th in the Premier League. Benítez would eventually leave for China as he was not granted the funds to rebuild the squad. Forest owner Marinakis showed this summer that he is willing to completely restructure a squad on the fly. 

Cooper, who is under contract until 2024, believes that he can turn the ship around. “I completely understand the situation and the question and respect it 100 percent,” Cooper said. “I’m not thinking about my personal situation apart from how I can be at my best every day, but the tougher it gets, the more I work and the more it means to me.” Cooper took over Forest on matchday 8 of the 2021/22 Championship season. At the time, the club were in last place, but the manager still managed to guide the club to the Premier League. 

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