Nottingham Forest's home form has kept them in the Premier League. Photo: Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt
Approximately 10:30 am, the beginning of another double practice, Steve Cooper is standing in the center of the circle with the ball under his arm and with a whistle in his hand.
The scene is a training camp « Nottingham Forest near Valencia, with the Parador de El Saler golf course and the Mediterranean coastline in the background, these are the defining moments of Cooper's pre-season.
With temperatures in excess of 30°C, the Forest players are listening intently to their head coach as he gives pre-training instructions that focus on playing from behind.
Small details are vital to Cooper and his team, and this week in eastern Spain they are creating a culture, behavior and work environment for the team.
Forest are gearing up for only their second Premier League campaign in 24 years and the message is clear: everything must be better for this times.
It was the club that signed a record 30 players last season, avoiding relegation by four points. Another year in the top flight gives the club the opportunity to continue to grow and improve.
There have been major changes to the club's infrastructure and, again, new players are expected.
< p>Nonetheless, Cooper considers this training camp vital as training is followed by three team meetings a day.
Injured players, including Brennan Johnson, as well as medical, nutrition and data analyst staff, were flown in to make themselves at home .
Team workshops last up to an hour and are translated into Portuguese for a large contingent of Brazilian players Willy Boli and Gustavo Scarpa.
Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White were key players in Forest's fight against relegation last season. Photo: Reuters/Tony O'Brien
We were invited to watch two practices on Friday, and this is an area where Cooper excels. He is a coach first and foremost, and it was on the training pitch that he first established himself.
Cooper plans to play with a back three for many games this season, and during the first session, often pleads with players to be calm when in possession of the ball at his goal.
Although he is closely associated with the team, he can also be tough if the standards are lower than expected.
Later that morning, another abs and transitions exercise that gives an idea of how Forest can line up this season, with linebacker Ryan Yates playing down the field almost like a number 10.
< p>Cooper wants his team to be more dynamic and sportier when they start the season at Arsenal on August 12.
Felipe, Forest defender whose former managers include Diego Simeone and Sergio Conceição , says Cooper, managing a man sets him apart from others.
“Personally, he’s like a ‘paizao’ [super dad], he’s so easy to deal with. He respects your privacy and vice versa, so it's a very cool bond that works like a family,» he says.
«He's very flexible with everything, and we have good conversations on a variety of topics, and not only about football. .
«Obviously he's still building his own path technically, and professionally he's a great manager.»
Forest's team is in urgent need of new additions, which some observers think may sound a little ridiculous after the club signed so many players last season.
However, despite the fact that this week they signed Anthony Elanga and Ola Aina, Cooper's team is still missing key points.
What an honor to sign with this historic football club! Honestly, I'm so happy and glad to be here, I can't stop smiling! Thank you for the wonderful welcome @NFFC ❤️
Thank you Lord 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/zml3EpAqaZ
— Anthony Elanga (@AnthonyElanga) July 25, 2023
Their transfer policy this summer will focus on striking a balance between ambition and strategy.
Discussions continue with Manchester United on a deal for goalkeeper Dean Henderson , which will be an initial loan move.
Henderson is expected to miss the start of the season as he recovers from surgery. on a hip injury, so another new goalkeeper will be needed.
Forest are also scouring Europe for a left-back after Renan Lodi returned to Atlético Madrid from loan and subsequently signed for Marseille, while there is uncertainty about Harry Toffolo's future after he was charged with 375 alleged gambling violations. F. Toffolo will submit his response to the FA on Wednesday.
Monaco's Ismail Jacobs is their top target and Monza's Carlos Augusto is also under consideration. Chelsea's Jan Maatsen has been linked but is not a major target at this stage.
Signing a new defensive midfielder is top priority for Cooper and Forest is poised to break his transfer record to secure the right player.
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PSV Eindhoven's Ibrahim Sangare is arguably the No. 1 choice but has a £32m buyout clause and interest from bigger clubs including PSG. Leeds' Tyler Adams and Leicester's Wilfred Ndidi are on a long list of potential alternatives.
Another centre-back could now be an option after Moussa Niahate suffered a dislocated shoulder in a friendly against Valencia «. The severity of the injury means he could be sidelined for between six and 12 weeks.
Cooper's transfer business this season will also depend on players leaving the club to reduce performance.
< p>The future of Wales international Johnson is still up in the air and he is likely to be sold if the club pays at least £50m. Brentford have already turned down a £30m offer and remain interested while Aston Villa and Tottenham are fans.
Forest is determined not to break Financial Fair Play rules, and selling Johnson will no doubt help. It would be unpopular with fans, but the harsh reality is that clubs the size of Forest, lacking the commercial revenue of the Big Six, are forced to act this way.
There is also the threat of losing. Saudi Pro League players: Boli, Serge Aurier, Emmanuel Dennis and Sheikhu Kouyate have received offers.
Forest will try to unload the players, which is not in Cooper's plans. Dennis, Jonjo Shelvey, Steve Cook and Harry Arter have not traveled to Spain and are available as the club seeks to lower the wage bill.
Jonjo Shelvey is one of the players Nottingham Forest are ready to let go this summer. Photo: Getty Images/Simon Stacpool
They will also loan out several players, including Costa Rica's Brandon Aguilera, who caught Cooper's eye in preseason.
A key figure in Forest's summer was Ross Wilson, the newly appointed chief football officer. Wilson oversaw a major overhaul of the club's infrastructure, hiring Alec Gross (head of performance) and Adam Burrows (head of strength and conditioning).
Forest deemed these appointments vital after data showed that 93% Injuries last season were received in games. John Fern, formerly of Chelsea and Reading, will officially take over shortly as the new chief physiotherapist and his appointment are seen as a major upheaval.
Craig Mulholland named new head of football development and talent management after replacing Wilson from Glasgow Rangers.
Wilson has also devoted a lot of time to improving the club's academy, which was said to be in disrepair when he arrived. As many players and coaches became disillusioned with the previous regime, it became clear that the atmosphere around the academy has now improved significantly.
Many changes have also been made to the training ground, with a new dressing room and food center. Ed Henderson, head of the club's football business, worked with Wilson to restructure the medical department.
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Changes have also been made to the City Ground, the site where Forest defended 30 of his 38 points to save the club from relegation. The pitch was torn up and re-laid at a cost of over £2 million.
A team bus is planned to travel from the Nigel Doughty Academy to the stadium prior to home games to make the most of a match day.< /p>
Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of the club, is still very ambitious and rewarded all the staff of the club. with a salary increase of more than 10 percent at the end of last season. He believes Forest must think big and continue to develop to become a stable Premier League club.
Cooper's pre-season will continue this week with a friendly against Leeds ahead of games against European rivals at PSV. , Rennes and Eintracht in Frankfurt.
The Emirates Arsenal Stadium is where Forest's second adventure will begin next month, and the first goal should be to try and avoid another jittery season.
Improving their poor Away form is another priority — Forest won just one game away all season — and Cooper's staff analyzed everything from last year, including match preparation, travel and accommodation.
Statistics showed that the club would have finished 12th if the final season had started in October.
Cooper and his players would happily agree to this this time around.
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