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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Mark Whiley

'The first thing' - Nottingham Forest striker makes 'amazing' revelation about Steve Cooper

Nottingham Forest striker Lyle Taylor has lifted the lid on Steve Cooper’s first days at the helm.

The former Swansea City boss was appointed earlier this week and immediately set to the work on the training ground.

Cooper has had four days with the players ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Millwall at the City Ground but has already been getting his ideas across to the players.

Taylor says the work already undertaken has been a real eye-opener.

“The new manager came in and we instantly had a meeting. It was ‘this is what we’re going to do’,” explained Taylor on the BBC Football Daily Podcast.

“The vision was set out from the very first word, it wasn’t ‘hi, I’m your new gaffer, let’s run around a bit and try and kick the ball in the goal as many times as we can.

“It was ‘this is what we’re going to do, you won’t know how we’re going to get there, but I’ll worry about that. You worry about this, that and whatever else’.

“Because of that, it was like instant going back to work. We did it and have done it this week. It’s now about preparing for this next game.

“There is no time in football, you get 48 or 72 hours before the next game. You don’t get many Saturday to Saturdays. So for the manager to put his work into us and to get us ready to go is brilliant.

“It’s now about him drip-feeding his ideas into the group and to make sure the group goes in the direction he wants it to, not overloading everyone with new information.

“It’s an exciting because we’re talking about a young manager who has got bundles of experience coaching younger players and obviously a massive love for the game and studying the game.

“That will do us no end of good because we have got quite a young squad. We have got boys who will need a bit of direction.

“I’ll be honest, I’ve learnt new things in three days working under this manager.

“It’s almost like tearing the handbook up and going again. It's amazing that, at 31, I’m able to sit here and say ‘I’m learning again, I’m learning new things’. I think that’s brilliant.”

Are you excited about the Steve Cooper era? Have your say in the comments section below...

Cooper also had some kind words for Cooper's predecessor, Chris Hughton, who was sacked after year in charge at the City Ground.

"You won't meet anyone who says Chris Hughton isn't a good man," added Taylor. "And you won't meet anyone who says Chris Hughton isn't a good football manager.

"Unfortunately, regardless whether it's his fault, the players' or anyone else's fault, we haven't been able to replicate the success he has had. He's had a lot of success and there's a reason he's had a lot of success.

"But in this footballing world now, that means someone loses their job. That's not nice but that's where we are.

Chris Hughton on the touchline in Nottingham Forest's defeat to Middlesbrough (Getty)

"At the same time, if you spoke to the group now about what has happened over the last few days, you would say there is an excitement in the group.

"It's like you give with one hand, take away with the other. It's a difficult thing for me to speak on because I would never say anything defamatory about a man who has had so much success in the game and has lost his job. That would be wrong.

"But we now have to look forward because there is a new manager in charge and we, as players, have to get behind his philosophy whole-heartedly or that's not going to work."

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