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Steve Cooper Sacked! Reaction Episode  image

Steve Cooper Sacked! Reaction Episode

Daily Leicester
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17 Plays1 month ago

So Steve Cooper has left Leicester City after just 12 league matches, Jake Leatherland shares his thoughts on why he backs this decision and who could be the next manager. 

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Transcript

Steve Cooper leaves Leicester City

00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to daily Leicester. My name's Jake Leverland as always and this is a reaction to the news that Steve Cooper has left Leicester City on the 24th of November 2024. So ah this afternoon obviously Ipswich Town are playing Manchester United and this is currently part way through the game that I'm recording this um

Leicester's struggles and Chelsea defeat

00:00:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
just for context in terms of when I talk about the league table and some of the reasons why I'm very supportive of the decision for Steve Cooper to have left the football club.
00:00:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Obviously yesterday we played Chelsea and were defeated by two goals to one um and I can understand that I think from the outside and for fans of clubs who don't follow Leicester ah they're probably a little bit surprised. Currently we sit in 15th position um and obviously a couple points above the relegation zone. um However I think it's more of a relief for for some Leicester fans ah As I say, um I was wrong in 7.15, sorry, 16th in the league table, but when you look at it, West Ham in 14th have 12 points, and and currently this stands Palace in 19th on 8th, obviously Ipswich are drawing at the time of recording as Manchester United.
00:01:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah it's um the performances the last few weeks um haven't been very good um as i've just mentioned there the lead table is incredibly tight we've got some tricky fixtures to to come we've already had a couple Manchester United and Chelsea um so i think really um there's a few different points that that this boils down to and why i'm i'm relieved to be honest that we've gone early with it um traditionally the owners have often um taking their time with managers, Brendan Rodgers lasted until April, that was possibly a financial decision more than a footballing one but but yeah we've seen managers at the club given ah longer than maybe they should have um and maybe some would disagree or agree with that but from a Leicester perspective I think it's fair to say that and generally managers sometimes outstay their welcome, Rodgers being a prime factor for sure um so I'm relieved that that Steve Koop has gone
00:02:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
um just because one one of the major points to talk about Chelsea yesterday, and obviously it was only 2-1 and I didn't go into the game expecting anything really but what I did expect in terms of a performance absolutely wasn't there You know, I wasn't expecting points, but the performance was so flat, uh, negative. Um, I think, you know, anyone who watched the game, you can see we sort of set up in a four, five, one with the, the wise men. I'm going to call them Casey McInteer and below El Canoose really deep, really narrow, uh, to start with, which meant anytime we did get the ball, which was difficult in that first sort of.
00:02:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
10-15 minutes and every time we got it we were just playing along to Jamie Vardy and Jamie Vardy's you know going to be 38 in January so the idea to just play along to him seemed a really really bad strategy for for most fans in the stadium I think we were all a little bit bemused it was very flat and very negative and it it just felt like we were

Critique of Leicester's performance and strategy

00:03:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
playing against ourselves almost in that any fighting chance we could have had um was taken away by that setup. um Chelsea were good, Chelsea controlled the game really well, um just quickly on them, obviously Nicholas Jackson takes her ah wo a good goal, a poor mistake from Wout Faz, one of those days where unfortunately
00:03:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
he's prone to these mistakes where ah he's tried to juggle the ball it almost feels like I don't know exactly I think he's probably trying to to hook it over and get rid of it but yeah has a couple of attempts eventually ah Jackson gets to the ball it's a good finish but yeah in that first half an hour 35 minutes um I can't really think of any time we got up the pitch with any meaning or or good touch um to actually build an attack. That was so frustrating. It was just wave and wave of Chelsea pressure. If they were a bit more ruthless, I think they could have been toughering it up. Obviously, Madawake scored a goal that was offside, um correctly ruled out.
00:04:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But yeah, so that first half, that first half now was one of the worst setups, one of the worst sort of performances I've ever seen at Leicester side. um And I know it was only one note and we somehow dug in there. We even had a couple of chances for Indeedee and Macateer towards the end of that first half, but ah they were the anomaly um within that performance. The second half was better in terms of it was more controlled and we we pressed higher and we tried to to get the ball back higher at the pitch indeed he certainly played in a different shape playing higher next to Jamie Vardy out of possession um which meant we did win the ball a couple of times and we got a few more balls into or in and around the box but even then I can't really think of anything we created for the majority the second half until Wednesday Fernando scored obviously for a rebound, Cole Palmer should have scored, Maddow A.K. blocked it in an incredible moment
00:05:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so um we had the incident where Mavididi skips pass for Fauna in the ground at the time. I thought it was a clear penalty. I still can't quite understand why it's not. um But in the end, um we did get a penalty right at the end. We score, the game finishes 2-1. And I think for me afterwards, anyone who who listens to Steve Cooper's press conference or or read his comments,
00:05:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
the most baffling thing for me was that he said the the mavididi incident i think on 84 85 minutes was game changing well ah i've got to completely disagree with that i can't understand how when you're two nil down in a game of course i still think you should have been a penalty we maybe you score and you have 10 minutes to come back in the game but you shouldn't be saying oh that's game changing when we had plenty of opportunity to set up at the start of the match at half time during the game and try and actually change things um to change how the match was going. So I completely disagreed with that and really concerned me because generally Cooper's been fairly honest. I think in in a lot of his press conferences or um you know his comments after matches, although managers only ever so honest these days, let's let's be real about that. you know A lot of them are incredibly media trained, clever with what they say, and which I respect, but um i I didn't understand what what he's
00:06:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah if he genuinely believed that that was game changing and that was the crucial moment then well I think that that maybe chose the problem that we had because it wasn't 1-0, it wasn't 0-0, we were 2-0 down and as I say it gets you back in the game and and maybe you chuck some finatic and get lucky but yeah the overall performance yesterday was shocking and and I was embarrassed in that first half of how

Inconsistency under Cooper's management

00:06:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
we played um And just generally recently, um obviously we've played Manchester United Ipswich before that. ah The United game was a whitewash 3-0 where they scored some good goals. Ipswich was ah ah generally a poor performance for a lot of the game until the obviously the controversial moment where they could have had a penalty. I think maybe I should have had a penalty to be honest it's hard for me sitting so I didn't think that was a penalty and then Karen Phillips is obviously sent off and moments after and we end up again nicking a point which has been a bit of ah the story of our season and and while I think it's a good
00:07:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
attribute to have, um that ability to to grow into the game. We certainly get better as games go on. Our poor starts have been throughout the whole season. we We always play worse in the first half. We generally start really slow.
00:07:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Yes, this positive and negative to that outlook, of we grow into games and we get better, but yeah we've we've stolen points and goals late in games all season long, um but it's taken us too long to get going. and I think yeah the last few performances, Ipswich Manchester, Chelsea.
00:08:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
not in with Forrest as well. We were good in the first half against Forrest, really, really poor in the second. Forrest were all over us. and Again, we've got really turned over. So, you know, maybe it's more of a case that this season actually we can only put one half of football together.
00:08:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know. It's been so frustrating. And yesterday was one of the most frustrating days I've had for for a long time. and And obviously we went down any two seasons ago and that that was a different type of frustration. You know, that was a good team on paper with good players who I don't think cared enough. There wasn't that fight, that passion. I don't think you can aim that at this this group of players um that we have now. There's definitely a lack of quality, real quality for Tarou's now injured. Harry Winx went off yesterday. So what, some of our more quality players are now out or injured which is a real concern but I don't think you can aim that they're not fighting and they don't care and and you could see them on on the pitch yesterday indeedy Justin and Vardy at one point in the first half having almost a team meeting and because it clearly wasn't working again though that's worrying that they're having to do that we're what 11 12 games now into the season
00:09:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
um at the end of november November and they're doing that because the game plan was wrong yesterday. Clearly, clearly wrong. um And I think you could say that for a few games this season. ah Southampton what is one of the games I'd like to pinpoint for that. you know We were 2-0 down at half time. The game plan again was clearly wrong.
00:09:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's a great comeback, it's a great win. But they you know they end up getting a red card. But yeah, again, Cooper clearly is able to change the game and motivate, and or or we're able to change it you know as a team, as the players do. um But yeah, too many first half, so the game plan hasn't worked.
00:09:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've been camped in, we're just trying to defend, we're not able to counter attack very often. It's too negative and he's almost keeping the handbrake on. It's an analogy that I keep seeing and out watching it if it does feel like the handbrake's on too much, especially in those first halves.

Podcast promotion and Cooper's style criticism

00:10:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very quick break and then we'll come back and I'm just going to dive into a few other points that I want to talk about.
00:10:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
This podcast is part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only network bringing you exclusive daily news and views on your Premier League team, the Premier League, women's football and fantasy football. A unique listening experience that puts fans first, bringing you the very latest breaking news from your team. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and make sure first listen every day. Global Sports Podcast Network, every club, every day.
00:10:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So obviously I've talked about recent performances. and Something else I really want to touch on, which I think is really key with the decision of of Steve Cooper moving on is a lack of identity. um Obviously it takes time, you know, for a manager and a new coach and with players and and there's a clear ah identity shift from Enzo Maresca. However,
00:11:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
um that identity shift isn't from a clear style from maresca whether you love it or hate it you know as lester fans um it was very clear from the minute one you know from game one minute one even in preseason you could see the plan and they worked on it under cooper I've hoped it would develop as we've gone, but it's almost like every game we play slightly differently, sometimes it works more often than it hasn't. um you know Do we want to be a side that has a lot of the ball? Do we want to play on the counter? Do we want to play direct? to Do we want to play at the back? you know
00:11:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
there's been elements of everything this season and and while I really respect managers that can mix it up and are adaptive and I like that ah there hasn't been that clear sort of identity in terms of ah elements of the team um you know and you're pressing in your shape um they've been hit and miss here and there there's been a lot of changes to the personnel often and not not forced, obviously in recent weeks we've had injuries but at the start there was a lot of choice of changing which I don't think helps any side so yeah that lack of identity to watch um and I think there's been a lot of rumours from the start that players weren't
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
happy with with the plan or the identity or or lack of. There's been a lot of rumors about Yannick Vestigard. He started the first couple of games or he started the first game even and then was on the bench or you know he he was involved in those first two or three.
00:12:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
then was basically frozen out it felt like saying he had an injury but he went away and played for Denmark twice both games 90 minutes but didn't play for us and they said he was injured which seemed really odd ah then eventually he did come back into the team for a game and then was out again kind of code he's been in then dropped and then in and it's like there isnt hasn't been that continuity for some of the players um and yeah as I say there's been a lot of rumors and you know I take a lot of things I hear and see on social media with a massive pinch of salt however I keep seeing the same rumors about players being unhappy and when you watch them like I mentioned yesterday with players having meetings on the pitch because they're so frustrated
00:13:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's hard to to push them aside because they don't look happy when they're playing in in the last few games. There's been that frustration. And we never really know what that's come from, whether that's been internal, ah from results, from from things that have happened. We'll we'll never fully know that. um But clearly there's a lack of harmony.
00:13:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
amongst the players for whatever reason and unfortunately that means there's been again a lack of connection with the fans um towards the manager from from the start really and I've mentioned it you know if you go back to and listen to some of the early podcasts where I talk about Steve Cooper my my biggest concern was that because he was acting not in forest that wouldn't swings didn't quite work out And they haven't in the last few games, you know, they haven't worked. Fans would turn quickly. And and and that has happened. That did happen really early for some. It's been gradual for others, but we're only in November and even myself, who I want to be really patient with him. But even I was so frustrated coming away from yesterday um and the things I've mentioned, the performance and.
00:14:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
the attitude and the plan and and the identity of the team. I'm just so disappointed and frustrated that even I've got, well actually I think we need to go for something else. I don't think there's any less defence if I'm being really honest that wanted Steve Cooper before he was appointed and there weren't many that would have been excited by his appointment. um I think he's look he's tried his best um and I think he probably has a certain level as a coach maybe. um he He probably needs more time to implement and maybe what he wants to do. Again it's hard to say really because he he quickly implemented what he liked at Nottingham Forest and worked really successfully. Had a decent I think two years at Swansea um although the fans didn't particularly enjoy the football there.
00:15:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was quite successful, I think reaching the playoffs twice or just outside

Need for managerial change and potential candidates

00:15:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
the playoffs on one occasion. So and you could say he was successful there, um but clearly hasn't worked here from the start. um And I think it's better that before things get worse, we have Brentford next, West Ham and Brighton at home, which are massive games to get, we need to get some points from.
00:15:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
It would be better than waiting till after then when we then have to play Liverpool Manchester City around Christmas time, Newcastle in there um you know and Wolves. So we've got some some games where we really need to get some points from and some other games that admittedly are going to be really tough. um Changing the manager I'm hoping.
00:15:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
uh depending on the appointment you know and that's the next question what who could it be what's the plan um from bits i've read from the media from BBC Radio Leicester that um they seem to think this isn't a knee-jerk reaction um you know obviously performances have been followed since the start of season especially recently they haven't been very good um and this isn't just oh you know we've lost one game let's get rid of them um I think this shows the the pattern of the general performances over the season. We've kept one clean sheet all season. and I mean Manchester City have only ah kept two, which I heard yesterday which shocked me, but we've kept one clean sheet all season and if you watch the game and it's born, if you watch the highlights even, they hit the woodwork I think three times, have a goal disallowed.
00:16:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So we were fortuitous to even have that one clean sheet. um We give up too many chances and and that structure and um defensive shape hasn't been there all season and that hasn't improved. If anything I think that's got worse as we've gone on. Again, one of the comments I heard Steve Gibbs say afterwards I thought he he thought we kept our shape really well the first half. well I know we only can see one goal, but they were walking through our midfield with easy passes. um There was a moment, Joe Felix took eight touches from sort of 40 yards to 20 yards from our goal on a post. And I just could not believe what I was watching that he was allowed eight touches all forwards um without us making ah a block or a tackle or pressing him. um And that you can set your team up with with a more clear shape.
00:17:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
um to counter that and block that and and you you know you what you're going to be playing against some high quality players I couldn't believe um yeah that incident yesterday or just generally the way the team set up.
00:17:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're just going to have one more quick advert and then I'm just going to go into the final section to talk about sort of the next few games who I'd like to see as manager. um Yeah, so a very quick advert from Zencaster. Do you have a story to tell that the world needs to hear? Have you struggled with reaching new audiences who engaged with your story?
00:18:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:18:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
So to finish off the show I'm just going to talk about I guess my hopes for for the next manager. um As I've mentioned we've got some big games coming up um and I'm hoping they do have a plan of of who they want and they're going to go after them. In the summer David Moyes was linked, Graham Potter was heavily linked and talked to clearly.
00:18:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I guess maybe Moise was more rumour than actual, I don't know, expectation or likelihood, whereas Grand Potter was clearly talked and wanted ahead of Cooper, but was delaying in making a decision, so we ended up going with Steve Cooper.
00:19:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Carlos Corbran from West Brom was mentioned although you know I think they're 5th or 6th in the championship and and having a solid season and I'd be really surprised if he moved mid-season if I'm honest so he's not someone I'm looking at at this point. um Yeah and and then it's difficult in terms of your options and and your plan. and I'm sure there's going to be lots of those names like Frank Lampard chucked out there, which I would absolutely not like to say. and Somebody experienced like David Moyes Percy for me would be fantastic, really studied the ship. He's great at getting a a clear plan and structure. as i've I've spent the whole podcast talking about, but he's wonderful at setting up a team really well um and good on the counter attack and I think we have players to do that.
00:19:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Graham Potter I'd also really love to see it's just that difficulty I think financially with him and his his contract situation with Chelsea you know I think but from the rumours he's technically on gardening leave or he's still being paid by Chelsea to a certain point and getting him from that contract could be really difficult potentially um so yeah Potter or Moyse would be my two that I'd be really happy with um so ah an experienced pair of hands. um It's imperative we stay on the Premier League this season.
00:20:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
um and I think for some maybe Steve Cooper would have been the guy because he got Forrest there but I think sort of if you look back on that season obviously we were the team that ended up going down, Everton were really poor and Forrest he did guide Forrest to safety but I think that was more sort of the almost incompetence ah of Leicester and Everton in that you know and Leeds and and Southampton and and all the decisions that all the all of us as clubs made that were so poor So we finished below Forest. Rather than Forest were a particularly good team that year, um we were really, really poor um as a squad, of the way it was put together and obviously the manager's situation and lots and lots of similar reasons for other clubs.
00:21:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
um and obviously left sort of midway through and last season um before Nuno came in and they was they were struggling then and again they they ended up staying up um because of of free clubs and their low points tally and that for any Forest fans listening that's how you know I've been very negative there but clearly this season they've been fantastic which I hate to em admit but they're doing really well um and Nuno has gone in there and put in a real good structure um that Cooper didn't seem to have during the the Premier League year and a half that he was there so
00:21:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, David Moyes and Potter, it's it's hard to, I haven't seen you know any of the odds that are out there in terms of who's being linked. term I do wonder what sort of plan or or no kind of plan the club might have. It's hard to really know. We've got a week till Brentford, and then you have we have West Ham on the Tuesday and Brighton on the Sunday, so it's sort of quite quick. you In two weeks, we've got three games where you know we've got a chance to get points from.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
and all of them to a degree while also so completely respecting the seasons Brentford and Brighton are having but the West Ham game looks massive for both teams um you know they're are I think a point ahead of us at the moment it's a massive game for both sides um I mean it'd be quite funny if David Moyes was setting our dugout after obviously leaving West Ham and and the way he seemingly was treated at the end and and they've really struggled so um there would be a certain irony to that but you know if that might be more and hopes in the sky than than reality so we'll we'll see um but a steady pair of hands I think is really important um and someone who's going to connect with the team and getting us solid at the back Leicester fans I think will relate to this because it was the team that won won the Premier League it was generally the same for Nigel Pearson's era a team that's quite solid well structured at the back who when they're allowed to attack try and play with pace um and
00:23:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know on the counter attack and and have a go um and and we're not too bothered about having lots of possession or um it's more about that structure and playing um quickly when you've got the ball trying to entertain but having a real go and and feeling like in every game you're having a fight and having a real go and in the first few games in the coupon fort we did um but often as I've said like that was during the second half that we had a real fight so in the Premier League it's hard to to put in a 90 minute performance with the squad that we have but feeling like you're always in the game and you're always having a go and which the squad have shown they've got they've shown they've got good fitness they can go to the end so I think any manager that's coming in they don't have that loom of the points deduction anymore hopefully they have a squad that

Squad quality and transfer window considerations

00:24:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
clearly does fight clearly quite fit can go to the end
00:24:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I guess the concern would be that they might also look at the squad and go with injuries. It's certainly lacking quality um amongst Premier League clubs. it's It's one of the poorest for quality um amongst the league. um and How much money do we have in January? That that could be the most vital.
00:24:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
um decision or you know a conversation that a new manager has, realistically how many players could we bring in in January, what can we actually do because finances have obviously been an issue for a number of years. So ah most clubs in and around the relegation zone need to go and buy a core point in January to try and get them over the line in terms of safety or or make a key difference.
00:24:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I guess my concern is maybe we don't we don't have that. it's It's difficult to know. Maybe the club will surprise us. Maybe they won't. At at this point it's so difficult. we lester We've been such an unpredictable club, which is you know wonderful and so frustrating and crazy. ah It's been some journey um and it doesn't seem like it's ending. So it's it's going to be another up and down season. We knew it was going to be hard.
00:25:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, look, we'll we'll see how we get on at Brentford on Saturday with with whoever's stood there as our our interim, I would expect, um I would expect for that, maybe for a Stanmore Avenue manager, but again, probably I'm expecting interim, someone's to take the team. Yeah, let us know your thoughts, you know, you can you can get in contact on social media. um I'd love to hear other Leicester fans' opinions. um yeah ah let's see what happens but hopefully we can all be a bit more positive and whoever is next is going to bring that that a better atmosphere because that's what we really need and we need to get behind this team because it's so important we try and stay up this year um yeah so that's everything i wanted to say um some will agree some will disagree on my thoughts about steve cooper um some will
00:26:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
have their opinions on on who they want next and maybe it'll be a name that surprises us. But yeah, that's everything for now. You've been listening to Daily Leicester. You can check out all our episodes. I do the crossover episodes every single week with the other clubs and there'll be one coming shortly later this week with the Brentford guys. So until next time, goodbye.