‘He’s the last one out in training, I’m delighted with what I’ve seen,’ says Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper, who believes Jesse Lingard’s public impression is Wrong
Lingard aroused eyebrows when he chose to join Forest on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United, despite interest from his former loan club West Ham.
The England international spent the whole of the summer filming TikTok videos and maintaining a high social media profile.
Cooper, on the other hand, has not seen that version of him and is impressed with the 29-year-old.
‘I’m only concerned with how we observe Jesse on a daily basis with Nottingham Forest, his game preparation, and how he performs in games,’ he said.
‘I’m pleased with how he’s settled in.’ He seems to have been here for much more than a few weeks. We’re trying to push him to be his best because he’ll be a valuable player for us when he’s at his best.
‘I’m staring at him, and he seems pleased to be here.’ You can see what relationships are being formed and who is hanging around with whom.’ There are so many people who have opinions on us as players and coaches that you might get tangled up if you think about it too much.
‘They were good first impressions.’ He’s a pleasant individual. He is very interested in football.
‘Not every player is; others prefer to avoid it. He’s interested in tactics and training, and he’s always the last one out there with a ball at his feet.
‘I’m sure there will be many inquiries regarding what he’s done in the past.’ But I haven’t seen anything suspicious.’
Lingard will aim to start strongly against the Hammers, who he could have joined in the summer, when Forest play their first Premier League home encounter since 1999 on Sunday.
‘However, the opponent is irrelevant in my opinion,’ Cooper added. I simply want him to be at his best and most content for Nottingham Forest. You get the most out of them when you do this.
‘We know Jesse can make a difference in any game if he can bring himself to a level where he can be at his best.’
That is what we want to achieve, but in order to do so, we must ensure that everyone else is at their best as well.
‘We need to get him good service and good balls so that they can win games.’