TalkSPORT co-host and former Crystal Palace Chairman Simon Jordan has offered his view on Leicester City’s Premier League survival hopes following the appointment of Steve Cooper as manager.
Leicester City were impressive as they amassed a tally of 97 points to win the Championship last season and secure a return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
That was under Argentinian manager Enzo Maresca, though, who has since left to take the Chelsea job vacated by fellow countryman Mauricio Pochettino.
Following an extensive search, Leicester appointed Steve Cooper as the man to oversee their top flight return and Simon Jordan has spoken about the Foxes’ hopes of staying up.
Simon Jordan believes Steve Cooper will keep Leicester City in Premier League
Cooper’s appointment has been somewhat divisive amongst Leicester supporters given he formerly managed rivals Nottingham Forest.
Cooper guided Forest to Championship promotion via the play-offs after arriving with the club bottom of the league in September 2021 before keeping them up in their first season in the Premier League in 23 years.
With Forest struggling in December of last season they decided to sack Cooper, but Jordan feels the Welshman will be good enough to keep Leicester in the league even if it could be considered a slightly uninspiring choice.
Jordan said on the talkSPORT show he co-hosts with Jim White: “I think it’s not a bad appointment.
“…He’s a capable operator. I mean, you don’t listen to him and come out of it inspired, do you? He’s very, very monosyllabic in what he says and monotone in his delivery.
“But you’re not employing him to be a manager that conveys everything through the media. I think that he’ll do fine there. It wasn’t so long ago that everyone was linking him to the Crystal Palace job.”
He went on to add: “I don’t think Leicester are going to go rolling up the league, but I think they will be a side that stays in the Premier League, unless they’re going to get eight or 10 points or something ridiculous like that from the sanctioning body.”
Cooper’s Nottingham Forest experience will help him at Leicester
Although Leicester fans may not want to hear it, Cooper’s spell at Forest should stand him in good stead to tackle the challenges he’ll endure at the King Power Stadium this season.
There are parallels between Forest and Leicester, with Forest having had points deducted last season for failure to comply with Premier League spending rules.
Leicester are in real danger of facing the same fate, with a current appeal ongoing against a Premier League charge from March and potentially needing cash before the impending 30th June PSR deadline.
When Forest were promoted they signed an incredible 31 players in the summer prior to their top flight return, with Cooper having to manage a squad thrust upon him by the club’s owners.
Whilst it will not be the same at Leicester this summer, the 44-year-old is adopting a squad that has not been built in his image with little in the way of funds available to sign players he would like.
With that in mind, Leicester could reap the rewards of Cooper’s tough ride in the Premier League so far.
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