Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper says they’re well prepared for the January market.
Cooper believes Forest will benefit from having Filippo Giraldi in place as sporting director for the January transfer window.
The Reds are plotting changes to their squad this month, both to boost their survival bid and to cover for a number of long-term injuries. Given Forest are already at the 25-man Premier League squad limit, outgoings are also expected, to make space for any new arrivals.
“What’s different between the last window and this window is Filippo is in now, as sporting director,” Cooper said. “Sporting directors take a lot of responsibility for transfer windows.
“We’re working really closely with Filippo on a daily basis and communication lines are good. We are all joined-up with our thinking. My job, ultimately, is to train and coach the players that are here, trusting that everybody else is working hard to try to improve us.
“It has definitely been a positive step to have somebody in that role. It is very common now.
“You can see the benefits of having somebody like Filippo in and the workload he can take up. It is definitely a positive thing for the club to appoint a sporting director. I thought that at the time, and thought it before, to be honest.
“I want to be a head coach, there’s no doubt about that. Okay, what’s the difference between a head coach and a manager? Not much sometimes because a leader is a leader.
“But to be working with an experienced sporting director, for me, is a positive thing. And more importantly, it is a positive thing for the club as well.”
Asked who would have the final say on transfers, he added: “It’s a joined-up approach, there’s no doubt about that. It’s different now, in this window, because of Filippo and because there has been some changes to the recruitment team.
“Communication lines are good. But my focus really has got to be just on the players who are available to train on a daily basis, because ultimately that’s what my job is.”
