How is ex-Nottingham Forest and Swansea boss Steve Cooper getting on in Denmark? | OneFootball

FLW outline the work of Steve Cooper in Denmark with Brondby IF after leaving Leicester and following spells with Swansea City and Nottingham Forest.

Steve Cooper has managed numerous British sides in the EFL and the Premier League now, including Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, and Swansea City.

Having initially spent time in the England youth setup, he was eventually given his chance at Swansea City. He earned plenty of plaudits within the England setup, but Cooper made the move into senior management with Swansea in 2019.

Tasked with continuing the club’s progressive DNA, he guided the Swans to back-to-back play-off finishes, falling short at Wembley but restoring a sense of direction during a period of financial constraint. They ended the campaign poorly in the second season, though.

That meant he left by mutual consent in July 2021 and his next chapter came with Nottingham Forest shortly after. He inherited a side rooted to the bottom of the Championship. What followed was nothing short of remarkable. Cooper transformed Forest into one of the most cohesive units in the division.

He steered them on a dramatic run to the play-offs before sealing promotion via victory at Wembley in 2022. It was a triumph which saw his reputation soar in English football, with an organised structure on the playing side and an emotional connection with supporters off the pitch as well.

Steve Cooper's time in Denmark so far with Brondby

At Premier League level, Cooper retained a degree of trust and built more of an identity and made Forest a counter-attacking Premier League outfit. He successfully kept Forest up in their first season back in the top flight despite significant squad turnover.

While results later dipped, his tenure demonstrated his ability to bridge the gap between the Championship and the elite level. However, a run of just one win in 13 matches left the club in 17th place in the table the following season and Evangeilos Marinakis dismissed him.

He next rocked up at Leicester City, but three wins in 15 games in all competitions saw Cooper sacked and with his reputation hit. That is why he has since been managing in the Danish top flight with Brondby IF.

He has been with the side since September 2025, with Jesper Sorensen dismissed and the initially appointed caretaker Frederik Birk only taking permanent charge for just under a year. He even won his first game in charge just four days later, beating giants F.C. Kobenhavn 2-1.

They secured a top six finish in the regular season before the league splits into a relegation group and Championship Playoff after 22 games. They finished fourth, but that wasn't without a few bumps towards the back end of that period.

They drew three games 0-0 and lost 1-0 to Viborg before the split, with results after the split also proving to be difficult so far. They lost 1-0 to Viborg again recently, then followed that up with a 0-0 draw to AGF to put them bottom (sixth) in the top half of the division.

Cooper inherited a side that finished third last season and, in doing so, they secured a place in the UEFA Conference League play-off. They lost over two legs to RC Strasbourg before Cooper took over, but that has to be the aim again this term.

They are 17 points behind AGF in first and 12 off FC Midtjylland in second, meaning there is no chance of a top two finish and a possible pathway into the UEFA Europa or UEFA Champions League. But there is still time to turn things around and finish third again for a chance of European qualification.

That's because there are just two points between all of the sides third to sixth. However, Cooper and co. need to improve after setting a remarkable unwanted record recently. In February and March, his team have set the unfortunate record for most matches without scoring a goal (six).

Steve Cooper's future in English football after Brondby

It's fair to say Cooper now occupies a slightly conflicted space in English football’s current coaching landscape. There remains genuine respect for his body of work — particularly in the Championship — yet his Premier League record has introduced a more sceptical edge to how he is viewed.

His achievements with Swansea were impressive but more so with Nottingham Forest in guiding them from the foot of the table to promotion in 2022. It still stands as one of the most impressive managerial feats in recent EFL history. That ability to build cohesion, improve individuals, and create momentum is widely recognised.

He also made the most of his England youth connections via clever loans, too. However, subsequent top-flight struggles with Forest, and later Leicester City, have reinforced a growing perception that his methods may have limitations at Premier League level, particularly in adapting tactically against elite opposition.

As a result, the overall view now leans slightly negative at the highest level, but not wholly dismissive. Cooper is still regarded as a strong developmental coach, especially for younger squads in high-intensity Championship environments. That surely sees him return to English football in some capacity one day.

Looking ahead, a return feels likely once his time with Brondby eventually concludes. The Championship appears the most natural landing spot, where his track record suggests he can quickly add value. A Premier League return isn’t impossible, but it may depend on proving he can evolve tactically or by earning promotion once again and taking another shot from a position of strength.