Joe Worrall

Carlos said:
I'm lost, was he the prick slating Steve cooper or not? Or is this just yet another player that was never good enough to take the step up to the level forest want to be at and people still pine for him back?
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Carlos, mate, I don't think there is going to be a single Forest fan who thinks that 29 year old Joe Worrall, who has played two professional games of football in 12 months should be playing for Nottingham Forest again.

However, I think it's important here to recognise that maybe, just maybe, Steve Cooper wasn't the bloke you thought he was, because not only has Worrall come out, Lolley came out as well and said Cooper treated them poorly. If we're also being honest here, Steve's first job back in football was Leicester City. There is something to be said for that decision too.

Joe for me, was as much one of our own as Yatesy was. Made his debut season the season we nearly went down under Montanier/Warburton and had the balls as a 19-20 year old to say that we should be doing better.

Joe was then unceremoniously f**ked off to Rangers when Karanka came to the club but he came back to the club and played every league game under Sabri. Broke his foot under Hughton but then was back playing every week, 90 minutes. Had a couple injuries in Cooper's first season but him and McKenna especially were the shield of the team. I still remember the bloke playing with his ribs f**ked up and throwing himself to the floor to try and head the ball away against Leicester in the cup. I'm pretty sure when Samba got sent off against Stoke, it was Joe that volunteered to go in goal.

When we did get promoted, it's also important to note that Joe played almost every week for us. Yes he wasn't perhaps up to the standard of the Premierleague but he gave everything. He had Nicholas Randall making digs at him at the kit launch event as well but handled it like a pro. But, this is what seals what kind of bloke Joe is. When his uncle was tragically killed by that train, Joe played against United and he was playing a week later against Chelsea.

We don't know what was said between him and Cooper, but Joe has the upmost respect and gratitude from me for his 200+ appearances in a Forest shirt. He's not like Brereton and Osborn who have gone on to play for basically all our rivals at this point.
 
Just saying I have no skin in the game on Pro cooper or not 🤣 in the most respectable way I couldn't be arsed to read all of that, if you haven't already noticed I couldn't give a rats arse about the ins and outs of football outside of the 90 minutes once or twice a week, I have other hobbies.

Thing is Worrall did say those things and in any other line of work he would have been shown the door, so I equally don't give a toss about him either
 
Carlos said:
Just saying I have no skin in the game on Pro cooper or not 🤣 in the most respectable way I couldn't be arsed to read all of that, if you haven't already noticed I couldn't give a rats arse about the ins and outs of football outside of the 90 minutes once or twice a week, I have other hobbies.

Thing is Worrall did say those things and in any other line of work he would have been shown the door, so I equally don't give a toss about him either
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What did he say?
 
Mind you always remember this.

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Well said Dizzy, Joe is forest through and through + one of the nicest blokes you could meet.

When he was on loan at Rangers, there was a bit of a joke with Gerrard about him needing to know the forest final score asap. He also knows himself his limitations re the prem, he’s not daft.

We’ll all be grateful for what cooper achieved here, he gave most of us memories we’ll never forget - however he could be a ruthless bastard. Joe didn’t deserve how Cooper treated him before an away game.
 
DizzyBala said:
We don't know what was said between him and Cooper, but Joe has the upmost respect and gratitude from me for his 200+ appearances in a Forest shirt. He's not like Brereton and Osborn who have gone on to play for basically all our rivals at this point.
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And honestly now that neither of them are at the club, it doesn't matter one bit to us whether the two get on or not. Wishing Joe well is not disrespecting Cooper, and vica versa. It's also not pining for a return despite that frankly odd comment.

Both men were major contributors (alongside many others, of course) in arguably our most enjoyable season of the last 30+ years and certainly the best day I've experienced as a Forest fan, so both get my love and respect. The seeming fact that they may not like each other anymore just isn't relevant to that.
 
incident said:
And honestly now that neither of them are at the club, it doesn't matter one bit to us whether the two get on or not. Wishing Joe well is not disrespecting Cooper, and vica versa. It's also not pining for a return despite that frankly odd comment.

Both men were major contributors (alongside many others, of course) in arguably our most enjoyable season of the last 30+ years and certainly the best day I've experienced as a Forest fan, so both get my love and respect. The seeming fact that they may not like each other anymore just isn't relevant to that.
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Also fair.
 
incident said:
And honestly now that neither of them are at the club, it doesn't matter one bit to us whether the two get on or not. Wishing Joe well is not disrespecting Cooper, and vica versa. It's also not pining for a return despite that frankly odd comment.

Both men were major contributors (alongside many others, of course) in arguably our most enjoyable season of the last 30+ years and certainly the best day I've experienced as a Forest fan, so both get my love and respect. The seeming fact that they may not like each other anymore just isn't relevant to that.
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Agreed.

They both played a huge part in what was frankly a magical season to gain promotion out of nowhere - and equally they contributed to somehow keeping us up the following season.

However football is forever transient in nature. There's no ending where the credits roll and everyone lives happily ever after. Cooper was ultimately sacked and Worrall was binned on account of ultimately not being up to the required standard.

Football is ultimately a cut throat business too so it's unsurprising fallouts happen and bitterness lingers behind the scenes. It sucks, but that's football.

It might not have ended well for either at Forest, but we'll always have the memories - and their part in the journey we're still enjoying will forever remain.
 
I just enjoy the fact we outgrow players & not the other way around.

When was the last player that left us that went on to achieve better things? Probably Matty Cash, but even then you could argue we have probably been on a par, he’s been in & out Villa’s team.
 
DizzyBala said:
Carlos, mate, I don't think there is going to be a single Forest fan who thinks that 29 year old Joe Worrall, who has played two professional games of football in 12 months should be playing for Nottingham Forest again.

However, I think it's important here to recognise that maybe, just maybe, Steve Cooper wasn't the bloke you thought he was, because not only has Worrall come out, Lolley came out as well and said Cooper treated them poorly. If we're also being honest here, Steve's first job back in football was Leicester City. There is something to be said for that decision too.

Joe for me, was as much one of our own as Yatesy was. Made his debut season the season we nearly went down under Montanier/Warburton and had the balls as a 19-20 year old to say that we should be doing better.

Joe was then unceremoniously f**ked off to Rangers when Karanka came to the club but he came back to the club and played every league game under Sabri. Broke his foot under Hughton but then was back playing every week, 90 minutes. Had a couple injuries in Cooper's first season but him and McKenna especially were the shield of the team. I still remember the bloke playing with his ribs f**ked up and throwing himself to the floor to try and head the ball away against Leicester in the cup. I'm pretty sure when Samba got sent off against Stoke, it was Joe that volunteered to go in goal.

When we did get promoted, it's also important to note that Joe played almost every week for us. Yes he wasn't perhaps up to the standard of the Premierleague but he gave everything. He had Nicholas Randall making digs at him at the kit launch event as well but handled it like a pro. But, this is what seals what kind of bloke Joe is. When his uncle was tragically killed by that train, Joe played against United and he was playing a week later against Chelsea.

We don't know what was said between him and Cooper, but Joe has the upmost respect and gratitude from me for his 200+ appearances in a Forest shirt. He's not like Brereton and Osborn who have gone on to play for basically all our rivals at this point.
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Great post, but I do have one counter to the Cooper bit.

During his on-pitch interview after we got promoted, Worrall basically spent the whole time saying how made up he was for Cooper and that it couldn’t happen to a nicer man.

The Lolley and Worrall criticism of Cooper is more likely down to them not liking how he handled dropping them from the squad, which is understandable, as no player is going to be thrilled about that.

But Cooper was the manager, and part of his job was making tough decisions. I wouldn’t judge his character based on the quotes of someone who was saying the complete opposite when the situation was in his favour.
 
Tom W said:
Great post, but I do have one counter to the Cooper bit.

During his on-pitch interview after we got promoted, Worrall basically spent the whole time saying how made up he was for Cooper and that it couldn’t happen to a nicer man.

The Lolley and Worrall criticism of Cooper is more likely down to them not liking how he handled dropping them from the squad, which is understandable, as no player is going to be thrilled about that.

But Cooper was the manager, and part of his job was making tough decisions. I wouldn’t judge his character based on the quotes of someone who was saying the complete opposite when the situation was in his favour.
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Cooper has not yet replicated the success he had at Forest, and was reportedly very unpopular with the players at Leicester.
He did a great jobs for us, but is that success now a bit of an albatross round his neck whenever he takes on a new job?
 
Tom W said:
Great post, but I do have one counter to the Cooper bit.

During his on-pitch interview after we got promoted, Worrall basically spent the whole time saying how made up he was for Cooper and that it couldn’t happen to a nicer man.

The Lolley and Worrall criticism of Cooper is more likely down to them not liking how he handled dropping them from the squad, which is understandable, as no player is going to be thrilled about that.

But Cooper was the manager, and part of his job was making tough decisions. I wouldn’t judge his character based on the quotes of someone who was saying the complete opposite when the situation was in his favour.
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Cooper was dealing with 30 new signings & immense internal/external pressure.

I also find the implication that if players are told to their face or in “the right way” they would suddenly be far more reasonable, understanding & definitely not argue their point or try and change the managers mind.

Football is not a normal industry, it’s an extremely highly paid industry with high turnover of staff. JL & JW by their own accounts were hanging around the club after being told to leave & they wonder why they were forced out in the end.
 
From memory, Joe's uncle died in that horrific incident with the train in Newark, he then played the game of his life against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and we won 1-0. The next game we drew at home to Burnley, and I remember Worrall getting rinsed by one of their wingers for their goal. Then he was dropped for a few games with Murillo emerging sooner than anyone expected. He comes off the bench against Luton in a bizarre sub when Cooper took Boly off - we're 2-0 up, we draw 2-2. Aurier at fault for the first, Worrall at fault for the second. Cooper says something in the post-match interview, which while not explicitly naming Joe, it was pretty obvious he was singling him out. It seems this is where things boiled over, and I think soon after Worrall supposedly refused to travel with the squad for an away game when he was told he wouldn't even be on the bench. Pretty sure he never played for Cooper again.

I can see it from both sides. Worrall probably feels like he was going through a lot of personal turmoil, had given a lot to the club, was club captain and felt like he was hung out to dry. But then Cooper was under immense pressure, knew his job was under threat, and Worrall just wasn't good enough consistently in the Prem and he had to make a tough decision. For me, I still like both of them and always will for what they did in the promotion season and the first year we stayed up. It's not an either/or - it's just 2 blokes who used to get on but then fell out. Worrall probably should have been more professional, maybe Cooper could have managed him with a bit more tact.

My concern for Worrall is though that Cooper ends up at Wrexham. Then again Billy Davies was fine with Camp and Earnshaw at Forest after he supposedly fell out with them at Derby.
 
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