Nottingham Forest's Welsh manager Steve Cooper applauds fans ahead of kick-off in the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur at The City Ground in Nottingham, central England, on December 15, 2023. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
One win doesn’t make a season and Steve Cooper knows he still has work to do to get people believing in him and to make Leicester City a force.
City claimed their first victory of the new Premier League season at the seventh attempt on Saturday, beating Bournemouth 1-0. Facundo Buonanotte scored the winner early on, with City just about hanging on in the second period, when the Cherries hit the woodwork twice and had a goal ruled out for offside.
The result brings relief for Cooper and City, who had been under pressure after their opening six performances and results. But while fans were left cheering at the end, Cooper knows that one victory is not enough to get them wholly on his side.
Asked his post-match celebration was more low-key than those seen at Nottingham Forest, Cooper said: “I’ve got to build trust here. It’s clear I’ve got work to do in terms of people really believing in me. I’m absolutely fine with that. I know that’s part of the job.
“That’s my real big motivation because it allows me to show how much I want to get this job right with this set of players who are so committed. Feeling the atmosphere here, it’s been really good to be honest. I know it’s only today that we’ve won, but I felt the supporters really get behind the team here.
“We really needed them in the second half. There were times where Bournemouth crossed out for a goal kick and the crowd went up as if to say: ‘Come on, we can do this!’ That really spurred us on.
