Steve Cooper has returned to the football world following his dismissal as Leicester City manager, taking on a role as a technical observer for UEFA.
Cooper, who was sacked by Leicester after just 12 Premier League games in November, was reportedly on duty for Inter Milan’s Champions League victory over Feyenoord on Wednesday night.
UEFA’s technical observers, a group that this season has included notable names like Gareth Southgate, Roberto Martinez, Rafa Benitez, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, are tasked with watching, analyzing, and reporting on matches from a coaching perspective.
They also select the official player of the match, with Cooper choosing Inter striker Lautaro Martinez for his performance.
The Argentinian scored the second goal in Inter’s 2-0 first-leg win, putting the Italian side in a strong position to advance to the quarter-finals.
Since leaving Leicester in November, Cooper has been linked with several managerial roles, most notably at Championship side Cardiff City, but he remains without a club.
However, his longtime assistant, analyst-coach Steve Rands, who worked with Cooper at Swansea, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester, has returned to club football, joining Borussia Dortmund.
The German club is also competing in the Champions League, having drawn 1-1 with Lille in their last-16 first leg.
During his brief tenure at Leicester, Cooper managed to secure 10 points from 12 matches. His successor, Ruud van Nistelrooy, has so far earned just seven points from 14 games in charge.
At the time of Cooper’s sacking, Leicester were outside the relegation zone. However, with teams like Everton and Wolves improving their form in recent months, the Foxes now find themselves five points adrift of safety with 11 matches remaining in the season.
Leicester City’s Decision to Retain Ruud van Nistelrooy
Despite Leicester City’s precarious position in the Premier League, the club has decided not to sack Ruud van Nistelrooy this week. The decision comes amid a challenging season where the Foxes have struggled to find consistency under both Cooper and van Nistelrooy.
Leicester’s hierarchy appears to be giving van Nistelrooy time to turn things around, possibly due to his reputation as a respected figure in the football world and his experience as a player and coach.
The club may also be wary of further instability by making another managerial change mid-season, especially with only 11 games left to secure their Premier League status.
However, the pressure is mounting as Leicester’s form continues to falter, and the threat of relegation looms larger with each passing week.
The upcoming fixtures will be crucial in determining whether van Nistelrooy can steer the team to safety or if the club will be forced to reconsider its decision.
For now, Leicester’s faith in van Nistelrooy remains intact, but the situation remains fluid as the season approaches its climax.