Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper heaps praises on Taiwo Awoniyi

By Saheed Afolabi

Nottingham Forest manager, Steve Cooper has showered encomiums on striker, Taiwo Awoniyi for his significant contribution to the team this season.

The Super Eagles forward was instrumental to Forest relegation survival as he scored vital goals towards the end of the season including the famous win against Arsenal to wrap up a 16th place finish.

Cooper feels the Nigeria star could have delivered more goals earlier in the season except for his untimely injury.

“The first part of the season was a transition for all of us. We all learnt about adapting to the Premier League, and Taiwo was no different to anybody else,” Cooper was quoted by BSN Sports.

“He was playing well and scoring goals before he got injured. He missed three months of the season.

“Everyone thought at the time that the injury couldn’t have come at a worse time because he was playing well and had just scored against Southampton.

“He’s come back, hit the ground running with his performances, and then they have turned into goals as well. We’re really pleased for him.”

“He’s been important for us. But he will be the first to tell you, that’s on the back end of a team which has stepped up in the last month or so,” he continued.

“When the team steps up and you start creating chances, you want someone to score them – he’s managed to do that for us.

“He can get more. If it maybe wasn’t his first year in the Premier League – with the transition which came with that – and if he hadn’t missed three months, he could have got more.

“Through becoming a Premier League team, we’ve sometimes struggled to score goals and create chances. It’s not as if he’s had loads of chances to score goals. I’m sure his scoring-to-chance ratio is quite high.

“We’re pleased with him. In the Premier League, you always need a player who is going to score goals. He’s shown he can do that. Let’s hope he can work hard to take that on next season.”