Steve Cooper is a Welsh professional football manager and former player. He is currently the head coach of Premier League club Nottingham Forest. He started his career as a coach at Wrexham’s academy. He moved to Liverpool in 2008 and was appointed manager of their academy in 2011. How much does he make from his career as a manager? What is Steve Cooper’s net worth? Let’s find out.
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Steve Cooper Biography
Born in Pontypridd, Wales in 1979, Cooper grew up in nearby Hopkinstown as the son of Welsh former football referee Keith Cooper. Despite his passion for the game, Cooper’s playing career didn’t take off as he had hoped. He played for several Welsh football clubs, including Total Network Solutions, Rhyl, Bangor City, and Porthmadog, but it was his passion for coaching that eventually propelled him to success.
Cooper started coaching at Wrexham’s academy while still playing, and at the age of 27, he became one of the youngest coaches to obtain a UEFA Pro Licence. He was then appointed head of youth development at Wrexham before joining Liverpool as a youth coach in 2008. Cooper’s work at Liverpool’s academy saw him rise through the ranks to become manager, coaching the under-18s to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup in the 2012-2013 season. During his time at Liverpool, he also oversaw the development of several successful players, including Raheem Sterling, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Ben Woodburn.
In 2013, Cooper left Liverpool to join the FA as a youth coach educator and also taught on the FA Wales A Licence course. But it wasn’t until September 2021 that Cooper took on his first senior managerial role when he was appointed head coach of Championship club Nottingham Forest on a two-year contract. At the time of his appointment, Forest was bottom of the division, but Cooper quickly turned things around. He instilled a more confident, attacking style of play and fostered a greater sense of togetherness among the players, leading to what he called a “big club mentality.”
Under Cooper’s leadership, Nottingham Forest finished the 2021-2022 season in fifth place, securing a spot in the Championship playoffs. They went on to win the playoffs, defeating Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium, and securing promotion to the Premier League. Cooper’s success at Forest earned him a new contract in October 2022, keeping him at the club until 2025.
Steve Cooper’s net worth and salary
Cooper’s net worth is currently estimated at around $5 million. Steve’s salary is not made public.