Steve Cooper delivers honest thoughts on Nottingham Forest’s Ryan Yates | OneFootball

Steve Cooper says that Ryan Yates is a ‘joy to work with’ at Nottingham Forest.

Yates has been a key player at the City Ground for a couple of seasons now, with Sabri Lamouchi, Chris Hughton and now Cooper including him in their sides.

Yates, who often receives criticism from Forest fans, has started each of the Reds’ 13 games in the Championship this season, and has kept his place in midfield at a time where James Garner and Jack Colback have been fighting it out for a spot in the team.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference yesterday, Cooper praised Yates for his work ethic, calling him a ‘joy to work with’.

He said: “He’s a really good guy, a positive learner, demanding of himself, gets the best out of himself and a real selfless player as well that wants to be part of something bigger than himself.

“They are good traits, and you need that in a team and in a squad. He’s a joy to work with, to be fair, because if nothing else, he just gives his absolute best every single day.

“To me, that’s a non-negotiable, but it’s not always the case. With him, he doesn’t leave any stone unturned, and he’s doing okay with it.”

Every successful side needs a Ryan Yates in my opinion.

He doesn’t get a lot of goals or assists, but he is the glue that holds everything together, battles for every ball and keeps Forest ticking in midfield.

If he wasn’t there, he’d be missed.