“Cooper Wins Race for Top Set-Piece Coach Hughes in Leicester Overhaul”
Steve Cooper is set to add highly-regarded set-piece coach Andrew Hughes to his revamped Leicester staff after outmaneuvering Brentford for his signature.
Following his three-year contract with Leicester, the Welshman has quickly assembled his backroom team, securing Hughes, who is considered one of the best in his field, marking a significant achievement.
Brentford had identified Hughes, who is departing Norwich, as a potential replacement for their set-piece specialist Bernardo Cueva, who joined Chelsea earlier this year. According to Mail Sport, Hughes was expected to be offered the role by Brentford.
However, the former Reading and Leeds United player seems to be persuaded by Cooper’s vision and Leicester’s state-of-the-art training facilities, making a move to the East Midlands likely.
Leicester struggled significantly with defending set pieces in their last two Premier League seasons, contributing to their drop from European contenders to relegation. Cooper aims to improve this aspect in the upcoming campaign.
In Cooper’s last weeks at Nottingham Forest, set-piece coach Simon Rusk joined the team. Despite this, defensive issues persisted, with Forest conceding 22 goals from dead-ball situations by the end of the season, even after Nuno Espirito Santo replaced Cooper.
Enzo Maresca took six coaches with him when he moved from Leicester to Chelsea earlier this month, giving Cooper a fresh start. The 44-year-old Cooper has always considered a set-piece coach an essential part of his strategy.
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