Wednesday 5 November 2014 16:08, UK
Nottingham Forest skipper Chris Cohen believes 'consistency and stability' are crucial during Stuart Pearce's reign.
Pearce, a City Ground icon from his playing days, enjoyed a dream start to life back in familiar surroundings, with Forest opening their Sky Bet Championship campaign with an 11-match unbeaten run.
The tables have now turned, though, with a sequence of eight games without a win seeing questions asked of those in the dugout and boardroom.
If you look at the players we have got and look at the backing the chairman – who has also come under criticism – has given, it gives us a good foothold for the future.
Cohen feels it is a little early to be passing judgement on Pearce, given how much the club means to him, and the owners, who have pumped considerable funding into the side.
He hopes everyone connected with Forest will pull together and come through a testing period stronger as a collective and ready to lay the foundations for long-term success.
Cohen, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury, said in the Nottingham Post: "As a group and as a club, all you want is consistency and stability.
"If you look at the players we have got and look at the backing the chairman – who has also come under criticism – has given, it gives us a good foothold for the future.
"Most of the teams who have done well through history are those who have stuck with people; particularly good people like the manager we have here.
"He is a man with the club's best interests at heart.
"I am sure the chairman wants to do that (stick with the manager). I can see the manager having a really long reign here.
"It is all about structure. Every good club has stability."
There is no question that he is the right man for the job, he has the best interests of the club at heart and has put together a fantastic squad of players.
Cohen understands the frustration building in the stands but insists there is no cause for alarm, with Forest sat five points adrift of the top six and with a squad which now boasts quality and depth.
He added: "I am not aware of too much negativity. But negativity comes with results in football.
"That is what comes when you do not win for eight games – everyone feels pressure, players, staff and everyone else.
"The chairman has shown he is willing to invest and that is fantastic. Things do take time and the manner in which we started, so well, probably makes things feel worse now.
"People started to think we could go the whole season without being beaten. I know that, because that is what we were thinking.
"When you are losing games, it makes things a bit tougher.
"But there is no question that he is the right man for the job, he has the best interests of the club at heart and has put together a fantastic squad of players."
