Ange Postecoglou on the Brink at Nottingham Forest After Just 33 Days
Ange Postecoglou is facing imminent dismissal from Nottingham Forest just 33 days after his appointment, according to reports from The Telegraph.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis is reportedly dissatisfied with the Australian manager and is seriously considering termination. This would make Postecoglou the club’s third coach within a year, with his future potentially hinging on the upcoming match against Chelsea – a loss could spell the end.
Forest’s Precarious Position
Nottingham Forest currently sit just one point above the relegation zone, and Postecoglou has yet to secure a single victory since taking charge. The pressure is mounting as the club faces another potential managerial change.
Marinakis’s Managerial Merry-Go-Round
The turmoil began in September when Marinakis clashed with previous manager Nuno Espírito Santo. The Portuguese coach had grown frustrated with the club’s transfer strategy, which saw key players sold while new signings were made without his consultation.
Nuno’s relationship with Edu – the new head of the club’s empire – was strained from the beginning, with the executive eventually distancing himself and rarely appearing at the training ground.
Postecoglou’s Arrival and Struggles
During the conflict with Nuno, Postecoglou emerged as the leading candidate to replace him. The former Tottenham manager, who had actually won a trophy with Spurs, was the only available coach of note at the time.
Insiders revealed Marinakis had wanted Postecoglou since summer, and the deal finally materialized in autumn. However, the start has been disastrous.
Postecoglou’s tenure began with a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal, followed by an embarrassing League Cup exit to Swansea, where Forest conceded a late winner in added time.
Subsequent draws against Burnley in the Premier League and Real Betis in the Europa League suggested potential improvement, but immediate defeat to Sunderland dashed those hopes.
Postecoglou’s Defiant Stance
The Australian manager remained defiant despite the poor results, stating: “A win would help us, but the main thing is the players. They’ve bought into what we’re trying to do, and we work differently since my arrival. The players believe in the process.
They’re working extremely hard, showing better numbers in physical metrics. We’re creating more chances than opponents, dominating in every aspect. We’re just not winning yet. We want the players to get rewarded for their efforts because that accelerates growth and strengthens belief, and we’re certainly not going to abandon what we’re doing.”
True to his word, Postecoglou hasn’t abandoned his philosophy – it’s not in his nature. But results haven’t improved, with defeats to Midtjylland and Newcastle appearing to exhaust the owner’s patience.
Philosophical Approach to Adversity
Postecoglou remains philosophical about the challenges: “Seriously: what’s wrong with difficulties? Why do we want everything handed to us in pretty packaging? I’m sure many parents faced difficulties in life, right? And they didn’t give up. Maybe their child was hopeless at some point, but they didn’t lose hope, correct? There will be difficulties, but that’s completely normal.”
Sean Dyche Waiting in the Wings
According to reports, Sean Dyche leads the shortlist to replace Postecoglou should the axe fall.
The 54-year-old has been out of work since January when Everton dismissed him just three hours before a match against Peterborough United. Everton were in the relegation zone at the time and preparing for their move to the new Hill Dickinson stadium, with relegation to the Championship potentially proving catastrophic.
David Moyes eventually took over and stabilized the situation, while Dyche has since been giving interviews – notably expressing envy at Vincent Kompany’s appointment at Bayern Munich, arguing he achieved more with Burnley than Pep Guardiola’s protégé.
