🔗 Share this article

Taking over from a team icon was consistently going to be a tough task, but Nuno Espírito Santo succeeded to achieve a shrewd strategy after Steve Cooper’s departure: winning his initial pair of matches. Much is overlooked about the opening six months of his tenure, when the team stayed up just one place above the drop zone and endured a stretch of taking victory in only one time in 10 top-flight matches.

Nuno had done the crucial task of boosting team spirit and winning over the fans by defeating Newcastle away and creating enthusiasm by overcoming Manchester United at home, and no one was demanding style points. The City Ground was rocking in the end of 2023, and home fans were not overly concerned that they witnessed only two more wins there for the rest of the season.

Nottingham Forest supporters call for the manager dismissal after less than a month following continental loss.

The Australian coach is yet to taste success, becoming the first Forest head coach in a hundred years to be unable to secure a victory in any of their first six fixtures. There was a toxic mood at the stadium on Thursday night as they succumbed to the second-best team in Denmark. When fans are demanding your sacking after 23 days, it is fair to say things are not going well. On the next day there were no intentions to dismiss Postecoglou but a loss at Newcastle on Sunday could cost him his position.

Everyone at the club accepted there would be a period of change because the new manager’s style of play is virtually a complete contrast to the one his predecessor finely tuned there. The plan was developing under the former coach but not at the speed the new boss is attempting to implement.

Starting with four away games was always going to be a difficult ask for the manager. Kicking off at Arsenal meant building positive energy from the first whistle was unlikely but losing at a Championship team in the domestic cup and drawing at Burnley put him on the defensive. The game at a Spanish club seemed to be a positive shift because the performance was strong and in line with anticipations regarding the manager’s philosophy. The processes were sound and, but for a late Antony goal, takeoff would have begun.

Instead Forest remain grounded. If Postecoglou could have been forgiven for the performances on the road, falling at home to a visiting team and Midtjylland was never part of the thinking. There was a degree of mitigation in the initial home loss: a soft free-kick award that resulted in the winner and poor finishing from Forest meant the result went away to the north-east. Forest had almost the majority of possession and multiple attempts but outscoring an rival on expected goals is meaningless.

Ange Postecoglou and a key player will aim to reverse the team’s results around at Newcastle on the upcoming matchday.

There was a hope that when the strikers regained their scoring touch, everything would be resolved but ineffective finishing is only one of the problems facing Postecoglou. The robust defensive unit built by Nuno has been dismantled, leaving Postecoglou still waiting for a shutout. Defending set pieces has been problematic, a pair of Midtjylland’s goals coming from them, and the remaining goal Forest let in was from a fast break, the type that were a regular occurrence during his time at his former club.

Postecoglou was eager to get back to work promptly after being dismissed by Tottenham, particularly with a European winner’s medal around his neck. He wanted to show people wrong and Forest presented that opportunity, with the extra incentive of being in the tournament he had won in the spring. The Hellenic link with Forest’s proprietor, the club’s chief, facilitated make the appointment smooth and Postecoglou, in spite of his detractors, does have the credentials necessary – but pragmatism was unlikely to be part of the equation.

Register to Football Daily

Kick off your nights with the most recent perspective on the realm of soccer.

Nuno was not fired for sporting causes but for picking a dispute with the owner that he was not going to prevail in. Ending up seventh and taking Forest into continental competition made Nuno incredibly popular. In spite of his gripes, a team able of finishing in the top half was put together and plenty of funds was spent. After excessive immediate thinking at Forest, they had a clear long-term vision and strategy, which included a team that suited the previous boss. Now it feels as if a stepdad has entered the home and the children are not happy.

Trips to Newcastle and Bournemouth bookend the visit of a top team in the upcoming trio of Premier League fixtures, implying life is only going to get harder. The owner made the selection with his emotions and is urgently hoping to avoid another sacking because removing Postecoglou would be an admission that he made a pair of terrible decisions in letting go of the former coach and selecting the successor. Football is one big public approval competition and Nuno began gaining his at St James’ Park. The current manager needs to do the same or he risks losing his permanently.