Ange Postecoglou is set to be named as the new Nottingham Forest boss after Nuno Espirito Santo's sacking, with the available Jose Mourinho overlooked - but how would the Portuguese legend have fared?
11:29, 09 Sep 2025Updated 11:30, 09 Sep 2025
Ange Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou is set to be named as Nottingham Forest boss(Image: Kieran McManus/REX/Shutterstock)
Ange Postecoglou is reportedly set to be named as Nottingham Forest’s new manager.
The 60-year-old former Tottenham boss is being lined up to replace Nuno Espirito Santo in the City Ground dugout after the Portuguese was sacked in the early hours of Tuesday morning following a fallout with club owner Evangelos Marinakis.
According to The Athletic, the Europa League winner with Spurs is set to be announced by Forest in the next 24 hours, and will arrive in time to lead the team away against Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday - taking on his old club's north London rivals.
Marinakis appears to have overlooked Jose Mourinho for the job, after the legendary ex-Chelsea, Manchester United, Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss was sacked by Fenerbahce last month. Debating whether Forest made the right decision, the Daily Star Sport asked ChatGPT to predict Forest’s upcoming season under each manager.
Under Postecoglou, AI predicts Forest’s season to be another strong campaign, finishing ninth on 55 points, but they may miss out on European football. ChatGPT predicts: “Factor Likely Outcome with Postecoglou at the helm: Premier League: Strong mid-table finish (8th–10th), potentially better if Europa League runs short.
Nuno Espirito Santo
Nuno Espirito Santo has been sacked by Nottingham Forest(Image: PA)
“Europa League Campaign: Active and entertaining; could yield positive results, especially at home. Team stability and morale boosted - playing style will energise fans and players.
“Defensive issues could persist unless addressed strategically. Long-term impact builds a foundation for consistent attacking identity and squad cohesion.
“Bottom line: If appointed, Postecoglou would likely lead Forest to an exciting, attack-minded season, potentially landing around 8th–10th in the Premier League while providing spirited European performances.
“His approach could also revitalise the team culture and fan engagement, though defensive vulnerabilities and fixture congestion remain challenges to manage.”
Meanwhile, Mourinho was predicted to have finished 11th on 52 points if he took the job, just three points behind Postecoglou’s predicted tally, but two places lower in the table.
Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho is currently without a club(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
ChatGPT described Mourinho’s fictional season at the helm as: “Playing style shift toward a structured, defence-first setup may reduce excitement but improve resilience.
“Premier League finish: Expect a solid mid-table position (likely 8th–12th), offering more stability but less attacking flair. Europa League campaign might underperform in Europe due to depth limitations and cautious approach—but could grind through tough ties.
"Squad morale and pressure: His authoritative leadership may reassure management and harder-nosed players but could alienate fans craving attacking football. Defensive stability likely improvement in goals conceded and game management - if his structured tactics take hold.
Evangelos Marinakis
Evangelos Marinakis has seemingly decided to appoint Ange Postecoglou over Jose Mourinho(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
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“Long-term identity: Forest may shift identity toward pragmatism and results-driven performance; success may depend on whether this suits the fan base and squad makeup.”
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Overall, Mourinho would appear to have been a more direct like-for-like replacement for Nuno, who turned Forest into one of the most structured and defensively sound teams in the league last season.
However, Postecoglou’s appointment could see a shift in playing style that could benefit the influx of attacking talent signed this summer.
Forest splashed over £200million in the transfer window, with attacking players making up the bulk of their spend.