Nottingham Forest fans are yet to be fully convinced by new head coach Ange Postecoglou, but his previous comments on Brian Clough may help his case.
Postecoglou was confirmed as Forest’s head coach just 13 hours after Nuno Espírito Santo had been dismissed from his position, a truly hectic scenario for Reds fans to comprehend.
However, the overwhelming feeling has been that Forest fans are unsure about the Postecoglou appointment, with his Premier League struggles at Tottenham still fresh in the mind.
The Australian boss could do with a positive start at the City Ground, then, but his previous comments on Brian Clough may help the Reds fanbase warm to him a bit more.
Brian Clough and Peter Taylor
Photo by Duncan Raban/Allsport/Getty Images
What Ange Postecoglou has said about ‘remarkable’ Brian Clough
There’s no greater Forest legend than Clough, so whoever is in the dugout at the City Ground will sense his legacy throughout their time at the club.
Growing up in Australia, Clough’s brilliance was a distant story for Postecoglou, but he was asked about the former Reds boss in a press conference before his Tottenham side faced Forest in December 2023.
Postecoglou said: “He’s one of those managers who have made an indelible impact on the game. When you think about Nottingham Forest winning the European Cup, it’s quite an achievement.
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“I mean, English football at the time was fairly dominant through Europe, but still a remarkable achievement and people like Brian Clough have this unique place in our game where their impact is undeniable and stays forever.”
Forest fans will love that he paid his respect to Clough before even arriving at the club, but in terms of influence on his career, Postecoglou learned from another iconic figure in football.
Ange Postecoglou learned from Ferenc Puskas
The new Forest head coach enjoyed a successful playing career in Australia, playing for South Melbourne before eventually managing the side at the beginning of his coaching career.
Remarkably, though, he called iconic Hungarian footballer Ferenc Puskas boss between 1989 and 1992, where he captained South Melbourne to the National Soccer League title.
Today is May 5th and a date forever etched in our history. On this day in 1991, we would win our second national championship after a dramatic penalty shootout against Melbourne Croatia.
It would be Ange and Ferenc Puskas who would proudly lift the trophy on that day. pic.twitter.com/hCT6OWUghQ
— South Melbourne FC (@smfc) May 5, 2022
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Speaking about Puskas before Tottenham’s trip to face Hungarian side Ferencvaros in October 2024, Postecoglou said: “I was blessed to be able to spend three years in the company of one of the greatest footballers of all time, but more importantly for me an outstanding person.
“He was one of the greatest people I’ve ever come across and I feel really fortunate to have had those three years with him, where I was able to sit there and talk to a person who in the football world had done everything, but more importantly, a person who I had so much respect and admiration for.”
Postecoglou’s respect for Puskas is identical to that which the former Forest players feel for Clough, a characteristic that will hopefully help him warm to the City Ground faithful.