Postecoglou was unveiled as Nottingham Forest boss ahead of his first press conference
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Ange Postecoglou says he “doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone” as the newly-appointed Nottingham Forest manager embarks on his second stint in the Premier League.
Postecoglou was sacked by Tottenham at the end of last season despite leading them to a first trophy in 17 years, with such an achievement not enough to save his job after finishing a dismal 17th in the league.
The Australian spent a summer out of work but is now back in management, replacing Nuno Espirito Santo at Forest after a falling out with owner Evangelos Marinakis led to his dismissal.
Postecoglou has dismissed talk that this new opportunity gives him a chance to rectify his reputation.
Ange Postecoglou says he doesn’t have a point to proveopen image in gallery
Ange Postecoglou says he doesn’t have a point to prove (Getty Images)
"I don't see it as a point to prove,” Postecoglou said in his first press conference as Forest boss. “I don't have to prove anything to anyone.
“You let your actions speak for themselves and you understand the responsibility you have. You have to provide joy to the supporters - that's why football clubs exist. They are the lifeblood of this game. That's all I care about. I'll win things here and people will still have doubts about me.
"I just want to keep doing what I need to do doing because it brings hoy to people and allows me to live my dreams."
Postecoglou reflected on his Spurs axing, admitting he had never experienced such a turn of events even though he “knew it was coming”.
Postecoglou was sacked by Tottenham at the end of last seasonopen image in gallery
Postecoglou was sacked by Tottenham at the end of last season (Getty Images)
“It was unusual because it's never happened to me before,” he said. “It's the first time I've been sacked. It's the first time I've had an off-season off.
“You wonder about the next opportunity. What I did know was I really keen to go to a club that would give me the platform to continue what I've been doing in my career.
"If you asked me at the start of the year if a job with Nottingham Forest was a possibility then I'd have said no because of the job Nuno had done. The opportunity presented itself and I was here to take it."
The 60-year-old was fired from his Tottenham post just 16 days after guiding the club to the Europa League, an achievement Marinakis will hope he can emulate at the City Ground as Forest return to European competition for the first time in 30 years.
Postecoglou’s triumph in Bilbao meant he delivered on his promise of “always winning things in his second year”, and the new Forest boss has doubled down on his ability to win silverware.
"I've said already I want to win trophies and that's what I've done my whole career and that's what I'll do here,” he added.
“Every club wants to be successful but what I've seen over the last few years, those ambitions are backed up with actions."
Postecoglou, born in Greece, also spoke on his relationship with Marinakis and insisted that he doesn’t know the billionaire shipping magnate well.
Postecoglou says he doesn’t know Evangelos Marinakis wellopen image in gallery
Postecoglou says he doesn’t know Evangelos Marinakis well (Getty Images)
This comes after pictures circulated of Postecoglou attending an event with Marinakis in the Forest owner’s homeland just weeks before his appointment.
"I've been in his company three or four times,” Postecoglou said. “I don't know him well. We were in Athens because he presented me with an award and I wasn't going to turn it down. It meant a lot to me because I was raised in Australia but I was born in Greece.
"I had a brief interaction with him there. I haven't spent a lot of time with him but from afar you have to admire his ambition."
Postecoglou’s tenure at Forest begins back in North London on Saturday as he faces former rivals Arsenal, who he never managed to beat in four meetings as Spurs manager.