From The Hangover to history, silverware to supporters, Ange Postecoglou’s first Nottingham Forest press conference had it all.
As debut meetings with the media go, it was certainly interesting and varied. As first impressions go, it was also quite the introduction.
Postecoglou came across well during a 45-minute long Q&A. He talked about wanting to excite the fans, about wanting to leave a mark, about wanting to achieve something special.
And he did it all with an air of confidence and authority, and with an aura about him. He is clearly a man who is single-minded in his approach and completely driven as he chases his ambitions.
The City Ground press room was considerably busier than usual for the new man’s unveiling. Indeed, it was packed. The change at the helm of Forest has caught the attention of the wider football world.
Journalists from Postecoglou’s native Australia were also present. This is a big story back home, too.
First up, a walk out on to the pitch. Or at least, that had been the plan. Pouring rain rather put an end to that.
Postecoglou still did his photo call; his walk out of the tunnel was just a little shorter than it might otherwise have been. Barely a word was said as he made his way out, posed for pictures and held up a Forest shirt.
He is not a man who indulges in small talk. He is not here to mess about or perhaps even to appease anyone watching on. He is clearly here to do a job, and he takes it very seriously.
Don’t take that silence for indifference, though. The former Tottenham Hotspur boss gave every indication he was excited to take on the role.
He knows what it entails and he understands the responsibility that comes with it. He knows all about the history and the honour of following in Brian Clough’s footsteps.
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“He’s a standalone legend. He’s one of these figures you cannot compare to,” Postecoglou said of the Reds’ greatest ever manager. “He’s one of the most legendary figures going around, he did it at a football club where no one expected that.
“He’s a standalone figure. If I can bring similar joy to this club and this city, I’ll be a very happy man.”
So that means trophies then, right? Owner Evangelos Marinakis has said that is what he wants, and Postecoglou knows how to do it.
The head coach wants success too. He is well-known for his catchphrase about always winning something in his second year.
“I have won a couple in my first as well,” Postecoglou interjected when that point was put to him. “At Celtic I won a double in my first, so…
“Of course I can (win a trophy in the first year). I may have to to get a second year here!”
Postecoglou was a mixture of witty and deadly serious in his unveiling. Get him on to his sense of ambition, though, and he is as unflinching as they come - to the point that all he wanted for his recent 60th birthday was to be back on the touchline.
"My wife kept saying what I wanted for my birthday and everyone was asking. I said, just a job. Somebody delivered, so that's good,” he quipped.
Belated celebrations for his big day (which was on August 27) took place over the weekend and were interrupted by discussions about the Reds post. But then any plans to mark the occasion with a big blowout had rather withered by then anyway.
"It was funny because over the weekend, I was celebrating my 60th. I'd arranged ages ago to have four of my best mates from Oz meet up over the weekend,” he explained.
"We had this whole thing planned, sort of Hangover style. But we were in bed by 10 o'clock, so we realised we were 60 years old. There was an inkling that something may happen.
“My wife wasn't happy. She had it all planned out and I had to take a couple of calls in the middle of it. But it was all for a good reason, I guess.”
All of that has led him here. And now the challenge is to hit the ground running. Postecoglou gave a little insight into what he is about, and how attacking football remains his modus operandi, but if there is one quote that best sums him up it is one explaining what he has said to the players.
“The first conversation I had with them was that we've got a game Saturday. Nothing's more important than that,” he said.
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