Ange Postecoglou leaves Nottingham Forest after just 39 days in charge. Nottingham’s Forest’s 39-word statement confirmed his sacking just 15 minutes after Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis had left the City Ground midday through the second half leaving global technical director George Syrianos to inform Postecoglou of his fate in the tunnel. The 60-year-old then said brief goodbyes in the dressing room before leaving the stadium alone. He was spared the indignity of any post-match media duties.
Postecoglou enters the record books as the shortest ever permanent Premier League manager lasting one day less than Charlton’s Reed (40) in 2006. He was in post for nine days longer than Sam Allardyce (30) at Leeds Unted, who took an interim job at Elland Road in 2023.
Marinakis Driving Force Being Postecoglou Appointment
forest marinakis
Marinakis was the driving force behind signing Postecoglou, but quickly determined the hire was a mistake. A similar scenario happened at Forest’s sister club Olympiacos when former West Brom coach Carlos Corberan was axed after just 11 games. Postecoglou failed to win any of his eight matches in charge, which has never happened in Forest’s 159-year history. And his side shipped 20 goals in the process as the players struggled to transition from Nuno’s pragmatic and structured style to Ange’s high-press and front-foot approach.
Matz Sels kept 13 clean sheets last season, winning the Premier League Golden Glove alongside Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez. Postecoglou couldn’t manage a single clean sheet before he left.Marinakis first seriously considered a change after the 3-2 loss to Midtjylland in the Europa League on October 2 and although Postecoglou survived the international break, succession planning was already well underway.
It was clear heading into Chelsea that Postecoglou was not guaranteed all the games before the November international break to try and turn things around. Perhaps that’s why Postecoglou was so forceful in defending his record ahead of the game.
"I guess from my perspective I just don't fit, not here, just in general,” he said in an explosive press conference. "If you look at it through the prism of ‘I'm a failed manager who’s lucky to get this job’... I know you’re smirking at me, but that’s what’s been said, right? I can find the story.
“All I've heard since I left Tottenham is that we finished 17th. But maybe I’m a manager who, if you give them time, the story always ends the same, at all my previous clubs it ends the same – with me and a trophy.”
Postecoglou’s words received a mixed reception from senior figures within Forest. Although his passion was applauded, it was noted much of his defence was against his time at Tottenham with little said on what was needed to turn things around at the City Ground.
GMS understands Marinakis and global head of football Edu both believe they have assembled a squad capable of qualifying for Europe again, and a decisive change so soon into Postecoglou’s tenure was done because the belief is there is still enough time to have a successful season. Whereas Postecoglou may justifiably argue he needed time to build chemistry with a large squad and several new signings, Marianakis quickly lost faith this was possible.
It is perhaps telling that only two summer signings – Douglas Luiz and Oleksander Zinchenko – started against Chelsea, and Postecoglou rotated in each of his eight games. Starting Taiwo Awoniyi against Chelsea was a bold move given his lack of game time and although the Nigerian striker had a positive first half, his early scuffed miss summed up Forest’s toothlessness in front of goal under Postecoglou.
Nuno Departure Disappointed Forest Players
West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo
Postecoglou was just as bullish behind closed doors, telling his players from day one if they bought into his style, silverware could be won. Training sessions became more intense than under Nuno Espirito Santo and there was no significant breakdown between Postecoglou and his players.
Whereas at Spurs, Postecoglou could cut a more distant figure in training, he was extremely hands-on during his short-spell at Forest. And he didn't mince his words. In fact, perhaps his biggest error of judgement was simply speaking too freely too soon, including dressing down the squad after the shock 3-2 EFL Cup loss to Swansea, a game Forest led 2-1 heading into injury time.
Some players felt their achievements under Nuno were not openly acknowledged, and the Forest squad remained attached to their former manager's style. His sudden departure – soon after a box-office press conference of his own in which he alluded to a broken relationship with Marinakis – left many in the Forest dressing room disappointed and disillusioned. In the end, both Nuno and Postecoglou shared one thing in common – they weren’t seen as a fit.
Nuno couldn’t forge an effective relationship with Edu, with the pair falling out over the failed signing of Fulham’s Adama Traore leading to a spat in front of other Forest employees. Postecoglou, meanwhile, was hired because his style was seen as more eye-catching and capable of being replicated across Marinakis’ multi-club group, which along with Olympiacos also includes Portuguese side Rio Avenue.
Marinakis soon lost faith in this idea and has instead prioritised trying to salvage Forest's season. Cultivating a consistent ideology across all his clubs is still a challenge for a another day. This summer, Forest essentially recruited two XIs – affording their managers one squad for the Premier League and another for the Europa League.
There is not necessarily a clear divide, and whoever replaces Postecoglou may not chose to rotate as much, but the volume of business was very intentional: to ensure Forest didn’t burn out and could compete on all fronts this season.
But the challenge is keeping everyone happy. Against Chelsea, Omari Hutchinson, Dilane Bakwa, James McAtee and Arnaud Kalimuendo were all on the bench having cost a collective total of £115m.
Dyche, Silva, Mancini Eyed by Forest
Sean Dyche smiles
Postecoglou’s successor is expected to be appointed quickly with the hope of getting a new manager in time for the Europa League tie with Porto on Thursday. Multiple candidates have been approached in the past few days.
Free agent Sean Dyche is one of the leading names, but wants a long-term commitment from Marinakis and is not believed to be open to taking the role until the end of the season. Forest legends Ian Woan and Steve Stone could form part of his coaching staff, which would prove popular with fans.
Fulham’s Marco Silva is another coach who is appreciated and worked under Marinakis at Olympiacos. It wouldn’t be the first time the Forest owner has explored Silva and hiring the Portuguese manager now would prove costly – potentially over £10m. As of Saturday night, no formal approach has been made.
Roberto Mancini is another name under consideration and is a free agent after leaving the Saudi Arabia national team last year. The Italian is a serial winner and led Manchester City to 2011/12 Premier League title. Much like Dyche, his ability to fix Forest’s defensive woes make him an appealing option.
Forest have also internally discussed bringing back Steve Cooper and hiring Mauricio Pochettino, but no approach to either has been made to date. That’s because Cooper only just started a new job with Brondby and Pochettino is not expected to leave his role as US men’s national team coach before the World Cup. And Brendan Rogers has also been linked with the role, and his Celtic contract expires next summer.
It is not thought the former Liverpool and Leicester City manager is looking to leave Celtic Park mid-season. Postecoglou was brought in with the big-picture in mind, and the ambition for long-term success and regular European football remains. But 39 days later, and the job for the next hire the job is simple: to avoid finishing worse than 17th.