Ahead of his return to Premier League management, Sean Dyche has recounted a game against Chelsea where he was witness to a moment of individual brilliance.
Languishing towards the bottom end of the Premier League table? Need a lifeline to maintain your top-flight status? If history tells us anything, it’s that Sean Dyche is the man to call.
After a failed experiment with Ange Postecoglou, Nottingham Forest have turned to the veteran Premier League boss to take them out of the danger zone.
Nottingham Forest is delighted to confirm the appointment of Sean Dyche as the Club’s new Head Coach, following a thorough recruitment process led by Global Head of Football, Edu Gaspar, and Global Technical Director, George Syrianos.
The former Forest youth player joins the… pic.twitter.com/ZjUZdG4E6j
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) October 21, 2025
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Before assuming his post, Dyche sat down for an interview with fellow managers Tony Pulis and Mick McCarthy, discussing what it takes to fight in the Premier League with lesser means.
The conversation landed on Chelsea, and specifically, a moment of opening day magic that filled Dyche with dread for the season ahead.
Sean Dyche recalls famous Chelsea moment on opening day
Over ten years ago, Dyche was back in the Premier League with Burnley, given the unenviable task of facing Chelsea on opening day.
Chatting with Pulis and McCarthy on The Managers podcast, the 54-year-old was discussing the challenge of facing the bigger sides, and this fixture sprang to mind.
He said: “We played Chelsea first game of the season. We stand in the tunnel and everyone’s 9 foot 7.
You know what? People forget that. They all think they’re like dots.
“I know Pep made a name with more of a mixed bag, but in that day you look at them, they’re all giants. Physically, they were unbelievable.”
It wasn’t the physicality that gave Dyche a jolt, but the genius of Cesc Fabregas, and the moment of magic that every Chelsea fan has seen, probably more than once.
The Spaniard’s assist to Andre Schurrle was voted the best in Chelsea’s history, and for good reason.
As Dyche recounts: “Do you remember it’s a famous pass from Fabregas when Schurrle goes in behind scores. Unbelievable. One of the best passes I’ve ever seen. I was like, this could be a long season.”
Not a man easily shook, but that magical moment made Dyche think twice.
Sean Dyche is the perfect manager for Nottingham Forest
To sway off the topic of Chelsea for a moment, this appointment by Forest is a smart one.
What has led to the appointment has been a bit of a circus, but there’s no denying Dyche will be licking his lips looking at this squad.
Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi could have been moulded by Dyche himself, and the centre-back pairing of Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo will make Forest a tough proposition under the guidance of their new coach.
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Chelsea sealed Postecoglou’s fate last weekend, and won’t have to give a thought to Forest until next May.
But from a neutral point of view, it will be very interesting to see if this match is as good in practice as it is on paper.