The project at Nottingham Forest seems to be building, evidenced by Europa League football now coming their way. Nuno Espirito Santo has been thriving at the helm with an abundance of quality personnel at his disposal.
The flurry of incomings have offset the dampened mood when star man Anthony Elanga switched allegiances for Newcastle United. While the more significant pieces of business this summer have been in retaining key players which formed the bedrock of their recent success.
They have started the campaign adopting different styles and with new additions gradually being integrated into the setup.
Against Graham Potter’s West Ham United, who are under fire for their lacklustre performances as of late, Nottingham Forest are expected to walk away from the City Ground with maximum points. Otherwise, they may endure a sobering night on and off the pitch.
Last week’s press conference from the Portuguese manager had supporters bewildered and shocked at Nuno’s candidness after news broke of relationships behind the scenes deteriorating.
On Friday, he faced the media once again who pressed the manager further on the ownership matter as well as the recent Europa League draw, the impact of late signings, and Elliot Anderson’s first senior England call-up.
Resolving conflict and separation from the noise
Reports emerged throughout the media last week of Nuno Espirito Santo’s fractured relationships with owner Evangelos Marinakis and newly-appointed Global Head of Football Edu Gaspar.
When questioned on if discussions were carried out following that revelatory press briefing, Nuno affirmed they had not had the chance to have a thorough discussion. Yet, he insisted the right moment to do so would be in the upcoming international break, despite confirming they had spoken briefly on the phone in the week.
"We didn’t have a chance this week (to discuss). A tough week for both of us. A lot of work. But we are to talk, this kind of thing should be done in the right moment. The right moment is after the game. Now we are focused on West Ham, and then the international break, that is the right time."
Regarding whether he can re-establish his strong bond with Marinakis previously, which even saw him earn a contract extension in June, he remained hopeful.
"I think in that sense I am totally relaxed. We need to have a talk about the future of the club. How we address things after the transfer market closes. What is the commitment to the club. Me and the president all want the same thing, which is what is the best for Forest."
This still begs the question as to if Edu Gaspar and Nuno have been able to put their differences aside and work together to bring in the new faces.
Nonetheless, potential ramifications of last week’s comments could have infiltrated into the performances of the players, who got off to a flying start against Brentford on the opening day. However, Nuno made sure there was separation from the inescapable noise which had been surrounding the club.
"The answer against Crystal Palace was very good. We have been able to shield players from the noise and they are focused on the tasks. They are mature in their attitude for preparing the game."
On Friday's Europa League draw
Meanwhile, on Friday, the Nottingham Forest owner, Marinakis, was seen attending the Europa League draw in Monaco to represent the club.
Forest have drawn Braga and Porto, and the latter is Nuno’s former club as a player and manager. Their fixture against Malmo is also steeped in history given Forest won their first European title against the Swedish side under Brian Clough.
Nuno gave his thoughts on the draw and how the schedule will determine many factors to how Forest perform: "First of all, it was nice to be in the draw and see it together, as a team, which opponents we have. It is a good draw.
"Now, we need to see when matches will happen. That will be the main thing for knowing when to recover for Premier League games. We have tough opponents, but the City Ground will be huge for us."
On Elliot Anderson's first senior England call-up
Midfielder Elliot Anderson was named in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad who will play Andorra and Serbia in early September.
Anderson starred in Slovakia when the England Under 21s went on to win the European Championships and defended their crown.
Since Jude Bellingham was unable to be included, it opened up an opportunity for Anderson to enter and join his teammate Morgan Gibbs-White.
Nuno said: "The boy is buzzing. For him and for Morgan (Gibbs-White), it is a special and proud moment for us all. I have been checking - since 1996 we didn't have two players in the England squad. It says a lot about them and the improvement of the team. These visual recognitions are only possible if the team competes well."
Both have been lynchpins in Forest’s successes and transformation, and arguably retaining them in the squad for this campaign was the most crucial business Forest chiefs achieved.
Overcoming inconveniences of late transfers
Meanwhile, The Tricky Trees have splashed the cash on acquisitions to arm Nuno with serious firepower ahead of congested schedules and increased demands when European football gets underway.
A lot of the deals have materialised late in the transfer window, and Nuno stressed his concerns, but he said how he has proactively implemented things to integrate the new signings efficiently.
"In a perfect scenario (we have them) on the first day of pre-season. But I have spoken about it being a frustration. It is harder to settle now. But, they are aware they need to make the extra conscious effort of integrating. Even if they don’t start, they are aware of the game plan. We are working hard on that aspect."