OLIVER GLASNER PA
Newly-appointed Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner during a press conference at his official unveiling at the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest might be on their fifth head coach in a year but so far Oliver Glasner is only feeling heat from the sun.
He spoke for almost an hour in his first press conference. It was refreshing to hear a coach speak so openly and show his fun side.
I asked if anything had surprised him since joining the club. He said: “Oh yes, definitely, I think you can see in my face I underestimated the sun.”
With skin almost matching the red of the press conference backboard, he went on, “I expected cloud and probably rain… when I came home I said ‘oh you didn’t take suncream’ so today I took 50SPF and tomorrow it should be better.”
Despite his inability to check Des’s weather forecasts, he is a seriously good football manager.
At Crystal Palace he won the FA Cup, Community Shield and Europa Conference League.
Oliver Glasner at his official unveiling as Forest manager. Credit: PA
He says the Forest players ‘tasted honey’ with European football last season and that will help drive them to success under him.
Whilst he’s been impressed by the players so far he believes the real test will come after the initial honeymoon period. He likened it to his marriage and the importance of ‘keeping things exciting’ after over 30 years together.
Some eyebrows were raised when he was appointed because of his past at Palace - who have a rivalry with Forest after they lost a battle in the courts over which European competition they should enter.
He said: “I had more than two fantastic years at Palace. I had an amazing time there... I am really pleased having been part of this journey but now a new chapter begins for me, a new book is to be written and that’s here at Nottingham Forest.”
Glasner joined Forest because of the ambition of the owner Evangelos Marinakis. Over a dinner in Athens he says he was shocked to meet a man who is even more ambitious than him.
Sticking with the food theme, Glasner says this summer is like putting the ingredients together for a meal.
He says it will take three to six months for his ideas to properly come through. The big question is if Marinakis will have the patience to let him cook?
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