The Nottingham Forest man is now a key player under Oliver Glasner after a challenging first year at the City Ground
Nottingham Forest's James McAtee in action against Liverpool
Nottingham Forest's James McAtee in action against Liverpool(Image: Getty)
View Image
After a challenging first year at Nottingham Forest, James McAtee wasn't quite sure what to expect when he returned from his summer break.
A regular on the bench during the 2025/26 campaign, the 23-year-old struggled to make much of an impact in the Garibaldi. Even when handed a starting role, he often found himself being hooked - including at half-time on more than one occasion.
Little wonder he wasn’t sure where “his head was going to be” when he returned for pre-season. But with Oliver Glasner now in charge, McAtee’s situation has completely changed and he has been in the XI for Forest's opening two Premier League games.
*JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!Get all the Nottingham Forest latest via our Facebook page*
"I came in for pre-season and didn't really know where I was going to be. I didn't know where my head was going to be," the former Manchester City man admitted after Saturday's 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
"He (Glasner) came in and backed me straight away. It's been enjoyable since.
"Obviously I'm a little bit deeper now. I'm usually playing a little bit higher up the pitch.
"It means I can get on the ball a bit more and still be involved in the game. I'm enjoying it at the moment, to be honest."
Glasner has entrusted McAtee with a deeper midfield role since taking over as head coach. That faith was rewarded with a standout showing at Anfield.
Get YOUR Nottingham Forest Newsletter
Get the best Nottingham Forest news, analysis and more straight to your Inbox!
To get it, it's a simple one-two punch.
Enter your email and hit Subscribe.
McAtee impressed as the visitors claimed their first point of the campaign courtesy of goals from Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White. Building on a positive performance and result is now the aim for the Reds as they continue to adapt to the new boss' methods.
"He's been saying to the lads, it's maybe going to take a few weeks or a few months," McAtee told TNT Sports. "We're all trying our best to do what he's telling us to do. Once we get going and we all get used to the formation, I think we can do something special."
Defender Neco Williams added: "It's still very early on. We've only been together for two months so we're still learning the role.
"The one thing we've always had with this team is togetherness. The last few times we've come here (to Anfield), we haven't had loads of possession but you could see our willingness to fight for each other and to defend our goal.
"Of course they are going to get opportunities, and they did. But that togetherness has always stayed with us and it will never go away."
How would you rate McAtee's performance against Liverpool? Click HERE to have your say
How to follow our Forest coverage
Nottingham Forest reporter Sarah Clapson
Nottingham Forest reporter Sarah Clapson
Delivered straight to your inbox, our regular email bulletins feature all the latest Forest news, views, gossip, opinion and transfer updates.
Our dedicated reporter Sarah Clapson - who you can follow on X by clicking here - follows Forest home and away and offers you comprehensive coverage from matchdays, press conferences and everything that happens in between.So much happens day to day and sometimes you can struggle to keep on top of the very latest updates as and when they occur - that's why we have produced a daily newsletter which you can sign up to, for free, and which means you'll have a round-up of the key stories land in your email inbox.
Sign up to the Forest newsletter here.
Social Media: You can also get all the latest updates by following us on social media here Facebook and X
WhatsApp: You can also get all your favourite content from the Nottingham Post's Forest team on WhatsApp. Click here to sign up for breaking updates about the biggest stories in and around the club.
App: We also have a free app which you can download. It is always up-to-date with the latest Forest news. You can personalise the content you see by selecting Nottingham Forest as one of your designated topics. You can get it from Apple here and for Android here.