Nottingham Forest Retains Ange Postecoglou Amid Struggles

Nottingham Forest has decided to retain head coach Ange Postecoglou despite a challenging start to his tenure at the City Ground. Appointed last month, the former Tottenham manager has yet to secure a victory in his first seven matches, leaving the club in a precarious position ahead of their upcoming clash with Chelsea.

Postecoglou’s tenure has seen a series of disappointing results, including a recent 2-0 defeat against Newcastle at St James’ Park. Prior to this, Forest suffered a 3-2 loss at home to Midtjylland in the Europa League, prompting frustrated fans to chant “You’re getting sacked in the morning” during the match. His first game in charge ended in a 3-0 loss to Arsenal, followed by a 3-2 defeat to Championship side Swansea in the League Cup. A narrow 1-0 defeat against Sunderland at home only added to the mounting pressure on the Australian manager.

As the international break provides a pause in the schedule, reports indicate that Evangelos Marinakis, the club’s owner, is using this time to evaluate Postecoglou’s future. Marinakis has a well-documented admiration for Marco Silva, the current Fulham manager, who previously worked under Marinakis at Olympiacos. However, any potential move for Silva would likely incur a significant compensation fee due to his ongoing contract with Fulham.

Despite these considerations, sources close to the situation suggest that Postecoglou is expected to remain in his position beyond the international break. Nottingham Forest’s next fixtures include matches against Chelsea in the Premier League and Porto in the Europa League, presenting immediate challenges for the coach. The club is reportedly seeking a head coach with experience in top-flight European leagues, as well as a background in continental competitions.

Interestingly, Marinakis has a history of not pursuing managers currently under contract, often opting for those who are available. This strategy could afford Postecoglou additional time to turn the team’s fortunes around.

As Nottingham Forest prepares for its upcoming matches, the board’s decision to keep Postecoglou at the helm reflects a cautious approach, allowing him to focus on improving results against formidable opponents. Following the Chelsea match, the team will face Bournemouth, another crucial fixture as they aim to enhance their standing in the league.