Postecoglou Tipped to Succeed Nuno as Forest Manager

Ange Postecoglou is expected to take over from Nuno Espirito Santo, who was dismissed as Nottingham Forest boss.

Nuno departed late on Monday evening, and the club has moved quickly to line up a replacement.
Postecoglou was spotted at Forest’s training ground on Tuesday.

The 60-year-old was relieved of his duties at Tottenham at the close of last season after a poor league campaign that saw Spurs end up 17th.

Despite their struggles, the Australian guided the club to a historic Europa League title, breaking Spurs’ long spell without silverware.

Forest currently occupies 10th place in the Premier League following their opening three matches.
Nuno’s 21-month reign ended with a 3-0 defeat to West Ham just before the September international break.

The Portuguese coach, 51, had joined Forest in December 2023 after Steve Cooper’s dismissal, keeping the club in the top flight.

Last season, he led Forest to seventh in the table, which was their best finish since 1994-95, securing European competition for the first time in three decades.

BBC Sport reports that many players were surprised by Nuno’s departure, especially as several are away on international duty and not back until later this week. Word soon spread, with some hearing the news secondhand from teammates.

Postecoglou is expected to be confirmed before Forest’s clash with Arsenal on Saturday.
If appointed, he will be the club’s eighth permanent manager since Evangelos Marinakis took ownership in May 2017.

Postecoglou’s Spurs Tenure

Tottenham endured a disastrous 2023-24 league campaign under Postecoglou, losing 22 of their 38 fixtures and collecting just 38 points, which was their lowest Premier League tally.
They conceded 65 goals, with only Wolves and the relegated trio of Leicester, Ipswich, and Southampton faring worse.

Nevertheless, Postecoglou delivered a major trophy with a 1-0 win against Manchester United in the Europa League final, Spurs’ first European triumph in 17 years.

That victory brought Champions League qualification, but it wasn’t enough to save his job since he was dismissed just over two weeks later.

Tottenham, who appointed Thomas Frank as his replacement, acknowledged Postecoglou for delivering “one of the club’s greatest moments” as only the third coach to win a European title with Spurs.
In his debut season, he secured fifth place before fulfilling his promise of silverware in his second year.

Postecoglou initially won praise for his attacking philosophy, though he often had to defend his tactical approach. He also faced a long list of injuries to key players, which hampered his efforts.

Postecoglou Before Tottenham

When Spurs hired him in June 2023, Postecoglou became the first Australian to manage in the Premier League.

As a player, he spent his career in Australia, mainly with South Melbourne, where he was coached by Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas, who heavily influenced his style.

His managerial career began at South Melbourne in 1996. Between 2009 and 2012, he secured consecutive A-League titles with Brisbane Roar.

After a spell with Melbourne Victory, he took charge of the Australian national team in 2013, leading them to the 2014 World Cup and lifting the 2015 Asian Cup.

He later enjoyed success in Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos, ending their 15-year wait for a J-League crown in 2019.

In 2021, he joined Celtic, winning five of six domestic trophies available, including back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles.

Postecoglou May Not Be A Fans’ Favorite

While talk of Postecoglou stepping in for Nuno has been circulating, not all fans are thrilled by the prospect.

Some point out that, despite the Europa League triumph, he almost dragged the world’s ninth-richest club into relegation.

Critics argue his aggressive tactics and high defensive line can either shine brilliantly or collapse completely.

They suggest Forest should target managers like Marco Silva, Oliver Glasner, or Andoni Iraola who are seen as more in line with the progressive football established under Nuno and Steve Cooper.

The squad is stronger than it has been in years. The question remains: can the new manager build on Nuno’s foundation and elevate Forest further, or will supporters be left wondering about missed opportunities?