A 3-0 loss at home against Chelsea finally saw the end of Ange Postecoglou at Nottingham Forest. The next decision at the City Ground now needs to make amends for the previous eight games. George Edwards was at the match
Ange Postecoglou painted a solitary figure at full time against Chelsea; he looked swallowed up, wandering around the pitch with trepidation and a timid mannerism. It felt like he knew what was coming next.
As his minuscule tenure as Nottingham Forest manager unfolded – the shortest-reigning manager in Forest history – it became clear that his position was becoming untenable, that something had to change.
Postecoglou never fitted in, he never felt like a Forest manager. The vicious defence of his style and the constant proclamation of his past achievements put himself at the centre of every story, something every recent successful Forest manager has steered clear of.
However, Ange had to be different from what came before. His appointment signified a desire for change from the hierarchy, a bold statement of intent at a time when the club seemed to be heading in just the right direction, when everything was looking up.
Evangelos Marinakis hasn’t got much wrong on the field during his ownership reign, certainly since the appointment of Steve Cooper in 2021. Yet, it’s hard not to pin the blame on the Greek for the torrid waters Forest now swim in.
The swiftness of the Australian’s dismissal following the full-time whistle exhibited his admission of guilt and acknowledged that retaining the club’s DNA of being a rebellious entity, primarily based on solid foundations, supersedes any individual or ego.
By the end, it looked as if Postecoglou was out of his depth.
The City Ground didn’t paint the same toxic and angry front that it did in Forest’s previous two home defeats to Midtjylland and Sunderland. Instead, they got behind their team vocally and, until the end, refrained from verbal frustrations directed towards Postecoglou, many voting with their feet rather than voices once Chelsea’s third goal sealed his fate.
But there was never a genuine belief that Forest had the form, ability or capability to pick up a result, or even score a goal. They had lost their identity and there was no clear direction from the manager, apart from downwards.
The final two games of Postecoglou’s tenure felt like a last resort, damage limitation, when presented with two teams that just months ago, Forest would have relished competing against with fearlessness and genuine belief.
The pragmatic way in which he set Forest up against Newcastle and Chelsea would have done nothing to boost squad confidence or morale, a back five from the start something his more defensive predecessor never really ventured to even in his (albeit sparse) dark moments.
That resignation was not what Ange was brought in for, and it served as a clear indicator he felt his days were numbered and was feeling the heat.
Furthermore, it’s not like he walked into a squad incapable or lacking confidence. Forest’s transfer window meant there were some new faces, but the dressing room was surely a positive place to be, preparing for a European venture and with the whole city of Nottingham behind them.
Postecoglou never attempted to endear himself to his supporters either. Most managers that take charge of Forest, cliché or not, make reference to the club’s eminent history and focus on the future and what could be achieved by togetherness and their support.
Whereas it felt as if Postecoglou was more focused on his accolades, particularly his time at Tottenham, yes fighting his corner but doing so to the detriment of his current employers, as if he was talking like he was out of work.
The message was that he needed time and that he would bring success by the end. But his inability to pick up a win in eight games with a squad that finished seventh in the Premier League last season speaks volumes, and the inevitability of his sacking has loomed large pretty much from the onset.
The question has to be asked, why did Forest appoint Ange? Granted, in hindsight it’s easy to reflect on a clear misjudgement, but it’s hard to suggest these failings couldn’t have been foreseen.
A squad moulded around a counterattacking manager, a club where no single person could outshine the collective, and ambitious names such as Oliver Glasner and Andoni Iraola touted as ‘admired’ and deemed to have been a good fit, all so opposite to everything the Aussie represented.
It’s a shame Forest look like they have to start again.
A season anticipated with such positivity, belief and great expectation has come crashing down inside two months.
Five months ago, they secured Europe. Six months ago, they went to Wembley. Nine months ago, for 45 minutes, they were three points off top spot. The current Nottingham Forest doesn’t remotely feel like the same football club.
Marinakis must get the next appointment right; his last two are what have landed Forest in their current state of disarray. Edu’s employment seemed to be the catalyst for Nuno’s demise, and replacing the Portuguese with Postecoglou has taken Forest right back to square one.
His short tenure has the ability to tarnish everything positive Forest have built over the past four years, with Forest sitting 18th in the Premier League, without a win in 10 games, scoring just once in the league since his arrival.
But his dismissal gives everybody a chance to get back on side.
Now he’s gone, we must pick up the pieces and get behind his successor. The error has been amended, the imposter has been removed, and the era must be forgotten in order for Forest to get back on the right track.
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