Ange Postecoglou seems to be linked with Nottingham Forest amid managerial uncertainty. Former manager of Tottenham, Ange Postecoglou, is linked with a return to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest. The rumor surfaced over reports of a breaking relationship between Forest manager Nuno Espirito, and the club owner Evangelos Marinakis.
The Growing Speculation
Multiple UK reports, including those from The Guardian and TalkSPORT, indicate that Postecoglou is “keen to return” to the English top flight. He allegedly held talks with Marinakis about the potential vacancy. The speculation gained traction when Nuno publicly acknowledged that his relationship with the Forest owner had significantly deteriorated. He stated: “This season, not so well. No, it’s not (good)”.
Postocoglou’s ties with Marinakis are anything but new. The two were snapped together in Greece back in July. Moreover, The Olympiakos owner Marinakis, honoured Postecoglou for being the first Greek manager to win the Europa League. The set of rumors fueled by this relationship claims that the Australian is the one that is most likely to be in consideration. Especially, if Nuno leaves.
Nuno’s Uncertain Position
Despite leading Nottingham Forest to their highest Premier League finish since 1994-95 last term (7th) and to European football for the first time in 30 years, Nuno looks to be less secure. Yet the Portuguese shrugged at the reports of his future and recognised the rewritten dynamic with ownership.
The tensions seem to centre around disagreements over the club’s transfer business. This particularly follows the appointment of Edu as Forest’s global head of football earlier this summer. Nuno expressed concerns about recruitment. He stated: “We have doubts, who is going to be [here], when are they [new signings] going to come? All these things create doubts”.
Postecoglou’s Background
Postecoglou’s name surfaced as a possibility following the unexpected dismissal by Tottenham Hotspur. After handily ending the club’s 17-year trophy drought with the Europa League, he left in June. The main reason behind his departure was the catastrophic performance by Tottenham in the Premier League. They saw them not only finish 17th but also achieve their worst points tally in the history of the competition.
The Australian manager has maintained a respectable reputation within football circles. Socceroos great Mark Schwarzer recently expressed that Postecoglou “warrants another opportunity in the Premier League”. It came through by highlighting his Europa League success with limited resources at Tottenham.
The Other Candidates and Future Prospects
Postecoglou would be in consideration as a front-runner for the role. However the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Jose Mourinho have also been surfacing with the Forest job. The situation is still fluid with Nuno ready to converse with the powers that be further to try and rectify the continuing tensions.
First and foremost, the fate of boss Aitor Karanka remains up in the air, with Nottingham Forest supporters waiting to see what their manager’s job status is before their return to European action for the first time in almost 40 years, and will be praying that the off-field mess doesn’t spill over and ruin what looks to be an historic season in the making.
