Former Rangers transfer guru key to Ange Postecoglou's Nottingham Forest future as ex-Celtic boss faces issue
The former Celtic boss could face an early sacking at Nottingham Forest.
A former Rangers transfer guru is set to play a key role in whether ex Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou survives at Nottingham Forest.
The Australian who won five domestic trophies in two years at Parkhead before joining Tottenham has not won any of his opening six games since arriving at the City Ground. They have been knocked out the Carabao Cup by Championship side Swansea City, lost to newly promoted side Sunderland in the Premier League and Thursday’s 3-2 Europa League loss versus Midtjylland proved bruising.
Fans chanted ‘sacked in the morning’ at the gaffer who won the second tier UEFA competition last season at Spurs. Now owner Evangelos Marinakis is turning concerned over the direction of travel ahead of Sunday’s clash with Newcastle, and if he is to pull the trigger or not, Ross Wilson will be vital. He was previously sporting director at Ibrox where he oversaw strategy over a three-and-a-half year period in which Rangers won the league.
Will Ange Postecoglou be sacked at Nottingham Forest?
His transfer strategy also helped the club’s record transfer sale go tumbling twice in Nathan Patterson’s move to Everton and Calvin Bassey’s Ajax switch. He is now in the sporting director role at Nottingham Forest and a report in the Guardian suggests Marinakis will turn to the former Rangers man over whether or not to fire the ex-Celtic manager.
Reporting states: “Ange Postecoglou is fighting for his Nottingham Forest future and facing a potentially pivotal game at Newcastle United on Sunday. Postecoglou’s position as Forest’s head coach is already in doubt, just 24 days into his tenure, with owner Evangelos Marinakis understood to be growing seriously concerned by results and performances. Forest have failed to win in the six matches since Postecoglou’s appointment, losing four of them, and the reaction of home supporters, some of whom chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning” during the Europa League defeat by FC Midtjylland, has triggered deep alarm behind the scenes.
“Though it is acknowledged that this weekend’s game at Newcastle is a very difficult fixture, another poor performance and defeat could end with Postecoglou claiming the record of the shortest-ever Premier League reign. Marinakis will ultimately make the decision on the former Tottenham Hotspur manager’s future, while he will seek the opinion of chief football officer Ross Wilson and Edu Gaspar, the club’s global head of football.
What has Ange Postecoglou said about Nottingham Forest future?
“Forest are fully focused on the Newcastle match and determined to support Postecoglou. There was also frustration among the hierarchy over the performance of referee Willy Delajod in Thursday’s defeat by Danish side FC Midtjylland at the City Ground. While Marinakis has a reputation as a trigger-happy owner, he will be reluctant to dismiss another manager and is hopeful of an upturn in results. The Greek billionaire prefers stability, and Postecoglou’s predecessors Steve Cooper and Nuno Espírito Santo were in charge for a combined four years before they left the club.”
Postecoglou said of his future after the fan chanting: "I heard it. They're fans, they want to see their team win, and they're entitled to their opinion. Really disappointing. Just really, really poor goals we conceded in the first half.
“Just got to keep going. There is no hiding in the sport we're in. Got to keep your head up and recover. We have a tough game against Newcastle at the weekend."