BBC Sport reports that Nottingham Forest`s upcoming Premier League match away at Newcastle United is considered a `key fixture` for Ange Postecoglou`s position as manager. The club hierarchy views both the result and the team`s performance as equally critical. For now, Postecoglou retains the board`s backing and expresses full confidence in the project he initiated at the club.
The Australian arrived at the City Ground under challenging circumstances and faces an uphill battle to win over fans. Many supporters are displeased with the controversial sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo, which reportedly followed a disagreement with owner Evangelos Marinakis. Fan frustration recently surfaced when sections of the home crowd chanted “You’re getting sacked in the morning” towards their own manager after Midtjylland took a 3-1 lead in a Thursday fixture. Although Chris Wood converted a late penalty, it wasn`t enough to prevent a 3-2 defeat. This result made Postecoglou the first Forest manager in a century to fail to win any of his initial six matches in charge.
While calls for the manager`s dismissal after just 24 days and six matches seemed premature, they highlight the growing anxieties within the fanbase. What was anticipated to be their most celebrated season in a generation, marking the return of European football to the City Ground, has quickly become clouded with uncertainty.
Forest has secured only a single point from league matches against newly promoted Burnley and Sunderland. They also suffered a late capitulation, losing 3-2 to Championship side Swansea City in the Carabao Cup. These results, coupled with a 3-0 home defeat to 19th-placed West Ham United in Nuno`s final game, clearly explain the fan backlash provoked by a series of concerning performances.
A 2-2 draw away at Real Betis has been the only genuinely encouraging result of Postecoglou’s tenure so far, yet even that game ended disappointingly with Antony scoring an 85th-minute equalizer for the La Liga side. The imperative for rapid improvement is now intense.
Speaking on Friday afternoon, Postecoglou asserted that he does not allow pressure to influence his management, citing his Europa League win with Tottenham Hotspur despite a dismal domestic season as a prime example.
“It doesn`t enter my head,” he stressed. “My responsibility lies in making sure this football club progresses and gets to a position where it can challenge for things. If I start putting timelines to that or worry about what is going to happen next week then I am not performing the role I have been given.
“I just don`t think it is helpful to anyone. At the end of the day, I have to concentrate on the environment, the training, the way we play, and, as I said last night, I am still very, very strong in my belief that we are not too far away.
“Put it this way – I knew I was getting sacked at Tottenham about three or four months before I did, but that didn`t stop me from winning something.”
The significance of the clash with Newcastle for Postecoglou and Forest is evident. It`s a battle between 15th and 17th in the league, as both sides have endured an underwhelming start to the new campaign. However, the Magpies will be buoyed by a convincing 4-0 victory against Union Saint Gilloise in the Champions League, contrasting sharply with Forest’s midweek European fortunes.
A heavy defeat at St James’ Park could lead to `internal scrutiny` for Postecoglou ahead of the international break, potentially prompting a critical decision. The rest of the month features a demanding schedule, with challenging fixtures against Chelsea, Porto, Bournemouth, and Manchester United.
Postecoglou currently enjoys the backing of the Forest board – but the question remains: how long can this support last before owner Marinakis and his associates begin to reconsider whether they appointed the right man?
