Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest nightmare is over after the Australian boss was brutally sacked just 17 minutes after his side were thumped 3-0 by Chelsea at the City Ground.
Postecoglou’s reign lasted only 39 days, making it the shortest permanent managerial spell in Premier League history. The former Tottenham boss never got going at Forest, failing to win any of his eight matches in charge. Two draws and six defeats left the club teetering just a point above the drop zone.
A club statement confirmed the news late on Saturday evening. “Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that after a series of disappointing results and performances, Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect,” it read. “The club will make no further comment at this time.”
Owner Evangelos Marinakis was in attendance to watch his side capitulate against Chelsea but left his seat midway through the second half. The home crowd followed suit as Reece James made it 3-0 with six minutes left, boos ringing around the City Ground at the final whistle.
Postecoglou’s 39 days beat Les Reed’s infamous 40-day stint at Charlton in 2006, previously the shortest tenure for a permanent Premier League manager. Reed won one of his eight matches before being dismissed. Frank De Boer still holds the record for fewest games managed by a permanent boss, lasting just four at Crystal Palace.
In the Premier League, Postecoglou’s Forest managed a single point from five games. The club now sit 17th, dangerously close to the bottom three, after hopes of a top-half push quickly evaporated.
The Australian had been seen as a bold appointment following Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure. But while Nuno’s side were compact and defensively solid last season, finishing seventh, Postecoglou’s high-risk style never clicked. Forest conceded goals for fun and looked disjointed from the start.
Alan Shearer did not hold back, suggesting Marinakis must shoulder some blame. “The results weren’t good enough, that’s clear, but the owner has to take responsibility too. He chose Ange and knew what kind of football he plays. You can’t go from Nuno’s counter-attacking style to Ange’s expansive approach overnight,” Shearer told BBC Sport.
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards agreed, calling the sacking “inevitable but harsh”. He added, “Ange needed time. You can’t transform a team that quickly. His media outbursts probably didn’t help, but he’s a top manager. Forest need to decide what they actually want to be.”
Now the spotlight turns back to Marinakis. With Forest in disarray and another managerial search underway, fans are left wondering what direction their club is heading next.
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