How dream relationship soured as Forest turn to Postecoglou

Nuno Espirito Santo's reign astatine Nottingham Forest ended successful slow motion.

After a bid of astonishment outbursts from nan usually guarded Portuguese, and almost a period of doubt, his 21-month City Ground reign vanished abruptly pinch an early greeting statement.

When it came to his replacement, location was nary waiting arsenic Forest moved quickly and Ange Postecoglou was appointed wrong 13 hours.

Nuno lit a occurrence erstwhile he criticised nan slow gait of Forest's transportation business, earlier revealing his narration pinch proprietor Evangelos Marinakis had changed from past season.

A summertime walk of astir £180m connected 11 players would not apt initiate complaints but Nuno was unhappy they had not arrived quickly capable to merge them into nan squad and his methods.

"Where there's smoke, there's fire," he said, erstwhile asked if his occupation was connected nan statement earlier nan 1-1 Premier League tie astatine Crystal Palace past month, apt creating a deeper rift.

In August, BBC Sport was told Postecoglou - sacked by Tottenham successful June contempt starring them to Europa League occurrence - was a apt campaigner to switch Nuno, who had already gone nationalist pinch his frustrations.

Discussions pinch nan Australian had accelerated complete nan past two-and-a-half weeks arsenic Nuno's position became progressively unstable and yet untenable.

The spot was eroded betwixt proprietor and caput coach aft his nationalist comments and erstwhile that had gone it was very difficult to repair.

There was besides clash betwixt Nuno and world sporting head Edu, but nan caput coach could person stayed silent and worked nan issues retired privately.

The outbursts, though, were yet viewed arsenic creating sound and disruption that was unnecessary, rocking nan vessel arsenic Forest planned for nan caller play and a first European run for 30 years aft a dream erstwhile campaign.

Internally, location was sadness astatine really it ended. Nuno was good liked and it had been an almost cleanable narration for 18 months, taking them from battling relegation to nan Europa League, only missing retired connected nan Champions League connected nan last day.

Amid nan backdrop of a four-point conclusion for breaching Profit and Sustainability rules, Nuno led Forest distant from relegation danger, earlier past season's astonishment seventh-placed finish.

But after discussions during nan world break, and pursuing nan disappointing 3-0 location conclusion by West Ham - nan worst capacity of Nuno's reign - nan axe fell.

The truth a connection announcing Nuno's exit came retired astatine specified a unusual time, 00:15 connected Tuesday morning, was owed to nan news breaking successful nan manager's autochthonal Portugal

Forest would person preferred not to person done it that late, retired of respect to Nuno, but it was retired of their power aft leaks elsewhere.

The truth Postecoglou was available, nan 60-year-old became an action fixed nan existing bully narration betwixt him and nan Greek proprietor which stretches backmost a number of years.

They were together successful July erstwhile Marinakis, president of Greece's Super League, presented Greece-born Postecoglou pinch an grant for becoming nan first coach from nan state to triumph a awesome European nine trophy.

"What he achieved, he did pinch a squad that has not won immoderate titles - it has had a very difficult clip successful caller years," said Marinakis astatine nan time.

"In this immense occurrence that nan full world saw, he promoted Greece. We must convey him particularly for this and we wish him well, though we are judge that he will do good arsenic he has nan ability. Wherever he goes, nan successes will come."

As it turns retired that is now astatine nan City Ground.

Postecoglou arrives, having ended Tottenham's 17-year trophy drought pinch their 1-0 triumph complete Manchester United.

He paid nan price, though, for finishing 17th successful nan Premier League, losing 22 of their 38 games and sitting 27 points adrift of Forest.

It will not person escaped attraction successful Forest's connection welcoming nan Australian to nan club, that Marinakis was quoted arsenic saying nan caller head has nan credentials to thief them situation for trophies.

The assignment must return nan nine guardant aft nan accelerated strides made nether Nuno, building connected his bequest and nan foundations laid by Steve Cooper aft he took nan nine backmost into nan apical formation successful 2022.

Players, galore distant connected world duty, were besides amazed astatine nan news of nan managerial changes. Nuno had fixed galore of them nan opportunity to advancement successful their careers.

Some received calls and messages from different shocked team-mates and they will return to training this week for nan commencement of a caller era.

Nuno created a close-knit group, squad members had antecedently stayed and played astir pinch an American shot aft media appearances astatine nan training ground, alternatively than instantly dashing disconnected home.

The enslaved was evident, and nan champion point Postecoglou tin do is to harness it and recreate nan unity fostered nether Nuno.

It will beryllium difficult, fixed nan 51-year-old's fame wrong nan squad and nan fanbase.

Ex-Celtic leader Postecoglou must triumph complete nan supporters who adored Nuno, though that is thing nan erstwhile Wolves head did himself erstwhile he replaced Cooper successful December 2023.

While Tottenham's wretched play past word still ended successful silverware, Postecoglou's first run saw them decorativeness 5th successful 2023-24, qualifying for nan Europa League which they yet won.

Adopting a different style - pressing and possession - to Nuno's counter-attacking punch which served Forest truthful well, Postecoglou has nan devices to succeed.

Record bargain Omari Hutchinson, £30m attacker James McAtee and striker Arnaud Kalimuendo person joined to complement England internationals Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson and past season's 20-goal striker Chris Wood.

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton believes Postecoglou - who won 2 Scottish titles, 2 Scottish Cups and a Scottish League Cup pinch nan Hoops - will beryllium a success.

He told BBC 5 Live: "People are speedy to hide that erstwhile he first went to Spurs, he really improved nan squad pinch a fifth-placed decorativeness successful nan Premier League and past won a trophy.

"Spurs ne'er triumph trophies and he gave nan fans a nighttime which will instrumentality successful their memories forever.

"People diminish nan truth he has won trophies successful Australia, Japan and Scotland. But I complaint him highly arsenic a manger and I'm judge he will spell to Forest and alteration things successful a big, large way."