Ange Postecoglou’s controversial appointment at Nottingham Forest has been brought to a premature halt just 39 days into his tenure. Tasked with overhauling the team’s game strategy, Postecoglou aimed to shift from Nuno Espirito Santo’s pragmatic approach to a more attacking style known as “Angeball.” His brief spell at the club was marred by defensive frailties, particularly concerning set-pieces, and a lack of support from the club hierarchy.
Postecoglou’s first game in charge was a friendly against Premier League rivals Arsenal. His side gave up two set-piece goals, which is cause for alarm for the long-term. In his eight-game reign, Forest had already leaked 61 percent of all their goals from set-pieces. Instead, this damning statistic shines a light on a major Achilles heel that doomed his coaching tenure.
Even after having led 20 pre-season training sessions with the team, just eight of these were attended by the full roster! Injuries to mainstays such as Murillo, Douglas Luiz, and Oleksandr Zinchenko left holes in the starting lineup. Consequently, they sat out two to four games while Postecoglou was manager. His tactical decision to pick Ola Aina as an important part of his game plan blew up in his face spectacularly. Aina was ruled out for the rest of the season, on the same day that Postecoglou landed in Nottingham.
In his brief time with the club, Postecoglou had conveyed excitement that a new style of play could be unlocked by the presence of these difference-makers. He noted that “Ninety per cent of the squad were really enjoying being more of a dominant team.” He noted that players were enthusiastic to play with freedom, adopting a mission-focused mentality towards winning and running up scoreboards.
Behind the glory and glamour swirled whispers of controversy and suspicion surrounding the club. People like to talk about Leicester City’s wonderful title run of 2016. Even the doubters view it as the exception that proves the rule, which is that possession-based football continues to reign supreme. This sentiment probably just highlighted the anxiety about the merit of Postecoglou’s approach and ideas.
It was only after an abject 3-0 home loss to Chelsea at the City Ground that Postecoglou’s departure became inevitable. Even in defeat, he was given warm tributes from the smattering of fans on hand at full-time. This moment proved just how much real supporters valued his skills, even in a difficult environment.
For all his buoyant spirits, Postecoglou was in fact quite cut off from the club’s hierarchy. Equally frustrating for him was the lack of backup provided by club management. This absence of support made his task of instilling a new footballing culture in a short space even more difficult. Just days after that match, Evangelos Marinakis, the Forest owner, acted decisively to end Postecoglou’s contract. According to reports, he was already on his way out of the City Ground before the match concluded. Seconds after the final whistle, he informed Postecoglou of his impending dismissal.
News of his sacking mission immediately peaked 18 minutes after the match. It was evident that Postecoglou’s visionary dreams for Nottingham Forest had been firmly silenced. I raised my concerns about not having time to make meaningful changes to the staff. This worry increased when the overwhelming majority of players were flourishing with the more physical and aggressive game.
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