As Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou, recently hounded out as manager of the club by their chairman, would have it. Now, he has become the favorite to replace Nuno Espírito Santo as manager of Nottingham Forest after Nuno Espírito Santo was fired. Postecoglou’s managerial career has included a lot of high highs and low lows. This leads to further debate as to whether his particular planning can subsist at Forest.
Postecoglou had Tottenham on a topsy-turny ride of a season, ending up with them in 17th place in the Premier League after an awful second half. Fair enough—while at Spurs he was responsible for plenty of defensive mistakes. As a consequence, the club finished fourth in the league for mistakes leading to goals. Despite this, he achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Greek manager to win the Europa League, an accomplishment recognized by Evangelos Marinakis, owner of Nottingham Forest, who awarded him this summer.
Nuno’s brief spell at Forest was cut short by a string of modest results. Under his stewardship, the side let in an incredible 65 goals. Yet Nuno’s defensive mindset is in stark contrast to Postecoglou’s attacking style. This situation sharply contrasts with questions of how Postecoglou would adapt his winning approach to suit the unique needs of Forest.
In the past, Postecoglou’s teams played focused on brutal attacking and high-flying scores. He stated, “The main principles are playing with the purpose of scoring goals, defending aggressively, trying to win the ball as quick as you can.” His recent approach at Tottenham already presented a clear departure in terms of style. In their last four Europa League games, his team averaged under 42 percent possession, testimony to a more versatile and pragmatic approach than seasons past.
While he understandably had a very tough time at Spurs, Postecoglou is still sure enough about himself. He previously remarked on the importance of context in evaluating success, saying, “It’s: is the team playing Champions League this season? What’s different if you then finish 13th or 10th? Does it change anything?” This interpretation sheds light on his conviction that winning came first, that it was more important than committing fully to any one brand of soccer.
Postecoglou’s relationship with Marinakis makes this possible appointment even more intriguing. Their common nationality and Marinakis’s respect for Postecoglou’s success could create the best atmosphere for his second stint in management. With the potential for Postecoglou to stamp his tactical vision on Forest, supporters can be excited at the prospect of seeing the team rejuvenated.
While Forest figure out the best way to overcome their own missteps, they have to think about what kind of manager they want to get. Postecoglou’s past experience in high-pressure environments and his ability for tactical flexibility should prove themselves valuable assets. One senior figure from his era at Spurs said that every strategy had a winning proposition at its core. He stressed that it was more than just adopting a different style of play. It’s about winning that game.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s pragmatic approach was the antithesis of Postecoglou’s approach, favouring a more defensive style instead of free-flowing football. This difference has fueled some speculation over how well Postecoglou would be able to adapt his principles with a focus on addressing Forest’s more short-term requirements. The team’s disappointing performance in the past indicates that change is crucial for success in the ever-demanding Premier League.
Leave a Reply