Not often does a managerial appointment that looked like a disaster from the off spiral out of control as quickly as Ange Postecoglou at Nottingham Forest. The decision to sack Nuno Espirito Santo and hire the much-maligned Aussie was akin to switching off the airbags and driving headfirst into a brick wall at 100 miles per hour.
A needless, and some would say even careless, roll of the dice that has left Forest in freefall. Nuno has already landed on his feet elsewhere (although, not sure the London Stadium can exactly be described as a safe haven), while Forest fans are being left to rue the mistakes of their trigger-happy hierarchy.
Who’d have thought a squad sculpted by a manager whose ideals focus on counter-attacking football would crash and burn when taken over by a coach who is all about pressing high and keeping hold of the ball? If Nuno and Ange were politicians, they’d be debating each other from opposite ends of the political spectrum, such are their polar opposite ideas when it comes to football.
The best time to have sacked Postecoglou was immediately after hiring him, but for Evangelos Marinakis and Forest, the second best time to get rid is right now. It would prove a welcome show of humility from the controversial Marinakis, who has certainly had his detractors from the wider footballing world in recent times.
A simple acceptance that he and the Forest decision makers had got things wrong, because otherwise, what’s the alternative? In the seven matches since Postecoglou took over, the two-time European champions are yet to win one. They’re hovering just above the relegation zone, have already been knocked out of the League Cup and are staring down the barrel of an early exit from the Europa League as well.
In the last two seasons, the threat of relegation wouldn’t even have crossed Forest’s mind, but after seven games this season, things look and feel different. Leeds United and Sunderland haven’t been afraid to invest in their squad, with the pair looking as if they could mount a proper bid for survival.
What’s to say Forest don’t find themselves dragged into a relegation dogfight later down the line? Couple the added pressure of playing Thursdays and then Sunday at least eight times this season because of their European commitments, and the situation looks bleak for the Tricky Trees. Marinakis has to act now, because if he doesn’t, Forest could be left fearing the worst.