Ange Postecoglou Set For Forest: Is He The Right Appointment?

Ange Postecoglou Set For Forest: Is He The Right Appointment?

Nottingham Forest’s Premier League journey since promotion in 2022 has been turbulent to say the least, from their transfer overhaul under Steve Cooper, to a Champions League push with Nuno Espirito Santo. The conveyor belt of drama has continued this summer with their letter disputing Crystal Palace’s involvement in the Europa League, leading to their own promotion to the competition at Palace’s expense.

The latest spectacle at the City Ground has been the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo, the man who led Forest back to the European stage after a 29-year absence. His replacement? None other than last year’s Europa League-winning coach, Ange Postecoglou.

Numerous questions have been raised surrounding the circumstances that have led to a decision that some would describe as shocking. Did Nuno deserve the boot? What is the story behind the manager’s fall-out with the club’s hierarchy? But most importantly, is ‘Big Ange’ the right man for the job?

Nottingham Forest is delighted to confirm the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as the Club’s First Team Head Coach.

Postecoglou has been in management for over 25 years, arriving on Trentside with experience of regularly competing and winning trophies at the highest level.… pic.twitter.com/Yc2XLrZa7M

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) September 9, 2025

A Questionable Sacking?

Nottingham Forest and their owner Evangelos Marinakis are no strangers to cut-throat dismissals. In December 2023, the club parted ways with Steve Cooper, the coaching mind behind the Trees’ magical Championship promotion the previous year, and furthermore, their initial Premier League survival. However, Cooper was fired after a winless run of six, leaving Forest just above the relegation zone.

Yet, Nottingham Forest were hardly in a comparable state under Nuno to where they were in December 2023. The club spent 19 (or 50%) of the 38 2025/26 Premier League gameweeks in a Champions League spot, currently gearing up for another campaign full of promise.

Under the Portuguese manager’s reign, Forest would first overcome a four-point deduction to escape relegation. Following up on that achievement by recording their best winning streak in 58 years last January, reaching the FA Cup Semi-Final, and beating the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City in the league.

Nuno Espirito Santo's win rate as Nottingham Forest boss 👇 pic.twitter.com/EgPUwNjPCX

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 9, 2025

The Nuno-Forest Fall Out

The Reds’ statement announcing Nuno’s departure was short and sweet, bluntly confirming that “following recent circumstances, Nuno Espírito Santo has today been relieved of his duties as Head Coach.” These ‘recent circumstances’ are much deeper than the club describes, tracing back to four months ago, when disputes first started to appear.

Questions first began when Marinakis stormed the pitch after a 2-2 draw with Leicester City, which harshly hindered the club’s chance of a top-five finish. The ins and outs of what was said in this heated exchange of words were never revealed, but the club claims the Greek owner was simply frustrated with the handling of Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury.

Nuno stayed put, but this was just the beginning of a string of tensions.

When the summer window came about, Nuno publicly announced that the squad was “very, very far off” where it needed to be after a lack of signings in the first month of transfer activity. The ex-Wolves manager also made it known that his relationship with Marinakis was distant, despite the club's ownership continuing to state that there were no issues.

A pivotal turning point was the appointment of former Arsenal sporting director, Edu Gaspar, who was handed the role of Forest’s ‘Global Head of Football’ in July 2025.

A reminder that Edu Gaspar was responsible for every signing in this photo as Arsenal’s sporting director besides academy graduate Bukayo Saka 👀 pic.twitter.com/y1b98PBPkA

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) November 4, 2024

Nuno and Edu’s history dates back longer than you think. The pair’s first encounter came in the 2001/02 Champions League when Edu’s Arsenal was drawn in a group with Nuno’s Deportivo La Coruna. Whilst they didn’t share a pitch, as Nuno was benched both home and away. It was the first time the Portuguese keeper met the man that would ultimately cost him his managerial role 23 years later.

Upon Edu’s arrival, the pair instantly disagreed on transfer strategy. Nuno’s desire to reunite with Adama Traore at the City Ground collapsed, and the arrivals of Douglas Luiz and Omari Hutchinson (overseen by Edu) were both deals that Nuno was not necessarily keen on. In fact, there were a number of unnamed players Nuno and Edu disagreed over, their relationship creating a chilling atmosphere.

What ultimately caused Marinakis to pull the plug on Nuno’s life in Nottingham was the manager’s decision to speak out against the owner on multiple occasions. Marinakis, undoubtedly a man with an ego, was ‘deeply hurt’ by such comments, and with Edu on his side, felt that there was no choice other than to start the search for a new head coach…

Many of us were unsure when he arrived, but it’s safe to say Nuno Espírito Santo has written his name in Nottingham Forest history.

A great manager, but an even better bloke.

Such a disappointment that it’s ended this way 🇵🇹#NFFC pic.twitter.com/lJ0ren9Ryt

— Ethan Lamb (@ethanlamb01) September 8, 2025

Postecoglou’s Track Record

Postecoglou has only been absent for three Premier League gameweeks, but the league already felt empty without his blunt and witty attitude. From one complicated sacking to another, Ange’s Spurs departure didn’t come without controversy either. But with his appointment comes a career of success.

The Australian-Greek has developed a knack for rejuvenating football teams. At the Brisbane Roar and South Melbourne, he became the most decorated domestic Australian coach of all time. He brought J League glory back to Yokohama F. Marinos after 15 years without a title, won Australia’s first Asian Cup, regenerated a Celtic squad who had just lost the league to Rangers, and above all ended Tottenham Hotspurs’ 17 year trophy drought.

Whilst the casual fan might decide the pen him down as a man who led Tottenham to their lowest league finish in over 30 years, if you examine closer, Forest are employing a manager more than fit to oversee a Premier League outfit. His debut campaign at Spurs saw him break the record for the most Premier League points earned by a manager in their first nine games (23pts, 7W, 2D), returning Tottenham back to European football, notably without Harry Kane.

2 - In winning the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has maintained his record of winning a trophy in his second full season with a club (1997-98 South Melbourne, 2011-12 Brisbane Roar, 2019 Yokohama F. Marinos, 2022-23 Celtic). Always. #UELfinal pic.twitter.com/sedkuw7Nqd

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 21, 2025

A Dramatic Playstyle Shift

The biggest debate you will witness in the following days is how Ange, who has a completely different brand of football to Nuno, will manage to make things click instantly without a transfer window.

Nuno's style is often described as pragmatic, defensive, and built on a solid foundation. His teams prioritize being difficult to beat and are particularly effective at absorbing pressure and transitioning quickly. Only the top four and Everton conceded fewer in 2024/25, hugley thanks to Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic’s formidable centre-back partnership.

218 contested duels ⚔️
152 won ✅
70% success rate 🤯
The best success rate in the Premier League 👏

Nikola Milenkovic has been a rock for Nottingham Forest this season. 5 goals to go with it too ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/v581E5PuiJ

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 19, 2025

At the other end of the spectrum there’s Angeball, a high-octane, front-foot approach that is consistent regardless of the opponent. Relentless aggression with or without the ball, high pressing, and an electric pair of full-backs are part and parcel as well.

The ‘passes per defensive action’ statistic is a effective way to highlight the differences in the manager’s playstyles, as it measures how few passes an opponent is allowed to complete before a defensive action is made. Between 2023 and 2025, Spurs had a PPDA of 9.1, which ranked 1st in the league. In contrast, Nottingham Forest under Nuno Espírito Santo had a PPDA of 16.4, ranking 19th.

That Murillo-Milenkovic connection previously mentioned could also be under threat. The Premier League reported that of the 128 defenders to play in the Premier League so far this season, Milenkovic ranks 95th for top speed recorded (30.31km/h) and Murillo ranks 69th (31.52km/h). The pair are used to sprinting as little as possible, excelling by playing as deep lying centre halves instead.

There will be a number of players who will benefit from the Aussies’ arrival, many who came through the door this summer. Despite Nuno disputing the signings of Luiz and to an extent Hutchinson, the pair are the type of players who will thrive under Ange. Hutchinson is a high-octane, dynamic winger who will be allowed to express himself under the new tactician. Luiz on the other hand is a versatile and well-rounded midfielder who possesses the technical skill, attacking mindset, and work ethic to flourish in a possession-based system where his all-around abilities would be fully utilized.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">

Douglas Luiz 🇧🇷

With Brazil:
- 18 caps for the full team
- Olympic gold
- Toulon tourney winner + player of the tourney

In the Prem:
- 175 apps
- Villa player of the season 22/23
- 9 league goals in the 23/24 season

Just turned 27 - in his prime. Outrageous signing 😍 #NFFC pic.twitter.com/AdWuvEUrz6

It wouldn’t come as a surprise if you were told Forest had planned to bring Ange in months ago, as even more of their signings look to be strong fits for his system. James McAtee and Elliott Anderson could also be described as ‘Angeball’ midfielders, with their forward thinking attitude and strength in possession. Dan Ndoye is another winger profile who should flourish this season, already getting off the mark with a goal and assist in his opening three games.

The Oceanian blend of Chris Wood under Postecoglou will also be an intriguing watch. In recent years we have seen the likes of Son Heung-Min, Richarlison, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Daizen Maeda tally up double digit campaigns under Ange, not one of them particularly embodying Wood’s ‘no.9 targetman’ style. Wood managed 20 Premier League goals under Nuno last season, and there is potential for his strong goalscoring spell to continue, if his new manager’s wing play style can deliver him enough service.

Final Verdict on Ange

The managerial change will be a dramatic shift in style, so it would not come as a surprise if Forest struggle at first. Nuno’s axing has clearly happened because of reasons off the pitch, and was apparently necessary, even with a massive season ahead. There’s a large possibility that the Nottinghamshire side will evolve into an even greater beast with Postecoglou at the helm, but is that gamble worth the potential sacrifice of European football?

The central defenders will be handed the biggest challenge of switching up their game to involve a lot more sprinting, but if Murillo and Milenkovic have the quality that landed them in many fans 2025/26 teams of the season, then they should be able to adjust. If not, upcoming defender Jair Cunha could also be handed the opportunity to start at the City Ground as another option at centre back.

Postecoglou is not a nailed on ‘correct appointment’ as he is entering a club who are already in a successful period, a contrasting situation to the states that Celtic and Spurs were in upon his arrival. However, there should be excitement surrounding his return to the English top flight, as his project has the potential to deliver European triumph. Providing he stays on Mr. Marinakis’ good side, of course.