"You're Getting Sacked In The Morning": Oh Deer, Mate…

"You're Getting Sacked In The Morning": Oh Deer, Mate…

Watching Nottingham Forest's dismal home defeat to Danish underdogs FC Midtjylland felt like a fever dream playing out in front our eyes.

Ange Postecoglou, Forest’s manager of just 24 days, was serenaded with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning”, the home side dropped out of the knockout play-off round spots despite being one of the bookies favourites for the tournament, and to put the metaphorical icing on top of the metaphorical cake, a literal deer somehow made its way into the stands, receiving more positive fanfare over social media than the teams performance on the pitch. Forest fans truly have seen it all eh?

Nottingham Forest fans have already had enough of Ange Postecoglou 😳

“You’re getting sacked in the morning” pic.twitter.com/ZqATwjmLOo

— Football Away Days (@AwayDays_) October 2, 2025

It was supposed to be a glorious occasion - the mighty Forest were hosting their first home European game in 29 years, in a game which looked set to earn Postecoglou his first win in charge, getting all of the increasingly impatient Reds off his back.

However, what transpired instead could not have been more different.

Not Such a “G’day Mate”

Postecoglou’s poor start to his time in Nottingham has been well publicised: since he took charge in early September, the club have gone six games without a win (last night’s result included), and in that time have fallen to newly promoted side Sunderland and Championship outfit Swansea City, results that no doubt will have heavily dented club morale.

Ange Postecoglou is still looking for his first win in charge of Nottingham Forest 😬📉 pic.twitter.com/G0BOubJm0c

— OneFootball (@OneFootball) October 2, 2025

After a performance that saw the visiting underdogs score three at The City Ground, the dreaded “sacked in the morning” chants started soon afterwards, chants that captain Morgan Gibbs-White attempted to quell from the middle of the pitch, to little success.

Worse still, thousands of home fans also sang the name of recently axed manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who, despite ending his relationship with the club in a divisive manner, still has the hearts of many supporters - to hear the now West Ham coach's name yelled at full volume would have just rubbed salt into the Australians' already deep wounds.

"It's been hard work."

Nuno Espírito Santo on how his first week has been as Head Coach

pic.twitter.com/MhKXvNnQso

— Central (@WestHam_Central) October 2, 2025

Postecoglou’s vision has been obvious from the outset - his “all gas, no brakes” approach to management sees his side commit to the attack in such numbers that defence is virtually neglected - sure this style worked in the A-League and Scottish Premiership, where competition is at a premium, and yes, it may somehow have wrangled him a Europa League trophy.

But we know from Tottenham’s league performance last year, when they finished a dire 17th, that Postecoglou’s tactics are simply not sustainable - his high-tempo approach resulted in a myriad of injuries and simply refused to work without suitable players to fill each role.

Sure enough, whenever Forest were caught on the ball high up the pitch against the Danish side, it felt like a goal could shortly follow. An outfit that thrived on getting behind the ball and defending last season, Postecoglou’s ideals simply don’t sit well with with the squad, who came into this season expecting to maintain the course set for them by Nuno.

First European night back ending with home fans singing "Sacked in the morning" is horrific

How have we gone from what we were to this? We've lost every ounce of identity and look spineless

Not the way qualifying for Europe, with an exciting squad was supposed to go..#NFFC pic.twitter.com/rNSxPQhRGG

— Mist Rolling In Podcast (@mistrollingpod) October 2, 2025

Furthermore, there could not have been a team less suited to the Australian’s style than Nottingham Forest. Last season’s success was built upon rock-solid defensive foundations and counter-attacking football; impenetrable from corners (they conceded two last night) and electric from back to front (last night’s goals came from a long ball and a penalty), Nuno’s unit was not to be trifled with.

Under Postecoglou, that thesis has been flipped on its head. And moreover, teams are now actively looking forward to facing them.

To change from one managerial extreme to the other in a season when the club is supposed to capitalise on its first European tour in three decades is effectively suicidal. Owner Evangelos Marinakis may have taken kindly to Postecoglou thanks to the pair's friendship and his chirpy outlook, but from a club management standpoint, Ange was just about the worst possible replacement for Nuno.

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis watching his club lose to Midtjylland in the Europa League 😅 pic.twitter.com/UVWnjbWInc

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) October 2, 2025

And thanks to the outright hostility of the Forest fanbase, questions over Ange’s position at the helm will already start to be mentioned in the boardroom. Yes, he is a popular manager who can guarantee you silverware in his second season (at this rate, it look as if it will be next season's Championship title), but after such a poor start, and with such a rift already separating him and the supporters, Mr Marinakis is more than likely already regretting bringing on big Ange.

“We Must Keep Our Heads Up…”

Big Ange certainly didn’t help his case with his post-match interview either. Asked what the message to his players sounded like after the game, the Aussie responded: “Look we’ve just got to keep going, there’s no hiding in this sport we’re in, so just keep your head up”.

"Nothing surprises me in football anymore" 😳

Ange Postecoglou responds to the loss and "sacked in the morning" chants from Nottingham Forest fans 🗣️

🎙️ @Becky_Ives_ | 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/kwOgn6pF2J

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 2, 2025

Touching sentiments for sure, and certainly along the right lines of what should be said after such an unexpected defeat. There was just one problem - Postecoglou said all of this with his head as far down as it could physically go. Save for a few moments at the end of every question, the Forest manager refused to take his eyes off his own feet, ignoring the very words he had just given to his players.

In a way, it is understandable why he couldn’t look the interviewer in the eye – after all, he had just become the first Nottingham Forest manager in exactly a century to not win any of his opening six matches. However, coaches are supposed to lead by example, and whether they like it or not, it is part of their job description to keep their head up and take the flack in press conferences and beyond.

His seemingly defeated attitude despite being less than a month into his tenure would have done anything but endear him to his new fans (although it is generous to call them that, considering the hostilities of last night).

Oh Deer We Are In Trouble

Now to what was undoubtedly the strangest development of the night - while many were focused on the pitiful performance on the pitch, those in the Lower Bridgford stand had their eyes on something altogether much more bemusing.

Somehow, someway, a young spotted deer had managed to make it into the stands and, according to eyewitnesses, was screeching up a storm. Eventually, security heard this and realised their jobs would be at stake if they didn’t remove the animal - but even then, it allegedly took until the last five minutes of the game for the deer to finally make it back into its natural habitat.

At Nottingham Forest last night…

"You can't bring that Pepsi in it's got a lid on it."

"What about my deer?"

"Yeah he's sound." 😂 pic.twitter.com/7uiiNcdNx9

— Pie Sports Booze 🔞 PARODY (@piesportsbooze) October 3, 2025

Overnight, it became an internet celebrity, with plenty of high quality memes coming from it, as well as some more serious questions over how it got in. One thing is for sure - we can guarantee that it was perhaps the strangest footballing experience anyone associated with either side is likely to have, either this season, or ever.

Where Does This Result Leave Nottingham Forest?

Forest’s shambolic defeat to a side that can’t even top the lower-standing Danish Superliga saw them drop to 25th in the Europa League table - with just one point scored and five goals conceded in their two games so far, they lie a place behind the play-off spots and already three behind the last 16 places.

Furthermore, they find themselves out of the Carabao Cup and 17th in the Premier League, just a point above the relegation zone. At this stage last campaign, they sat sixth and were about to embark on a remarkable run which took them as high as third.

Ange getting nottingham forest relegated so he can win the championship to aura farm his second season quote
pic.twitter.com/rVBXOQMz9H

— (fan) Trey (@UTDTrey) October 2, 2025

Forest are a far cry away from the success story of last season - with a manager who doesn’t fit, fans who are crying out against both the manager and the owner, and wild animals breaking into the City Ground seemingly at will, Nottingham Forest have a hell of a ride ahead of them over the next few months.