Ange Postecoglou will become the new manager of Nottingham Forest, according to English media. The sixty-year-old Australian will succeed the dismissed Nuno Espírito Santo.
Nottingham Forest are on the verge of appointing Ange Postecoglou as their new manager, with reports in England suggesting that the deal is all but done and the official presentation could take place within the next 24 hours.
The development comes after the club made the surprise decision to part ways with Nuno Espírito Santo in the early hours of Tuesday, ending a turbulent tenure marked by disagreements with club ownership.
The Portuguese coach, who only took charge of Forest in December last year, had been under increasing pressure following a string of inconsistent results. Yet it was not simply the team’s form that prompted the decision. According to reports, the relationship between Espírito Santo and owner Evangelos Marinakis had soured in recent weeks, with disagreements over transfer policy, team selection, and the club’s broader vision for the future. Faced with internal tensions, Forest’s hierarchy felt a change was necessary to steady the ship and move forward with greater unity.
Into that void steps Ange Postecoglou, the charismatic 60-year-old Australian coach who has become one of the most respected figures in modern football management. Postecoglou is best known in Europe for his spell at Celtic, where he transformed the Scottish giants into a dominant domestic force, and for his time at Tottenham Hotspur, where he won the Europa League the club’s first European silverware in decades. Despite that success, his tenure at Spurs ended abruptly following disagreements with the board over squad rebuilding and financial constraints.
Now, barely months after leaving North London, Postecoglou is preparing to return to Premier League management with Nottingham Forest. The move is seen as both ambitious and risky: ambitious because it signals Forest’s determination to bring in a proven winner with international pedigree, and risky because Postecoglou’s high-intensity, attacking philosophy will require time and patience to implement in a squad that has often looked more comfortable playing pragmatic football.
One major incentive for Postecoglou is Forest’s qualification for the Europa League, which adds an exciting European dimension to the project. The East Midlands club, long considered a sleeping giant with two European Cups in their history, will now be competing on the continental stage again. Among their group stage opponents is Dutch side FC Utrecht, a team known for its passionate fanbase and ability to punch above its weight in European competition. For Postecoglou, the challenge of preparing Forest to compete effectively in both domestic and European arenas will be a defining test.
Domestically, Forest sit tenth in the Premier League after a heavy defeat to West Ham United just over a week ago. The result exposed some of the lingering issues that plagued Espírito Santo’s tenure: defensive lapses, lack of creativity in midfield, and a general inconsistency in performance levels. Postecoglou’s arrival is expected to bring a fresh sense of purpose and a more adventurous approach on the pitch, but fans will be keenly aware that quick results will be necessary to keep the momentum going in a competitive league table.
Supporters of Forest have mixed emotions about the managerial change. While Espírito Santo was respected for his experience and calm demeanor, his style of football often came under criticism for being overly cautious. Postecoglou, by contrast, has built his reputation on high pressing, fluid attacking movements, and a belief in taking the game to the opponent. His track record of improving players and fostering team spirit could be exactly what Forest need as they look to re-establish themselves firmly in the top half of the Premier League.
There will also be questions about the transfer market. Postecoglou is known to be a manager who likes to reshape squads according to his tactical needs. With the January transfer window still a few months away, he will first need to work with the current roster, assessing which players can adapt to his demanding system. Names like Morgan Gibbs-White, Taiwo Awoniyi, and Danilo could thrive under his style, while others may struggle to keep up with the tempo.
For Nottingham Forest, the appointment of Postecoglou is not just about short-term results, but about laying the foundation for a new era. After years of instability and managerial changes, the club is hoping to finally find a leader who can guide them back to the kind of consistent success that defined their golden era under Brian Clough. Whether Postecoglou is that man remains to be seen, but his arrival certainly adds excitement and intrigue to the Premier League narrative.
If all goes to plan, Forest fans will see Postecoglou unveiled at the City Ground within the next 24 hours, beginning what they hope will be a transformative chapter in the club’s modern history.
