Nottingham Forest have named former Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou as their new head coach following the dismissal of Nuno Espirito Santo. The announcement came early Tuesday, just weeks after reports surfaced of tension between Nuno and club owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Forest confirmed Nuno’s departure after a disappointing start to the season and a deteriorating relationship behind the scenes. The Portuguese coach, who took over mid-season last year, admitted last month that his working relationship with Marinakis had broken down, a factor believed to have hastened his exit.
Stepping into the role is Greece-born Ange Postecoglou, the 60-year-old former Australia national team coach who arrives with a trophy-laden résumé and a reputation for building resilient teams. Most recently, he led Tottenham Hotspur to their first major silverware since 2008, securing the Europa League title in his second season. Despite the continental success, Spurs endured a woeful domestic campaign, finishing 17th in the Premier League, which led to Postecoglou’s dismissal in June.
Forest’s appointment signals a clear shift in ambition.
“We are bringing a coach to the club who has a proven and consistent record of winning trophies,” said Marinakis in a statement. “His experience of coaching teams at the highest level, along with his desire to build something special with us at Forest, makes him a fantastic person to help us on our journey and achieve consistently all our ambitions.”
Postecoglou, known for his attacking style and tactical adaptability, has enjoyed success across three continents. Before his spell at Spurs, he led Celtic to back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles and won Japan’s J-League with Yokohama F. Marinos. His history of turning teams around has raised hopes at the City Ground, especially as Forest prepares for its first European campaign in over 30 years.
The club enters the Europa League this season, benefitting from Crystal Palace’s demotion to the Conference League due to a multi-club ownership violation. With continental football now on the calendar, expectations are higher than ever.
“We now must take the right step to compete with the very best and challenge for trophies. Ange has the credentials and the track record to do this, and we are excited he is joining us on our ambitious journey,” Marinakis added.
Forest currently sits mid-table with four points from three matches, but a recent 3-0 home defeat to West Ham has fans eager for change. Postecoglou’s first big test comes this Sunday as Forest travel to face title-contenders Arsenal.
