Postecoglou appointed Nottingham Forest manager after Nuno exit

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as their new head coach, just hours after sacking Nuno Espírito Santo. 

The 60-year-old Australian, who left Tottenham three months ago, takes over with the ambition of delivering trophies at the City Ground.

Nuno’s dismissal came late on Monday night after just three games of the season, bringing an end to his 21-month spell in charge. 

The Portuguese coach helped Forest avoid relegation in 2024 and guided them to seventh place last season — their highest Premier League finish since 1995, securing European qualification for the first time in three decades.

However, tensions with owner Evangelos Marinakis and sporting director Edu had put his future in doubt. Postecoglou returns to management after a turbulent spell at Spurs, where his attacking philosophy won praise, but inconsistent results led to relegation worries. 

Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League last season, losing 22 of their 38 games. Yet he bowed out on a high, lifting the Europa League trophy with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United, Spurs’ first major silverware in 17 years.

Forest owner Marinakis said Postecoglou’s track record made him the right candidate to take the club forward, highlighting his “proven and consistent record of winning trophies” and his “desire to build something special” in Nottingham. 

The Australian has previously won league titles in Scotland with Celtic, in Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos, and in his native Australia, alongside guiding his national team to the 2015 Asian Cup.

The managerial change comes with Forest sitting 10th in the Premier League after taking four points from their opening three games. 

Some players, many away on international duty, were said to be surprised by Nuno’s departure. Winger Callum Hudson-Odoi thanked the outgoing manager on social media, writing that he had “learned a lot” under his guidance.

Postecoglou will be unveiled at a press conference on Thursday before taking charge of his first game, a trip to Arsenal on Saturday. 

He becomes Forest’s eighth permanent manager since Marinakis took ownership in 2017 and is expected to implement his high-intensity, possession-based style, a stark contrast to Nuno’s counter-attacking approach.