Nottingham Forest have appointed former Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou as their new head coach, following the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo.
Nuno was dismissed on Monday night after a public breakdown in his relationship with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
In spite of leading the club to Europa League qualification last season, tensions over transfers and internal disputes led to his abrupt exit.
Postecoglou, who left Spurs in June just 16 days after winning the Europa League, made a swift return to management.
The 60-year-old Australian will now lead Forest into a new chapter as they aim to challenge for trophies in both the Premier League and Europe.
Marinakis expressed high hopes for Postecoglou’s appointment:
“We are bringing in a coach with a proven and consistent record of winning trophies.
“His experience at the highest level and his desire to build something special make him the right person to lead us forward.
“Now, after securing European football, we must take the right steps to compete with the best. Ange has the credentials to help us do that.”
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Postecoglou is set to begin his Forest tenure with a high-profile clash at Arsenal on Saturday.
Nuno’s departure followed growing friction with Marinakis and global head of football Edu Gaspar.
Though he signed a new deal in June after Forest’s return to European competition for the first time since 1995, behind-the-scenes unrest escalated.
The Portuguese coach had openly criticised the club’s summer transfer activity and hinted at his own uncertain future, saying, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
Forest had planned talks with Nuno during the international break, but Marinakis opted to act swiftly, terminating his contract without those discussions.
In a club statement, Forest said: “Nuno Espirito Santo has today been relieved of his duties as head coach.
“The club thanks him for his contributions, particularly during the memorable 2024/25 season. He will always hold a special place in our history.”
Strains in the relationship had been evident since mid-August.
Nuno remarked: “Last season, my relationship with the owner was very close. This season, not so well.
“It’s not the same. There’s less trust, less dialogue.”
In spite of his exit, Nuno leaves with credit for helping restore Forest’s European credentials. Postecoglou now takes on the challenge of turning that momentum into silverware.
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