New Aussie boss Ange Postecoglou wants to bring trophies to Nottingham Forest

LONDON – Ange Postecoglou believes “exciting times” lie ahead for Nottingham Forest as the Australian aims to end the club’s 35-year wait to win a major trophy.

The 60-year-old replaced the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo on Sept 9 after the Portuguese manager clashed with ambitious Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.

The Greek billionaire highlighted Postecoglou’s track record of winning trophies at Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic, Yokohama F. Marinos and during his spell as Australia boss as the reason for his arrival at the City Ground.

“I’m excited and I’m looking forward to it and I’m really happy to be here. This club has real ambitions, and that’s important to me. We’ve got an exciting squad,” Postecoglou said in an interview with Forest’s media channel.

“I love winning things. That’s what I’ve done... I’ve worked myself into this position over the past 28 years because I’ve never put any limits on what I want to achieve.

“I get a sense that the club wants more and that’s certainly what I want, so I think it’s a really exciting time. I’m honoured and I’m humbled, but more importantly I’m determined to make sure this football club takes its rightful place.”

Forest, who won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, are back in the continental competition for the first time in 30 years after earning a place in the Europa League, thanks to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Postecoglou guided Tottenham to Europa League glory last season, ending a 17-year wait for silverware in the process. But he was still sacked just days later as a result of their disastrous league campaign in which they finished 17th.

At a press conference where he was unveiled as the new Forest manager on Sept 11, he said he knew the axe was coming.

“It wasn’t great, I knew it was coming a fair way before the Europa League final,” he said. “It’s allowed me to move into this and maybe these things happen for a reason.”

His cavalier attacking approach has been criticised as naive and is in stark contrast to the cautious style used by Nuno. However, he defended those tactics and is confident he can continue Forest’s upward trajectory.

After a 23-year absence from the English top flight, Forest returned to the Premier League in 2022 and battled relegation for the next two years before surpassing all expectations last season.

“It’s no secret I like my teams to attack, I love my teams to score goals,” added Postecoglou.

“That is sometimes misconstrued as me just playing one way, but the reason I want my team to play that way is because I love winning things and that is what I want to do here.

“When you look at what the club has achieved in recent times, it’s an outstanding feat to be where we are right now. Other clubs that have won promotion have struggled to stay in the league, but in a short space of time we’re back in Europe and competing for honours, which is a great credit to everyone involved.”

Marinakis would welcome the way Postecoglou sees football, as long as the Australian wins titles.

“We are bringing a coach to the club who has a proven and consistent record of winning trophies,” the owner had said in a statement after appointing Postecoglou.

“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 achieve consistently all our ambitions.”

Postecoglou has reunited with four of his staff from his time at Tottenham, with Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo installed as assistant coaches and Rob Burch named as goalkeeper coach.

Montgomery was said to be among those shortlisted by the Football Association of Singapore to be the next Lions coach.

Postecoglou now faces a baptism of fire as he returns to north London to face title-chasing Arsenal in the Premier League on Sept 13.

He believes he does not have a point to prove, adding that “you let your actions speak for themselves”.

“You have to understand the responsibility you have. You have to provide joy to the supporters – that’s why football clubs exist. They are the lifeblood of this game,” he added.

“That’s all I care about. I’ll win things here and people will still have doubts about me.”

At the press conference, he was reminded of his famous quote at Tottenham a year ago, when he told fans, “I always win things in my second year” after a home defeat by Arsenal.

“I’ve won a couple (of trophies) in my first (season at clubs); at Celtic I won a double in my first year,” he said.

Asked if he can do so at Forest too, he replied: “Of course I can. I may have to, to have a second year here, mate.” REUTERS, AFP