On the evening of Monday, September 8, many Nottingham Forest fans went to sleep, only to wake up and see an official announcement from their team around midnight, which read ‘Nuno Espirito Santo departs Nottingham Forest.’
This move has been deemed both controversial and somewhat inevitable by many. But why is there controversy surrounding this move, and why was there an air of inevitability surrounding it?
Nuno Sacked by Nottingham Forest: The Backstory
In 2023, the Portuguese manager parted ways with Al-Ittihad before returning to the Premier League to take the reins at the City Ground, following the departure of Steve Cooper. Cooper had become a fan favourite in Nottingham, and filling the role was to be quite a task for the new Nottingham Forest boss.
Back then, Nottingham Forest were flirting with Premier League relegation. However, Nuno has surpassed the achievements of Steve Cooper, with his side returning to European competition this season, having even challenged for the Champions League spots.
Throughout Nuno’s time at the club and his development of the team, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has also developed into a controversial figure, sometimes acting in an unsavoury manner. This was perhaps best represented when Marinakis went on to the pitch to confront Nuno following a defeat at home against Leicester last season, when the club were challenging for European spots.
However, it was a rift with Edu Gaspar which cemented the inevitability of Nuno’s departure. The pair have had public disagreements over recruitment, to which the Portuguese manager has referred to in press conferences, leading to the mutual agreement to part ways.
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The Candidates to Replace Nuno
With the confirmation of Nuno’s departure, Nottingham Forest’s search for a manager starts. The likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Marco Silva have been names that have been put forward for the role. However, Nottingham Forest appear to have cemented their choice for their next manager.
Former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou appears to be the imminent arrival tasked with filling the void left by Nuno Espirito Santo. The Australian is well-known for his vastly different style of football to Nuno, something which will take some adapting to for the Nottingham Forest team.
Postecoglou often plays front-footed attacking football, with his defensive line situated very highly compared to other managers. This play-style frequently asks the players to have dynamism, athleticism and asks the defenders to have a quick recovery time to ensure that opposition attackers’ runs in behind are prohibited.
However, Nuno Espirito Santo often places his defensive line deeper in comparison to Ange Postecoglou, and focuses more on possession and a build-up from a solid base. However, athleticism and dynamism are also prevalent in Nuno’s style of play, as a significant number of goals scored by his team are achieved on the counter-attack.
Nottingham Forest are also set to partake in the Europa League, a competition which was won recently by Ange Postecoglou. Postecoglou appears to have a good relationship with Evangelos Marinakis currently, one that may be further strengthened should he bring silverware to the City Ground.
Conclusion
With the level of success that Nuno Espirito Santo has brought to Nottingham Forest, there is no denying that his departure was a surprise to some. However, Edu Gaspar is now an integral part of the Nottingham Forest hierarchy.
Therefore, the manager’s departure was seemingly inevitable with the public displays of anger at recruitment.
The appointment of Ange Postecoglou as his successor is certainly a risky appointment, with his vastly different style of play and tactics.
However, Postecoglou knows how to win trophies and can bring entertainment to the City Ground. As a result, many fans will be intrigued to see his progression with the team.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / IPS
Recording Date: 31.08.2025