Ange Postecoglou insists that the mounting pressure on his position at Nottingham Forest will not distract him from the task of turning the club’s season around.
The Australian coach has endured a torrid start since taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo, failing to secure a win in his first six matches. Frustration among supporters boiled over in Thursday’s 3-2 Europa League defeat to Midtjylland, with sections of the City Ground crowd chanting “you’re getting sacked in the morning” towards their new boss.
Postecoglou, though, brushed off the criticism, pointing to his ability to stay calm under fire during past challenges.
“It doesn’t enter my head,” he said. “My job is to ensure this club progresses and puts itself in a position to compete. If I start worrying about next week or putting deadlines on success, I’m not doing the role I’ve been asked to do.
“I knew months before I left Tottenham that I’d be sacked, but that didn’t stop me from winning a trophy. Pressure doesn’t dictate how I work.”
The 60-year-old’s résumé speaks to that resilience. After joining Spurs from Celtic in 2023, his first season ended with a fifth-place finish and plaudits for his attacking football. His second campaign was far more turbulent, yet he delivered Tottenham’s first silverware in 17 years by lifting the Europa League.
A Difficult Start at the City Ground
The numbers underline Forest’s poor run since Postecoglou arrived. Across six matches in three competitions, they have lost four and conceded 13 goals — averaging more than two per game. In the Premier League, only Manchester United and Burnley have a worse defensive record in that span.
It is a historic low point for the Reds: Postecoglou is the first permanent Forest manager in a century not to win any of his opening six games. For context, it’s the 35th time a top-flight manager has started winless in six across all competitions, a list headed by Paul Jewell, who failed to win any of his first 27 games in charge of Derby in 2007-08.
When Nuno was dismissed earlier this season, Forest sat 10th. Just three domestic games later, they have slipped to 17th.
Between Patience and Pressure
Postecoglou’s press conference on Friday struck a measured tone. Rather than confrontational, the Australian was reflective, philosophical even, as he explained why results have eluded Forest so far.
“There have been errors, injuries, dips in form. I still believe we’re close,” he said, pointing to missed chances by Chris Wood and defensive instability caused by setbacks to Murillo and Ola Aina.
He also acknowledged that trust between Forest’s fans and their manager has historically been crucial. Steve Cooper built that bond by guiding the club back to the Premier League, while Nuno had to win over sceptics after his appointment last winter. Postecoglou, however, started on the back foot with many supporters never convinced by his arrival — and early defeats have only sharpened doubts.
Storm Clouds Over Forest
This was supposed to be a landmark season for the club: their first European campaign in three decades, arguably their strongest squad in a generation, and a unified vision under new sporting director Edu. Instead, unity has been replaced by upheaval, with Nuno’s exit and a faltering start under Postecoglou creating fresh uncertainty.
Forest now face a daunting run of fixtures, beginning with Saturday’s trip to Newcastle. Chelsea, Porto, Bournemouth, and Manchester United follow in a demanding October schedule.
For Postecoglou, the challenge is clear: find results quickly, or risk being swept up in the turbulence that has defined Forest’s recent history.
At the City Ground, the margins between revival and crisis have always been razor-thin — and once again, the club sits on that knife-edge.