Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo is now facing an uncertain future at the City Ground, amid tension with maverick owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Nuno is a hugely popular figure among the Forest fanbase after guiding them back to a place in European football, with Crystal Palace’s demotion to the Conference League handing them a place in the Europa League.
Forest were in and around the top four all season long in 2024/2025, which nobody expected at the start of last term, and it is testament to the excellent job Nuno has done with very limited depth compared to his Premier League counterparts.
Losing the Portuguese would be a bitter one to take for Forest supporters, but it is a very realistic possibility, as Nuno cast doubt on his own future in a press conference this week – admitting that relations with Marinakis have soured.
“I always had a very good relationship with the owner. Last season was very close, almost [talking on a] daily basis,” Nuno said.
“This season, not so well, but I always believe that dialogue and your opinion is always valid, because my concern is the squad and the season that we have ahead of us. But our relations have changed.
“It is not so close [now]. I’m being honest with you, I cannot say that is the same, because it’s not the same. The reason behind it, I don’t know. My job is always to try to anticipate what’s coming ahead of us, and that’s what I said with respect.
“It’s not good. I think everybody at the club should be together but it’s not the reality. The reality is that [it] is not what it used to be. It was a good, respectful relationship, but was more based on trust and sharing opinions, and now it’s not so good.”
These comments are believed to have escalated tension behind-the-scenes, especially since they came 48 hours before a heated clash with Palace after Forest took their place in the Europa (The Guardian).
While Forest have enjoyed a stellar last fortnight in the transfer market, sealing a plethora of deals with the latest one being Douglas Luiz from Juventus, Nuno’s potential exit is a worrying scenario amidst what is a vital campaign.
Nottingham Forest could replace Nuno with Ange Postecoglou
If Nuno were to depart, reliable media sources claim another ex-Tottenham boss in Ange Postecoglou would be a leading candidate for the job.
This is backed up by journalist Graeme Bailey, who also tells TBR Football that Forest could hire Postecoglou off the back of some key advice to Marinakis from the Greek tycoon’s family.
“As it stands, the club are delighted with how the summer has gone – look at the players that have come in. I am told both Marinakis and Nuno have worked together on these deals,” said Bailey.
“However, all is not well. I am told Marinakis firmly believes Forest should be playing a more attacking game but Nuno is not going to change his style.
“Does this mean Marinakis replaces Nuno? I am told this is a possibility and that he does have a lot of time for Ange and how he plays the game.”
Postecoglou guided Spurs to their first major trophy in 17 years with their Europa League triumph in May. However, the Australian, who’s won at least one piece of silverware at nearly every club he’s been at, also watched on as the Lilywhites slumped to a 17th-placed finish in the Premier League last term.
It is worth noting, though, that his Tottenham squad held the 59-year-old in very high esteem, and he was very popular at Hotspur Way, with Son Heung-min calling him a club “legend”.
