Ange Postecoglou opens up on 'brutal' Nottingham Forest sacking as he eyes Premier League return

Postecoglou’s appointment at Forest was intended to be a survival mission, as he replaced Nuno Espirito Santo just three matches into the current campaign. However, the move quickly turned into a professional nightmare for the 60-year-old, whose side failed to record a single victory across eight matches in all competitions. The tenure resulted in two draws and six defeats, a run of form that left the Forest hierarchy with little patience. This difficult period came as a shock to many, especially considering Postecoglou had ended Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought with a Europa League title just months prior to his arrival in the East Midlands.

Speaking to Melbourne-based radio station SEN 1116, Postecoglou recalled the "brutal" and chaotic circumstances of his dismissal, which was communicated immediately following a 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea before he had even conducted his post-match press conference. "It was brutal. I was in the coaches’ room. I knew it could come any day, but they sacked me straight after the game. I hadn’t done the presser yet, but the press knew," he said. "I was walking into the corridors. I wanted to leave; otherwise I was going to do something I regret. I wanted to get out of there. All the roads were blocked. After half an hour, the roads opened. I got stuck at the traffic lights for 15 minutes. I had Chelsea fans giving it to me, Forest fans weren’t much kinder, and then I had little kids coming up and asking for a selfie."

Reflecting on his decision to join Forest, Postecoglou admitted he ignored warnings from those around him because he was eager to return to the dugout following his departure from Tottenham. “If I were younger, it probably would have (hurt), but it didn’t hurt me because in the end I take responsibility for it,” he stated. “There were enough people around me saying it’s probably not a good idea (to accept the Forest job). I thought it was a challenge. I didn’t like not working (after being sacked by Spurs) … (but) it almost looked like it wasn’t going to be a good fit for me right from the beginning. It didn’t work out. It’s probably hurt me reputationally, probably here in the EPL for sure, but I don’t worry about that. It didn’t leave any marks on me as a person or a football manager. If anything, it allowed me to know that next time, I will seek some counsel before I bite off more than I can chew.”

Postecoglou remains steadfast in his desire to manage at the highest level in England. He has made it clear that he will not be rushing into another mid-season vacancy, instead "holding out" for a project that allows him to implement his distinct style of football from the ground up. “Jumping in mid-season, especially in the Premier League but in most leagues, is just probably too much of a challenge for the way I do things,” he said. “That’s what I’m holding out for (in terms of his next job). Where that is and what it looks like is hard to say at the moment, but I haven’t even scratched the surface of what I want to do over here yet and the impact I want to make and the football I want to play.”

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