IT CAN’T BE HIM! BUT IT IS!
Quite possibly the least favored Aussie to make an appearance in Nottinghamshire since a villainous hotelier from a famous TV drama appeared in a theatrical show in the early 2000s, Forest’s new boss’s tenure at the Nottingham stadium could hardly have begun more poorly. Even though the jeers and taunts that performer Stefan Dennis was faced during a seasonal stage show were mostly in fun, the hostility of the invective directed at the Australian coach during the club’s Europa League loss by the Danish side on the previous night was so overwhelming that it is tough to see the manager who has been in charge for only half a dozen games will keep his job to listen to the festive cat-calls this holiday season. Multiple times the 60-year-old’s shouts of “Watch out behind!” went unheeded by his hapless players, not least when the Danish side scored their initial strikes from badly organized set-pieces. A long way from the joyous atmosphere they’d anticipated, the team’s first European home game in nearly three decades ended in rancour with the crowd telling the boss he’d be “dismissed soon”, before praising his popular, recently dismissed previous manager, Nuno Espírito Santo.
“I get the mood around the place isn’t going to be great, I know how fans feel, especially about me, but I never worry about that, I’ve been here before,” the manager snapped in reply, while directing the ground near him to the typical intense glare. “Nothing surprises me in football, that’s the current environment. This seems to be the direction. I have no power over it. Supporters are upset, they are allowed to have an opinion on it. I listened to what they said.” Although those Forest fans are free to express anger, it could be argued that they might be wiser picking a more appropriate target for their frustration. After all, it was the Greek businessman who sacked a popular figure to appoint Postecoglou, who was always going to start under pressure. Observing from the owners’ area as he went through a range of angry, grim faces last witnessed during that time he heard the North London club had activated Morgan Gibbs-White’s transfer clause, the shipping magnate has up to now dodged any kind of harsh judgement from the crowd, a fair few of whom remain certain the he can do no wrong.
When Friday lunchtime arrived, speculation of the coach’s imminent dismissal proved to be overstated and sources indicate his job remains protected until such time as … actually, it’s not. While the Forest head coach can offer a partial defense that he has had very few sessions on the practice field to introduce the philosophy and tactical nuance that caused the London club dropping 22 of their 38 top-flight games last term, his side’s schedule remains daunting and unyielding. Up against the North-East side, the Blues, the Portuguese giants and Bournemouth coming soon it is tough to imagine from where a first Postecoglou win will come before what could surely be the biggest dismissal-decider against Manchester United.
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BEST REMARK
“I avoid conflicts and disputes, who singles out individuals, actually, I’ll keep it anonymous. However I think there was a bit of a lack of respect there, plus some impoliteness, with no one giving you a ‘good morning’, a ‘good afternoon’” – the Brazilian winger criticizes Manchester United over the frosty environment at Old Trafford, where warmth has apparently declined like the side’s performance.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Is it true Ange Postecoglou has vowed supporters he never loses a game in his next campaign?” – Pete Negri.
It’s not my place to wish to reinforce the trope that the Emirates faithful are the sport’s most complaining followers, but a correspondent (yesterday’s Football Daily letters) does make you wonder. Pointing out that rather than a pair of fixtures per week, the North London side are having to play more than two fixtures each week (ooh an extra 30 minutes!) over a particular 21-day span (for a team with two good options for every position to boot) is not the discussion-closer he might think. Instead it’s just going to have the smallest fiddle players tuning up their instruments once more, while the rest of football look on with exasperation” – another reader.
I’m puzzled whether your latest letter-writers (on several fixtures each week) are consciously, ironically recreating one of the classic instances of web discussion (family-friendly), or accidentally confirming Marx’s adage about historical events repeating themselves as farce” – a fan.
If it’s any solace, yesterday’s letter-writer (the last mailbag), I’ve always been like that [wishing rich Premier League sides to fail on the continent]. From the time Forest stopped competing in Europe, European competition for me has caused a state of seething impotent rage, interrupted now and then by the Eastern European team and, if pressed, the La Liga outfit. I couldn’t care less for the Merseyside club’s successes from the eighties right up to the Champions League win. I am unmoved by {‘that
