ange Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou has officially taken over as the head coach of Nottingham Forest, succeeding Nuno Espirito Santo. The former Tottenham Hotspur manager has expressed his admiration for club owner Evangelos Marinakis, highlighting the Greek businessman’s ambitions for the club. Postecoglou is set to lead his new team in their first match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, with a 12.30 pm kick-off.
Ange Postecoglou said: “We were together in Athens (this summer) because he was presenting me with an award and I wasn’t going to turn it down. It was very kind of him and it meant a lot to me because I was raised in Australia but I was born in Greece and I’m very proud of both nationalities. I had a brief interaction with him there and a couple of other times. The other one was two or three years ago when Coops (Steve Cooper) was manager here, because we happened to be in Athens at the same time. I haven’t spent a lot of time with him.”
Postecoglou continued: “I don’t know. I’ve only met him a few times and I just said yes to him. People who have had the kind of existence he has had, it’s very hard for us to relate to. But the one thing about him you can’t deny is he has taken over this club with the right intentions. It wasn’t a vehicle for people to find out who he is or for him to thrust himself into the spotlight. He wants to have a team that wins things. It’s not easy, but you can go to London, buy one of the big clubs and you’re already guaranteed success. There’s a real merit there. I think that tells you enough about the kind of person he is.”
Postecoglou also joked: “Quickly is the word,” when outlining the timing of events. “It sort of developed over the weekend, then came to a head on Monday. All my staff were in different parts of the world. We had to make some quick decisions. The president caught me at a good moment – I’d just done the school run! That’s a great motivator to get back to work. We got into preliminary discussions over the weekend, then it got serious on the Monday. It didn’t take too much for me to realise this is a great opportunity. It has everything I look for in a challenge. I was excited to take it.”
Postecoglou’s appointment comes at a critical juncture for Nottingham Forest, as the club looks to establish itself as a competitive force under Marinakis’ ownership. The Greek businessman has been clear about his ambition to secure trophies, a vision that aligns with Postecoglou’s determination to succeed at the City Ground. The new head coach’s immediate challenge will be to prepare his team for their upcoming clash against Arsenal, a task that leaves little room for settling in.
The swift transition from his previous role at Tottenham Hotspur to Nottingham Forest highlights Postecoglou’s readiness to embrace new challenges. His familiarity with Marinakis, albeit limited, appears to have played a role in his decision to accept the position, underscoring the importance of shared goals and mutual respect in their professional relationship.
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