Ange Postecoglou remains defiant and upbeat despite growing pressure over his future as Nottingham Forest manager. The Australian is set to meet club owner Evangelos Marinakis this week for crucial talks aimed at convincing the board to back his long-term vision, even as results continue to disappoint.
Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Newcastle extended Postecoglou’s winless streak to seven games since replacing Nuno Espírito Santo last month. Yet the 60-year-old manager brushed off speculation about his job security and instead focused on the progress he believes is being made behind the scenes. “I see it as an exciting opportunity,” he said after the match. “You have to be up for the fight and the struggle. I’ve fought for things all my life — that’s who I am.”
Postecoglou’s tactical approach, which featured an uncharacteristic back five against Newcastle, hinted at flexibility but also underscored the challenges of implementing his attacking philosophy with a struggling squad. While fans grow restless, the Australian insists the club is heading in the right direction, arguing that the transformation he envisions will take time.
He mocked the constant managerial merry-go-round that defines Premier League football, suggesting that every season seems to need one coach under the microscope. “If people want to judge me three and a half weeks into the job, there’s nothing I can say or do that will change that,” he said. “The results will come. Right now it’s a fight, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Postecoglou also reminded reporters that he took the job fully aware of the scale of the task. He described the challenge of reshaping Forest’s playing style as something he relishes rather than fears. “I knew this would be tough, but I love that. The alternative is sitting at home watching games, and I don’t want to do that,” he said.
With Forest hovering near the relegation zone and supporters anxious for quick results, this week’s discussions with the club hierarchy could determine whether Postecoglou’s philosophy will be given time to take root — or if another change is on the horizon at the City Ground.
