Nottingham Forest have sacked head coach Ange Postecoglou 18 minutes after a miserable 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, having gone eight games without a win since being appointed.
Boos rang out around the City Ground at full-time, with owner Evangelos Marinakis not spotted in the stands after the break as Forest spiralled to a sixth defeat since Postecoglou’s appointment on September 9.
Sky Sports News understands the Forest squad held a players-only meeting in the changing room once the 60-year-old’s departure had been confirmed.
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Ange Postecoglou applauded a skeletal Nottingham Forrest crowd after their 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the Premier League.
Postecoglou’s reign at Forest now becomes the second-shortest managerial spell in Premier League history.
A statement from the club read: “Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that after a series of disappointing results and performances, Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect.
“The club will make no further comment at this time.”
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A fiery press conference from the head coach in the build-up to the game seemingly sparked a reaction from Forest after a positive start, but the same issues that have plagued his 39-day reign persisted.
Opportunities fell to Taiwo Awoniyi – making his first start since rupturing his intestine in May – Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White but the hosts were made to rue those missed chances when they unravelled in the second half.
Two goals in three minutes from a Josh Acheampong header and Pedro Neto free-kick punctured the positivity at the City Ground, with applause quickly shifting to boos.
Substitute Igor Jesus came close to sparking a reaction for his side when his effort crashed off the crossbar and post, suppressing the soured atmosphere momentarily, only for Reece James’ goal to confirm the defeat despite a late red card for Malo Gusto.
The defeat, coupled with Burnley beating Leeds United, caused Forest to drop into the bottom three in the Premier League table with the search for their next boss under way ahead of a meeting with Porto in the Europa League on October 23 and a trip to Bournemouth three days later.
Ange Postecoglou on the touchline during the 3-0 defeat for Nottingham Forest against Chelsea
Ange’s quick getaway and players-only inquest revealed
Sky Sports News’ Anton Toloui:
A 39-day tenure ended with a 39-word statement. The Ange Postecoglou era was short but anything but sweet as was his exit from the City Ground today.
After the final whistle, he went straight down the tunnel, no time to talk to the media and within minutes, he was in his car and off the premises.
Then, Forest sent out their short statement confirming he was no longer head coach.
The players got together after the game and held a players-only discussion which lasted about an hour in the changing room.
Morgan Gibbs-White rues a missed chance against Chelsea
Ange’s wretched run of results as Forest boss
Ange Postecoglou lasted just eight matches as Nottingham Forest head coach. This is how he fared:
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest – Premier League
Swansea 3-2 Nottingham Forest – Carabao Cup
Burnley 1-1 Nottingham Forest – Premier League
Real Betis 2-2 Nottingham Forest – Europa League
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Sunderland – Premier League
Nottingham Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland – Europa League
Newcastle 2-0 Nottingham Forest – Premier League
Nottingham Forest 0-3 Chelsea – Premier League
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Sky Sports’ Anton Toloui reports from the City Ground on what happened surrounding Ange Postecoglou’s sacking from Nottingham Forest.
Morrison: Forest are nowhere near good enough
Sky Sports’ Clinton Morrison speaking on Soccer Saturday:
“Not winning in eight games is nowhere near good enough. They’ve got a big European game in midweek.
“There were some boos at the end but they weren’t chanting ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ like in previous games.
“The problem is they can’t keep clean sheets like they did last season. Chris Wood was on fire, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-White played well but these players have been quiet this season
“They’re missing big chances. You do feel for managers in these situations.”
Ange Postecoglou
Forest’s issues under Ange
- Since the start of 2023-24, no manager has seen his teams concede more Premier League goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half of matches than Ange Postecoglou (16).
- Nottingham Forest have conceded 10 set-piece goals under Ange Postecoglou in all competitions – twice as many as any other Premier League club in that time.
- Nottingham Forest are on the longest current ongoing run without a clean sheet of any side (16 games), while of current managers in the competition, Ange Postecoglou is on the longest run without a clean sheet (18 games).
- Nottingham Forest have lost five of their last six Premier League games (D1), failing to score in each defeat.
- Since Ange Postecoglou’s first game in charge of Nottingham Forest, they have conceded more corner goals in all competitions than any other Premier League side (5).
- Ange Postecoglou at Nottingham Forest is the first head coach to see his team score only one goal in his first five Premier League matches in charge since Sean Dyche at Burnley in 2014.
- Nottingham Forest have failed to score in three successive Premier League home games for the first time since October 1998, while it’s the first time they’ve had 2+ xG and not scored in the competition since earning promotion in 2022.
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Michael Dawson’s take on the timing of Ange Postecoglou’s sacking less than 20 minutes after Nottingham Forest’s defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League.
Story of the match in stats…
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