🔗 Share this article

OH NO HE ISN’T! OH YES HE IS!

Without a doubt the least favored Aussie to make an appearance in this part of England since a sinister lodging owner from a long-running series appeared in a Mansfield panto 20 years back, Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at the Nottingham stadium could begun in the worst possible way. Even though the jeers and taunts that TV star the Neighbours star was endured during a seasonal stage show were largely good-natured, the hostility of the abuse aimed at the Australian coach during Nottingham Forest’s Bigger Vase defeat by Midtjylland on the previous night was so severe that it is difficult to imagine the manager who has been in charge for just six matches will still be around to hear the Christmas jeers this December. Multiple times the experienced coach’s shouts of “There’s someone there!” went ignored by his struggling players, particularly when the visiting team scored their initial strikes from poorly handled dead-ball situations. A long way from the happy occasion they’d expected, Forest’s first European home game in almost 30 seasons ended in bitterness with home fans telling the manager he’d be “fired by tomorrow”, before praising his well-liked, just-removed former boss, 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 that doesn’t concern me, this is nothing new to me,” the coach retorted in answer, while subjecting the ground near him to the usual intense glare. “I’m never shocked in this sport, it’s the way things are. That appears to be the trend. It’s beyond my influence. Followers are let down, they can think what they like. I heard their opinion.” Even if those supporters are entitled to vent, it could be contended that they might be more sensible choosing a better aim for their frustration. In the end, it was Evangelos Marinakis who dismissed a popular figure to hire Postecoglou, who was always going to begin his reign on a hiding to nothing. Observing from the owners’ area as he went through a range of sullen, fierce looks not seen since that time he heard the North London club had initiated Morgan Gibbs-White’s release clause, the shipping magnate has up to now dodged any kind of major backlash from the crowd, a fair few of whom remain certain the he is beyond reproach.

When Friday lunchtime arrived, rumours of the manager being fired overnight proved to be greatly exaggerated and sources indicate his job remains secure until such time as … well, it isn’t. Even though the club boss can offer a partial defense that he has had minimal opportunity on the training ground to instil the style and strategic detail that caused Spurs failing to win more than half their league matches last campaign, his club’s upcoming matches remains forbidding and relentless. Facing Newcastle, the Blues, the European opponents and the South-Coast team on the horizon it is hard to predict from where a initial success under the new boss will come before what could likely be the ultimate sack-race clash against Manchester United.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Join the journalist at evening UK time for women’s football coverage on Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea.

TOP STATEMENT

“I’m not the kind of guy who gets involved in controversies, who points fingers, in fact, I won’t mention anyone’s name here. But I feel there was a slight disregard, even a bit of rudeness too, and not a single hello or hi” – the United player takes a pop at the Red Devils over the cold atmosphere at their stadium, where warmth has apparently declined like the side’s performance.

READER COMMENTS

Is there truth Ange Postecoglou has promised followers he never loses a game in his second season?” – Pete Negri.

Far be it for me to wish to reinforce the stereotype that the Emirates faithful are football’s whiniest fans, but a correspondent (the previous day’s mailbag) does make you ponder. Highlighting that rather than a couple of matches weekly, the North London side are having to play 2.33 games a week (wow, 30 additional minutes!) over a particular 21-day span (for a roster with strong depth in each place to boot) is not the argument-settler he might think. Instead it’s just going to have the tiniest violin ensemble tuning up their instruments once more, while the rest of football look on with exasperation” – a different supporter.

I can’t work out whether your current contributors (on several fixtures each week) are deliberately, mockingly repeating one of the memorable moments of online debate (SFW), or accidentally confirming the famous quote about past occurrences returning as comedy” – Nick Wiltsher.

For what it’s worth, the previous correspondent (the prior comments), I’ve always been like that [wanting affluent UK clubs to lose in Europe]. Since Forest lost the ability to negotiate Europe, Uefa football for me has caused a state of seething impotent rage, interrupted now and then by Steaua Bucharest and, at a push, the La Liga outfit. I don’t give a hoot for the Reds’ achievements from the 1980s right up to Istanbul. I am unmoved by {‘that