Nottingham Forest have made headlines for all the wrong reasons this weekend, as Ange Postecoglou’s brief, turbulent tenure as head coach came to a dramatic end just 39 days after his appointment. The Australian’s sacking, delivered a mere 17 minutes after Forest’s 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea, has officially set a new Premier League record for the shortest permanent managerial reign by days—a dubious distinction that adds another twist to the club’s already tumultuous season.
Postecoglou’s arrival at the City Ground on September 9, 2025, was met with optimism and high expectations. Owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also owns Olympiacos, touted Postecoglou’s experience at the “highest level” and his “desire to build something special” as reasons for his appointment. Forest had just parted ways with Nuno Espirito Santo, who led them to a seventh-place finish last season and spent much of the campaign battling for a Champions League spot. The club was sitting 10th in the Premier League and dreaming of European football for the first time in three decades.
But things unraveled quickly. Postecoglou failed to win any of his eight matches in charge, picking up just two draws and suffering six defeats across all competitions. In the Premier League, Forest managed just one point from five matches under his leadership, leaving them teetering one point above the relegation zone in 17th place at the time of his dismissal. The opening match—a 3-0 defeat away at Arsenal—set the tone for a miserable run. Forest’s Carabao Cup hopes evaporated in Wales as they squandered a 2-0 lead and crashed out against Swansea City. Draws with Burnley in the league and Real Betis in the Europa League did little to stem the tide of frustration.
The pressure reached a boiling point after a 3-2 home loss to Midtjylland in the Europa League, when sections of the Forest faithful chanted, “you’re getting sacked in the morning,” at the former Celtic and Tottenham boss. Postecoglou, for his part, remained defiant after a 2-0 defeat by Newcastle before the international break, telling reporters: “I love a fight.” But the final straw came on October 18, when Chelsea’s Reece James scored the third goal with six minutes left, prompting a mass exodus from the stands and a chorus of jeers at the final whistle.
Forest’s official statement was blunt: “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 added that it would make no further comment at this time. Postecoglou’s staff—including Nick Montgomery, Mile Jedinak, and Sergio Raimundo—are also expected to depart, leaving the coaching setup in disarray.
The manner of Postecoglou’s dismissal was as swift as it was impersonal. Marinakis, who had attended the Chelsea match, reportedly left his seat around the 67th minute and did not deliver the news himself. Instead, a senior club official informed the 60-year-old coach of his fate. Postecoglou then addressed his players in the dressing room, offering a heartfelt apology: he was sorry it hadn’t worked out and that he could not deliver what he was brought in to do. Defender Ryan Yates later reflected on the moment, telling BBC Radio 5 Live, “Everybody has to take responsibility. I think it would be unfair to pin it on anybody. We have to look ourselves in the mirror and dust ourselves down and go again because things in football can change really quickly.”
The speed and drama of the decision stunned observers. BBC Radio 5 Live’s Lee Blakeman described the scene in the stadium’s tunnel as “frantic activity,” with media teams scrambling for information and club staff donning glum expressions. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my 15 years of covering football for the BBC,” Blakeman remarked.
Postecoglou’s 39-day reign shatters the previous record held by Les Reed, who lasted 40 days at Charlton Athletic in 2006. For context, Sam Allardyce’s 30-day stint at Leeds United was as an interim appointment, while Frank De Boer’s four-match spell at Crystal Palace remains the fewest games managed by a permanent Premier League boss.
The fallout from this managerial merry-go-round has prompted pointed criticism and soul-searching. Former England captain Alan Shearer didn’t mince words, saying, “Ultimately the results haven’t been good enough and that is on Ange. But the owner has to take some responsibility too. He chose Ange, it was his appointment.” Shearer also questioned the club’s direction: “How can you go from a manager in Nuno with one style of play to someone like Ange who everyone knows wants his teams to play in a completely different way?”
Micah Richards, the former Manchester City defender, echoed these sentiments on BBC Sport: “It was inevitable but I don’t think it’s right. He was only given eight games and a contrast of styles was always going to be a factor. Forest went from one of the best counter-attacking managers to one who wanted to be more expansive—it was never going to work straight away. Postecoglou is a good manager but it’s possible his media outbursts haven’t helped. It looked like he could have been the right fit but more time was needed.” Richards continued, “The interesting thing now is—will the next manager be short term or long term? What are Forest trying to be—was last season a one-off? I know Tottenham finished fifth in Ange’s first season but if you’re going off Ange’s record last season, he should never have been appointed by Forest.”
As the dust settles, Forest are already on the hunt for their third manager of the season. The club has reportedly made contact with former Everton boss Sean Dyche and ex-Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini. Dyche, who lives near Nottingham and is available without a release clause, is considered a pragmatic option with a proven record of keeping teams in the top flight. Mancini, fresh from his stint with Saudi Arabia’s national side and with a Premier League title under his belt, brings a different level of pedigree. There is also significant internal support for Fulham’s Marco Silva, but his substantial release clause complicates any potential move. Silva, who previously worked under Marinakis at Olympiacos, has cemented Fulham’s Premier League status and is seen as a long-term project, but financial constraints may force Forest to look elsewhere.
For the Forest faithful, the whirlwind of managerial changes is becoming an all-too-familiar narrative. With the club hovering just above the drop zone and uncertainty swirling over the next appointment, the pressure is mounting on Marinakis and the board to steady the ship. The next few days could be decisive—not just for Forest’s survival hopes, but for the identity and direction of a club desperately seeking stability.
One thing’s for sure: the City Ground won’t be short on drama as the managerial search intensifies and the team fights to climb out of danger. Whether the next appointment brings long-term success or just a temporary reprieve, Forest fans will be watching—and hoping—for a turnaround that finally lives up to their storied history.
