Nottingham Forest have relieved Ange Postecoglou of his duties as head coach following a dismal run of form, making his tenure at the City Ground one of the shortest in Premier League history. The club issued a brief statement shortly after their 3–0 home defeat to Chelsea, saying Postecoglou had been “relieved of his duties … with immediate effect” after a “series of disappointing results and performances.”
The decision came less than 20 minutes after the full-time whistle of the match in which Chelsea dominated much of the second half. Pedro Neto assisted and scored, before Reece James added a third in Forest’s misery. Even though Chelsea were reduced to 10 men late on, they held firm.
Postecoglou, 60, never won a game in his eight matches in charge. His tenure featured two draws and six defeats, making him the first Forest manager to begin with a winless run of that length. His spell lasted 39 to 40 days (depending on how one counts), ultimately becoming the shortest managerial reign at Forest in the Premier League era.
Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, left the stadium early during the match after Forest fell 2–0 behind. Observers suggested the move signaled the impending dismissal. The club declined further comment at this time.
Postecoglou had been appointed on 9 September, replacing Nuno Espírito Santo, whose relationship with the club hierarchy was reported to have broken down.
His time in charge started with high expectations; the owner and parts of the media backed him strongly, pointing to his trophy-winning record and aggressive football philosophy.
However, the results never materialized. Forest’s attacking output was poor, defensive lapses crept in, and the club found itself precariously above the relegation zone at 17th place when the sack was confirmed.
Several losses came in matches Forest should have been more competitive in, adding to pressure on the manager.
With Postecoglou’s exit, Forest now face an urgent task: appointing a new manager midseason under difficult conditions. Whoever replaces him will inherit a squad low on confidence, with European obligations via the Europa League adding to fixture load.
As for Postecoglou, the sacking adds to a turbulent year. He was dismissed earlier in June by Tottenham despite winning the Europa League, and this latest exit underscores how unforgiving club football can be, especially when expectations are high and patience thin.
