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OH NO HE ISN’T! OH YES HE IS!

Without a doubt the most unpopular Australian to make an appearance in this part of England since a villainous hotelier from a popular soap appeared in a local pantomime 20 years back, Forest’s new boss’s reign at the club’s home could hardly have begun more poorly. While the heckling and shouts that TV star the soap veteran was endured during a seasonal stage show were generally lighthearted, the toxicity of the abuse hurled at Postecoglou during the team’s Europa League loss by Midtjylland on last Thursday was so severe that it is difficult to imagine the man who has been in charge for only half a dozen games will still be around to endure the seasonal boos this holiday season. On more than one occasion the experienced coach’s shouts of “Watch out behind!” went unheeded by his hapless players, not least when the opposition scored their initial strikes from atrociously defended dead-ball situations. Far from the joyous atmosphere they’d hoped for, Nottingham Forest’s first UEFA fixture on home soil in 29 years ended in acrimony with home fans telling the boss he’d be “dismissed soon”, before chanting for his favored, just-removed predecessor, the ex-Wolves coach.

“I get the mood around the place isn’t going to be great, I grasp the public’s opinion, chiefly directed at me, but I never worry about that, it’s not unfamiliar territory for me,” the manager snapped in response, while subjecting the ground near him to the now customary fierce look. “Nothing surprises me in football, that’s the current environment. That appears to be the trend. It’s nothing I can control. The fans are disappointed, they are allowed to have an opinion on it. I listened to what they said.” And while those supporters are free to express anger, it could be suggested that they might be better advised choosing a more appropriate target for their frustration. In the end, it was the club owner who fired a beloved manager to appoint Postecoglou, who was always going to begin his reign on a hiding to nothing. Watching from the executive seats as he went through a range of sullen, fierce looks last witnessed during that occasion he learned Spurs had initiated the midfielder’s transfer clause, the shipping magnate has thus far mostly avoided any kind of serious criticism from supporters, a sizable group of whom remain certain the he is beyond reproach.

When Friday lunchtime arrived, speculation of the manager being fired overnight proved to be unfounded and sources indicate his job remains protected until such time as … in reality, it changes. Although the club boss can offer a partial defense that he has had minimal opportunity on the practice field to instil the approach and gameplan subtleties that resulted in the London club dropping a majority of their Premier League fixtures last campaign, his team’s fixture list remains forbidding and relentless. With the Magpies, the London club, the Portuguese giants and Bournemouth on the horizon it is hard to predict from where a maiden victory for the manager will come before what could likely be the biggest dismissal-decider against Manchester United.

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TOP STATEMENT

“I avoid conflicts and disputes, who points fingers, actually, I’ll keep it anonymous. However I think there was a bit of a lack of respect there, along with some incivility, without anyone offering a greeting” – Antony criticizes his club over the unfriendly setting at the Theatre of Dreams, where conviviality has likely worsened like the side’s performance.

READER COMMENTS

Can it be the Forest manager has assured Forest fans he never loses a game in his second season?” – Pete Negri.

Far be it for me to wish to reinforce the stereotype that Gunners fans are the game’s biggest moaners, but Thabo Caves (the previous day’s mailbag) does make you think. Highlighting that rather than a pair of fixtures per week, the North London side are having to play over two matches weekly (wow, 30 additional minutes!) over a specific three-week period (for a squad with strong depth in each place to as well) is not the debate-ender he might believe. On the contrary it’s just going to have the orchestra of the world’s smallest violins tuning up their instruments once more, while the rest of football sigh in unison” – Andrew Parker.

I’m unsure whether your recent correspondents (on two or three games a week) are consciously, ironically recreating one of the classic instances of internet discourse (family-friendly), or accidentally confirming Marx’s adage about past occurrences returning as comedy” – a respondent.

For what it’s worth, yesterday’s letter-writer (the prior comments), I’m the same [wanting wealthy English teams to lose in Europe]. Since Forest lost the ability to negotiate Europe, European competition for me has induced a state of helpless fury, interrupted now and then by Steaua Bucharest and, maybe, the La Liga outfit. I care not one jot for the Reds’ achievements from the eighties right up to Istanbul. I feel nothing for {‘that