Ange Postecoglou: Is the Aussie Maestro’s Time at Nottingham Forest Already Up?

Well, that didn’t take long. It seems like just yesterday Ange Postecoglou was lifting a European trophy with Tottenham, a celebrated hero of North London. Fast forward a few months, and he’s at Nottingham Forest, staring down the barrel of a P45 after a start so disastrous it’s become the stuff of legend. Just six games in, and the City Ground faithful are already serenading him with “You’re getting sacked in the morning.” You’ve got to love the brutal honesty of English football fans, haven’t you?

Postecoglou, looking as cheerful as a man who’s just discovered his car has been clamped, remained defiant. “The fans are disappointed. They are allowed to have an opinion on it,” he mumbled, probably dreaming of a quiet life back in Melbourne. But let’s be real, Ange. When the fans are chanting for your predecessor, Nuno Espírito Santo—a man whose relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis ended more bitterly than a celebrity divorce—you know you’re in deep trouble.

So, how did it all go so spectacularly wrong? Let’s dive into the glorious mess that is Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest tenure.

What’s Behind Postecoglou’s Nightmare Start?

Postecoglou arrived at the City Ground with a reputation for bold, attacking football. “Angeball,” they called it. A philosophy built on high-risk, high-reward, never-say-die football that won hearts and minds at Spurs. The problem is, at Forest, it’s been all risk and absolutely no reward. The adventurous setup that looked so brilliant with Son and Maddison has looked reckless and, frankly, naïve with Forest’s squad

The team’s defensive shape has been about as solid as a wet paper bag. Opponents have been waltzing through the gaping holes in transition like it’s a training drill. The Europa League defeat to Danish side Midtjylland was the nadir, a 3-2 home loss that felt like a public execution. The fans didn’t just boo; they were practically begging for the final whistle so they could go home and cry into their pints.

It seems the players are just as confused. After being shredded for their attacking abandon, they tried a more cautious approach against Newcastle and still looked miles off the pace. It’s like watching someone try to bake a cake by throwing ingredients at the wall and hoping for the best. The result? A sticky, inedible mess and a lot of angry customers.

Is Ange Postecoglou on Borrowed Time?

The big question on everyone’s lips is: how long will the famously impatient Evangelos Marinakis give him? This is a man who once sacked a manager at Olympiacos after just 48 days. He makes other trigger-happy owners look like models of restraint.

Reports suggest Marinakis is reluctant to swing the axe again so early in a season, but his patience is wearing thinner than Postecoglou’s hairline. The Greek tycoon knows that another managerial change could turn the club into a laughingstock, but he’s also acutely aware of the toxic atmosphere brewing in the stands. A loss against Chelsea this weekend could be the final nail in the coffin.

It’s a brutal run of fixtures for Postecoglou. After Chelsea, there’s a tough European night against Porto and then a trip to Bournemouth. If he can’t pull a rabbit out of the hat—or, at the very least, a scrappy 1-0 win—it’s hard to see him surviving. The clock is ticking, and it’s ticking loudly.

Who Could Replace Postecoglou at Nottingham Forest?

Whispers from the boardroom suggest a “plan for life after Ange” is already being devised. It’s a bit like planning a funeral while the person is still breathing, but that’s football. And who’s at the top of the list to perform this rescue mission? None other than the gravel-voiced saviour of struggling clubs, Sean Dyche.

Dyche is the antithesis of Postecoglou. He’s pragmatic, no-nonsense, and his teams are notoriously difficult to break down. He’s been out of work since leaving Everton and is reportedly keen on the project. The fact that he’s available for free is a huge plus for a club still feeling the financial sting of previous managerial payouts. It’s a move that makes so much sense, it almost feels inevitable.

Another name being floated is Fulham’s Marco Silva, but his hefty release clause makes him a long shot. For now, all signs point to a Dyche-shaped figure waiting in the wings, ready to extinguish the fire of Angeball and replace it with some good old-fashioned, defensively solid football.

It’s a sad state of affairs for a manager who, just months ago, was hailed as a tactical genius. But football is a cruel business. One minute you’re the messiah, the next you’re a “very naughty boy.” For Ange Postecoglou, the judgment day might be coming sooner than anyone expected.