Ange Postecoglou: New Nottingham Forest boss jokes he will have to win trophy in first season to stay in job | Football News

New Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou has joked that he will have to win a trophy in his first year in charge to remain in the job.

At Tottenham, Postecoglou famously declared that he “always wins things” in his second year, and he delivered on his promise as he led the club to Europa League glory last season.

But despite ending Spurs’ 17-year trophy drought, Postecoglou was sacked after the club’s worst-ever Premier League season as they finished 17th.

Three months on from his dismissal, Postecoglou has replaced the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo at Forest, whose owner Evangelos Marinakis believes the Australian is the man to bring trophies to the club.

Asked about winning silverware in his second season, Postecoglou interjected: “I’ve won a couple in my first [season] as well. [At] Celtic, I won a double in my first year so…”

Questioned whether he was going to win one in his first year, he replied: “Yeah, of course I can. I may have to, to have a second year here, mate.”

Postecoglou will be aiming to end Forest’s 35-year trophy drought and has a chance to defend his Europa League title at the club, with Forest part of this season’s competition.

“I want to win trophies,” he said. “That’s what I’ve done my whole career.

“Looking at the opportunity here, every club wants to be successful for sure, but what I’ve seen over the last few years, those ambitions are backed up with actions. That’s perfect conditions for me.”

‘I knew Spurs sacking was coming before Europa League final’

The 60-year-old is set for a swift return to north London as Forest visit Tottenham’s rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.

Winning Spurs’ first European trophy in 41 years was not enough to keep him in the job as he was sacked 16 days after the victory in Bilbao.

But Postecoglou revealed he knew “a fair way before” the Europa League final that he was going to be sacked.

He said: “I knew it was coming, so it wasn’t a surprise.

“I knew it was coming a fair way before the final. But we won it, we had the parade, so it was a great three days, and I didn’t want it to tarnish that, but after that, I kind of knew it was done.

“From my perspective, I had the chance to process that. Whether I feel it was unjust, other people make those decisions and determinations, that’s up to them, and you have to ask their reasoning for it.

“What I do know is that I had two years that were very, very challenging, but I worked with some fantastic people in the football department.

“The supporters, we put them through some tough times, but there isn’t a Spurs supporter that I don’t come across now that doesn’t want to hug me and take me home for dinner, so I must’ve done something right.

“I’m very proud of what we achieved there, and it will always take a special place in my heart.

“How it ended, I don’t really think about it a lot. And to be fair, I left Celtic and Yokohama – and I’m sure they were both disappointed – so you understand that’s part of the business we’re in.

“But that’s allowed me to move into this and maybe these things happen for a reason.”

Ange on style: I’ve played just about every system there is

Postecoglou’s arrival at Forest is likely to see him introduce a polarising style to his predecessor, Nuno.

The pragmatic Portuguese boss built his team on defensive solidity during his 21 months in charge, but Postecoglou prefers attacking football known as ‘Angeball’.

The ex-Celtic boss, however, believes he is adaptable and can play any system.

He said: “I do love my teams to attack. I do love my teams to score goals.

“But the one constant in my career is everywhere I’ve been I’ve won things.

“Sometimes that’s done in a slightly different way. The principles are the same, but I’ve played just about every system there is. I’ve played three at the back, five at the back, three in midfield, three strikers, two strikers. I’ve done 4-4-2 for a whole season.

“There used to be a melting pot of different ideas and different opinions. There tends to be a melting pot of the same ideas these days sometimes and it would be nice if people just took a step back.

“If you look at my two years at Spurs, we finished fifth the first year, just missed a Champions League spot, and we were really aggressive with our football.

“Last year was different and I had to adjust things, but it brought success.

“But I’m never going to go away from: I want my teams to play football that’s exciting and gets people talking.”

Can ‘Angeball’ work at Forest?

Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:

He’s back. And given his standout moments last season, he was never going to be away for long.

Mic-drop comments, bold statements, and interviews you never wanted to end. Postecoglou was box office at Tottenham Hotspur – and the manner in which he delivered on his promise of “I always win things in my second season” only adds to the appeal.

Perhaps the surprise is where he has ended up next. Nottingham Forest have replaced a head coach who took them from 17th to Europe, with a head coach whose Premier League position went from Europe to 17th last season.

Postecoglou’s links to Evangelos Marinakis are clear, given their shared heritage – plus the fact that the Forest co-owner gave the former Spurs coach an award over the summer for becoming the first Greek manager to win the Europa League.

But there is an ideological clash here. Postecoglou prided himself on playing attractive, attacking football with high lines, aggressive presses and lots of the ball. He is now entering a squad of Forest players who were drilled in low blocks, counter-attacking breaks and a lack of ball possession under Nuno Espirito Santo.

So will Angeball work at the City Ground? Read more here.