Nottingham Forest’s experiment with Ange Postecoglou ended almost as quickly as it began. Just 17 minutes after a crushing 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea, the Australian was dismissed, bringing an abrupt close to the shortest permanent managerial reign in Premier League history.
For Postecoglou, the City Ground chapter lasted just 39 days. Eight games. No wins. Two draws. Six defeats. It was a run that left Forest hovering a single point above the relegation zone, and one that drained the optimism that had surrounded his September arrival.
Forest fans had welcomed him as a proven winner with a bold philosophy. He had conquered in Australia, Japan, and Scotland, and most recently lifted the Europa League with Tottenham. But by the time he left Nottingham, chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” had replaced any sense of faith in his project.
Saturday’s defeat to Chelsea was the breaking point. After a bright first half, Forest folded in the second as Josh Acheampong, Pedro Neto, and Reece James punished a fragile defense. The mood turned toxic long before the final whistle, with supporters heading for the exits as Chelsea’s third went in.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis, who left his seat midway through the second half of the game, didn’t deliver the news personally. A senior club official informed Postecoglou of his dismissal, moments before he reportedly apologized to his players, admitting he couldn’t deliver what he had promised.
Forest’s official statement was short and sharp: “After a series of disappointing results and performances, Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect.” No further comment followed.
It marked a brutal end for a manager whose arrival had once symbolized ambition. Forest had been 10th when he took over, dreaming of Europe. Yet under Postecoglou, they slipped into crisis, falling out of the Carabao Cup after squandering a 2-0 lead to Swansea and failing to win in Europe against Real Betis or Midtjylland.
The dismissal also underlined deeper instability at Forest. The club has cycled through managers at a dizzying rate under Marinakis, and Postecoglou’s exit continues a pattern of short-lived tenures.
Ultimately, Postecoglou’s downfall was one of timing and trust. His philosophy, bold and attacking, needed patience. Forest, desperate for results, had none to give. In the end, the man once seen as a builder of dynasties became a record-breaker for all the wrong reasons.
