‘let The Story Play Out’: Postecoglou Defends Record As Nottingham Forest Pressure Grows

Ange Postecoglou has urged nan Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, to support religion successful him, doubling down connected his belief he will triumph silverware astatine nan nine by saying: “If you fto nan communicative play out, I’ll show you really it finishes.”

Postecoglou is nether aggravated unit earlier Forest big Chelsea connected Saturday aft 7 games without a triumph since he took nan reins connected 9 September. Marinakis is expected to beryllium successful attendance and it is thought nan Greek billionaire could sack Postecoglou if Forest neglect to show signs of progress.

The caput coach said he did not speak to Marinakis during nan world break and was bullish erstwhile questioned astir his position. “What I consistently say, and I was mocked and bullied for it past year, is: if you fto nan communicative play out, I’ll show you really it finishes,” Postecoglou said. “But I don’t clasp that determination successful my hands.

“I said past twelvemonth [while successful complaint astatine Tottenham] successful my 2nd twelvemonth I ever triumph things, right? And what’s nan cardinal to that? That I’m location successful my 2nd year, because it takes a spot of time. But nan communicative ever ends nan same: you time off maine here, fto maine do my job, it’ll extremity nan aforesaid … pinch a trophy. If I don’t and I’m removed, well, what tin I do astir it? I can’t triumph successful this business successful position of trying to person people. You either spot what you spot aliases you don’t; either measurement it doesn’t impact me.”

Postecoglou, who won nan Europa League pinch Tottenham past season, earning their first trophy since 2008, expressed bafflement astatine his position being nether specified scrutiny aft less than six weeks successful charge. He many times mentioned nan connection “prism” during Friday’s property conference. Asked done which lens he feels nan Forest level position him, nan Australian replied: “I’d for illustration to deliberation that erstwhile they made this determination they didn’t look astatine maine and spot a grounded head who is fortunate to beryllium successful a job. I deliberation they astir apt appointed maine because they saw thing successful maine that they felt I could present astatine this shot club. Now, has that changed successful 5 weeks?

“I can’t reply that mobility but I’d beryllium amazed because that would astir apt mean location astir apt wasn’t a helluva batch of condemnation successful it to commencement with. All nan relationship and feedback I’ve had pinch nan group astatine nan club, not conscionable nan proprietor but everybody else, they want america to win, they want america to get nan results and I understand that.”

The 60-year-old added: “The proprietor especially, he wants to win, that’s beautiful clear; I don’t request immoderate further explanation connected that. No 1 has been thing but encouraging to me. Do I get immoderate benignant of consciousness of wherever [they] beryllium pinch things? I’ve ne'er asked for that, I’ve ne'er sought reassurance for that, wherever I’ve been. What I opportunity to you is what I opportunity to nan group astir me, aliases nan owner: fto nan communicative play out, I’ll show you nan ending. I’ve said it to each of them, everyplace I’ve been appointed.”

Marinakis is mindful of nan discontent among Forest supporters, galore of whom were against Postecoglou succeeding Nuno Espírito Santo, who led nan nine into Europe for nan first clip since 1995-96. Thousands of Forest fans chanted against Postecoglou – and successful support of Nuno – during their 3-2 Europa League defeat by Midtjylland astatine nan City Ground, their astir caller location match.

Evangelos Marinakis heard chants against Ange Postecoglou during Forest’s conclusion by Midtjylland astatine nan City Ground. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

“I can’t show group what to consciousness aliases sing,” Postecoglou said. “I’ve ne'er taken it excessively personally either way, moreover erstwhile nan praise comes, because I cognize it tin flip. When we were astatine Tottenham past year, aft nan first 5 games they were playing this Robbie Williams opus [Angels] aft each crippled and it was annoying nan hellhole retired of maine truthful I told them to extremity playing it, because it wasn’t real, it wasn’t genuine. It was trying to manufacture group to consciousness a definite measurement and I conscionable don’t judge successful that stuff.”

Postecoglou, who moved into an flat successful nan area during nan world break, gave an impassioned defence of his appointment. When asked whether this crippled felt for illustration an mean lucifer fixed nan heightened sound astir his position and Forest sounding retired imaginable successors, he replied pinch a five-minute monologue.

At nan extremity of a considered response, successful which he said “I conscionable don’t fit, successful general”, he added: “You tin look astatine this first 5 weeks and say: ‘He’s nether unit because he was fortunate to get this job.’ Or you tin look astatine it and say: ‘Well, there’s been a awesome change.’

“I americium trying to alteration nan measurement we play. The players are adapting, but there’s inconsistency successful there, for sure. Some will look astatine nan weeds, I look astatine what’s growing.”