Ange's Axe: Forest's Cutthroat Call Still Haunts
Remember Ange Postecoglou's blink-and-you-miss-it stint at Nottingham Forest? It still feels like a fever dream. The man's now a Premier League fixture, leading Tottenham with a swagger, but back in 2017, his experience at the City Ground was, by his own admission, "brutal." Eighteen minutes. That's how long it took after a 2-1 defeat to Burton Albion for the axe to fall. Eighteen minutes to process a loss, and then, just like that, his tenure, which spanned a mere five matches, was over.
He’d only arrived in January 2017, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal. The idea was to bring his attacking, high-pressing style, honed over years, to the Championship. Forest, then languishing near the relegation zone, needed a jolt. They got one, alright, just not the kind anyone expected. His record? One win, one draw, three losses. Not pretty, no, but hardly enough time to implement anything. It was a chaotic period for the club, going through four managers in the 2016-17 season alone. You wonder if anyone had a chance.
The Brutality of the Boot
Postecoglou recently revisited that period, calling it a "brutal" experience. And who could argue? Imagine pouring your life into a new project, moving halfway across the world, only to have it snatched away before you've even unpacked. He'd just led Australia to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup title, a significant achievement, and was seen as a forward-thinking coach. Coming to a struggling Championship side was a challenge, sure, but he probably expected more than a five-game audition. The club finished 21st that season, narrowly avoiding League One, but it wasn't Ange who ultimately saved them. Mark Warburton oversaw the final push.
Thing is, Forest’s ownership at the time wasn't exactly known for patience. Fawaz Al-Hasawi had gone through a revolving door of managers, and Postecoglou was just another casualty in a long line. It highlights the cutthroat nature of English football, especially in the Championship, where the stakes are incredibly high. A single bad run can trigger panic, regardless of the long-term vision. Frankly, it was a huge mistake to let him go so quickly. They missed out on a coach who clearly had something special, something Tottenham is now benefitting from.
Learning from the City Ground Scar
You can bet that brief, painful spell at Forest shaped Postecoglou. He went back to Australia, led them to the 2018 World Cup, then conquered Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos, winning the J1 League in 2019. After that, he revitalized Celtic, grabbing two Scottish Premiership titles and a Scottish Cup. Each stop, each success, built on the last. That Forest experience, as short as it was, likely hardened him, taught him about the relentless pressure, and perhaps, reinforced his belief in his own methods, despite external pressures.
Now, at Spurs, he’s got them playing exhilarating football, sitting fifth in the Premier League after a strong start to the 2023-24 campaign, with players like Son Heung-min thriving under his system. It’s proof of his resilience and unwavering philosophy. He never compromised, never wavered from his attacking principles, even when the results weren't there at Forest. And that’s why he's succeeding now.
Here's the thing: Forest’s loss was ultimately football's gain. If they had shown a sliver of patience, they might have unearthed a gem. Instead, they got a footnote in a brilliant managerial career. I predict that Postecoglou will lead Tottenham to a major trophy within the next two seasons, proving Forest’s 18-minute decision was one of the worst in recent Championship history.