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Replacing a team hero was consistently going to be a challenging task, but Nuno Espírito Santo succeeded to pull off a shrewd strategy after Steve Cooper’s exit: securing victories in his first two matches. Much is forgotten about the first six months of Nuno’s tenure, when the team survived just one position above the relegation zone and endured a period of winning only one time in 10 Premier League matches.

Nuno had accomplished the vital task of raising morale and winning over the supporters by beating Newcastle away and generating enthusiasm by overcoming Manchester United at home, and nobody was demanding style points. The City Ground was buzzing in the end of 2023, and home fans did not mind that they witnessed only two more wins there for the rest of the season.

The club supporters demand Postecoglou dismissal after 23 days following European defeat.

The Australian coach is yet to experience success, making him the initial Forest head coach in a hundred years to be unable to secure a victory in any of their opening half-dozen fixtures. There was a toxic mood at the City Ground on Thursday night as they succumbed to the runner-up team in Denmark. When supporters are calling for your sacking after 23 days, it is reasonable to say the situation are not progressing smoothly. On Friday there were no plans to dismiss Postecoglou but a defeat at Newcastle on Sunday could end his job.

Everyone at the club understood there would be a phase of change because the new manager’s tactical approach is almost a polar opposite to the one Nuno finely tuned there. The strategy was developing under the former coach but not at the pace the new boss is attempting to implement.

Starting with four away games was always going to be a tough ask for Postecoglou. Kicking off at Arsenal meant building positive energy from the outset was unlikely but suffering a defeat at a Championship team in the domestic cup and drawing at another opponent put him on the defensive. The game at Real Betis appeared to be a turning point because the performance was impressive and in line with expectations regarding the manager’s philosophy. The processes were correct and, but for a last-minute opposing player goal, takeoff would have begun.

However Forest are still stuck. If the coach could have been excused for the performances on the road, losing at home to a visiting team and a European side was not part of the plan. There was a element of explanation in the initial home defeat: a generous free-kick decision that led to the winner and appalling shooting from Forest meant the result went away to the north-east. Forest had almost two-thirds of possession and 22 shots but outscoring an rival on xG is meaningless.

Ange Postecoglou and a key player will aim to reverse Nottingham Forest’s fortunes around at Newcastle on Sunday.

There was a belief that when the strikers regained their scoring touch, all aspects would be resolved but poor finishing is only a single of the issues confronting the boss. The robust backline built by the previous manager has been dismantled, leaving him awaiting a shutout. Defending set pieces has been an issue, a pair of the opponent’s goals coming from them, and the other goal Forest let in was from a counterattack, the type that were a common feature during his time at Tottenham.

Postecoglou was keen to return to management promptly after being sacked by Tottenham, especially with a European honor around his neck. He aimed to prove people wrong and Forest presented that chance, with the added bonus of being in the tournament he had triumphed in in May. The Hellenic link with Forest’s proprietor, the club’s chief, helped make the hiring smooth and Postecoglou, despite his detractors, does have the qualifications necessary – but pragmatism was unlikely to be part of the equation.

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Nuno was not fired for football causes but for initiating a dispute with Marinakis that he was never going to win. Ending up in seventh place and guiding Forest into Europe made him extremely popular. Despite his complaints, a team able of ending in the top half was assembled and a lot of money was spent. After excessive short-termism at Forest, they had a clear future plan and approach, which featured a squad that suited the previous boss. Now it feels as if a new figure has moved into the home and the children are not happy.

Trips to one opponent and another rival bookend the visit of Chelsea in the upcoming trio of league fixtures, suggesting the situation is only going to get more difficult. The owner made the appointment with his heart and is desperately wishing to avoid another dismissal because firing the manager would be an acknowledgment that he made two dreadful decisions in dismissing the former coach and choosing the successor. The sport is one big public approval competition and Nuno started winning his at the away ground. The current manager needs to do the same or he faces the possibility of forfeiting his permanently.