Headline: Oliver Glasner Urges Nottingham Forest Players to Improve Following Disappointing Start to Season
Nottingham Forest has seen a turbulent managerial history, with five different head coaches at the helm since the beginning of last season. Currently, Oliver Glasner leads the team after Sean Dyche’s tenure, which followed stints by Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou. Despite hopes for a turnaround, Forest has struggled, managing only one win from their first nine league matches.
After the team’s recent 2-0 defeat against Brentford on Saturday, Glasner expressed concerns regarding the players’ adherence to his strategies. He indicated that without significant improvements and results in the near future, he could be the sixth manager to leave the club in a short period. “It’s now time not to make compromises, it’s now time to show a clear way and everybody has to follow,” Glasner told the BBC’s Match of the Day. He added, “If they don’t want to follow, then I guess then the sixth manager will come in.”
Following the loss, Forest now sits 19th in the league, just one point above the bottom. The Reds have experienced a rough stretch, with only a single draw against Ipswich in their last five league matches. “Today is completely clear, we have to change something, a few things,” Glasner said. “I have to change a few things, and I will change a few things, 100%. We can’t continue in the same way.”
While Forest’s performance against Brentford revealed issues—where they registered no shots on target until Brentford scored their second goal—Glasner highlighted defensive mistakes and a lack of finishing quality as critical problems. “We are making too many mistakes in our defence and we are not ruthless enough, good enough, in finishing. That’s the truth,” he emphasized.
Reflecting on the season’s start, Glasner’s predicament resembles that of the previous year when Forest also found themselves under precarious managerial circumstances. The new head coach has only managed one victory in his first nine games, mirroring last year’s lackluster performances under his predecessors, yet he has secured six points compared to last year’s five.
In assessing the team’s situation, there is an ongoing debate about whether failures stem from poor performances or a series of unfortunate events. Against Brentford, Forest generated an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.85, almost double that of their opponents. Overall, Forest ranks fourth in the league for expected goals this season; however, they are currently the lowest scorers with just six goals.
Despite concerns, Glasner reportedly remains secure in his position for the moment, as his contract runs for three years, making any potential separation costly. Multiple sources have indicated that his salary at the City Ground is approximately £10 million per year. However, Glasner acknowledged the need for a shift in management tactics, humorously stating, “We start with hugging. If hugging doesn’t work, we try the opposite.” He concluded that a change is essential to prevent recurring issues within the team.
