Marinakis plots stunning Nottingham Forest managerial move but faces major compensation setback
In his quest for a new manager, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is apparently thinking about breaking the heart of a Premier League rival, although doing so would come with a hefty price tag.
Just 39 days after taking over at The City Ground, Ange Postecoglou was brutally fired on Saturday when Forest lost to Chelsea 3-0 at home, dropping them to the bottom three of the Premier League.
Considering that Postecoglou lost all eight of his games as Forest’s manager, the decision was not as shocking. But according to BBC commentator Alan Shearer, Marinakis bears some responsibility for the Australian’s fate.
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Shearer told BBC Sport after Postecoglou left: “In the end, the results haven’t been good enough, and that is on Ange.”
However, the owner must also assume some accountability. It was his appointment, therefore he picked Ange.
“How does a manager like Ange, who everyone knows wants his teams to play in a totally different way, change from one who had a particular style of play in Nuno?”
The focus is now on Marinakis’ next target, and two names that are being strongly suggested are Sean Dyche and former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini.
But according to a number of stories, the contentious Forest owner is instead arranging a reunion with Marco Silva, the current Fulham manager.
According to a report from Portuguese publication ABola, Marinakis is “doing everything possible” to persuade Silva to join, while The Guardian reports that Forest will need to compensate its Premier League rivals by almost £8 million.
The reason Marinakis is interested in Silva is because of their positive working relationship while the Portuguese tactician was head coach of Olympiacos, a team that the Greek magnate also owns.
Forest had already attempted to sign Silva after firing Nuno Espirito Santo in early September, so this isn’t the first time they’ve done so.
However, considering how early in the new season it was, Silva at the time determined it wasn’t the correct time.
But now, six weeks later, the Fulham manager faces the same predicament. After Fulham’s 1-0 home loss to Arsenal on Saturday night, Silva left the pitch in a dejected mood.
With eight points from their eight games, the Cottagers are now in 14th place in the standings after suffering their third straight loss. Silva, who has worked for Fulham for five seasons, is considered to have a close bond with the team’s supporters and administration.
In light of this, Marinakis may still have a difficult time establishing a new working relationship with the Portuguese in the future.
It’s safe to say that opinions among City Ground supporters have been divided in response to Marinakis firing another manager.
“It was the wrong appointment,” Mark said in a BBC Sport comment. It was the chairman’s responsibility to resolve the matter with Nuno.
In general, there is a problem with the Forest players. They avoid taking chances. Is the coach to blame for that? On the pitch, there is a lack of leadership.
After 44 days at Leeds United, the legendary Brian Clough was fired, and the rest is history. Best wishes, Ange.
“I’m disappointed that he hasn’t been given a proper chance to do the job,” Ziggy continued.
He had almost no time, but I’m sure his remarks didn’t help. Luke, in the meantime, said: “The decision is flawed solely because it wasn’t made ten days ago.
Regretfully, Ange was never right from the beginning and is undoubtedly now deemed unfit for the Premier League. There is still time in the season to get things back on track, so make sure your next session goes well.
Gavin added: “It is shameful to fire a boss after 39 days. That job, who would want it? It’s time for players to face consequences.
