Postecoglou on his Nottingham Forest stint: "It was a brutal experience"

Ange Postecoglou's tenure at Nottingham Forest came to an abrupt end after just 39 days. He had taken over from Nuno Espírito Santo following the third matchday of this Premier League season, on September 9, 2025. A string of negative results followed, with the team failing to secure a single victory in eight games across all competitions.

The Australian coach recently spoke to an Australian radio station about the moment he learned of his dismissal: "It was brutal. I was in the coaches' room. I knew it could happen any day, but I was sacked immediately after the game. I hadn't even done the press conference yet, but the media already knew.

I was walking through the corridors. I wanted to leave. Otherwise, I would have done something I'd regret. I just wanted to get out of there. All the roads were blocked. After half an hour, the roads cleared. I got stuck at traffic lights for 15 minutes. I had Chelsea fans yelling at me, Forest fans weren't much kinder, and then I had little kids coming up asking for a photo."

The experienced manager made it clear that taking over a Premier League team mid-season wasn't the best idea, considering his coaching philosophy. "That's what I'm waiting for (regarding his next job). Where that will be and what it will be like is hard to say right now, but I haven't thought about what I want to do here yet, or the impact I want to have, or the football I want to play."

Finally, Postecoglou clarified that the entire experience didn't wound him as a coach or a person, but next time he will consult the right people before making any hasty moves.