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Replacing a club icon was always going to be a challenging assignment, but the previous manager managed to pull off a smart strategy after Steve Cooper’s departure: winning his initial pair of fixtures. A great deal is overlooked about the first six months of Nuno’s tenure, when the team survived just one position above the drop zone and endured a stretch of taking victory in only one time in 10 Premier League matches.

The former boss had accomplished the vital task of raising morale and gaining the backing of the fans by defeating Newcastle away and generating excitement by overcoming a major rival at home, and nobody was calling for style points. The home stadium was buzzing in the end of 2023, and local supporters did not mind that they witnessed only two more victories there for the rest of the season.

The club supporters call for the manager dismissal after 23 days following continental loss.

The Australian coach is still waiting to taste a win, making him the initial Forest manager in a hundred years to fail to secure a victory in any of their opening half-dozen games. There was a toxic atmosphere at the City Ground on the recent matchday as they lost to the second-best team in Denmark. When supporters are demanding your dismissal after three weeks, it is fair to say things are not going well. On Friday there were no intentions to fire Postecoglou but a defeat at St James’ Park on the weekend could cost him his job.

All those at the club understood there would be a period of transition because the Australian’s style of play is virtually a complete contrast to the one his predecessor finely tuned there. The plan was evolving under the Portuguese but not at the pace Postecoglou is attempting to implement.

Starting with four away games was consistently going to be a tough challenge for Postecoglou. Opening at Arsenal meant generating positive energy from the outset was unlikely but suffering a defeat at Swansea in the domestic cup and drawing at another opponent put Postecoglou on the back foot. The match at Real Betis appeared to be a turning point because the performance was strong and in line with anticipations regarding Postecoglou’s style. The methods were sound and, but for a late Antony goal, success would have begun.

However Forest are still grounded. If Postecoglou could have been excused for the away results, losing at home to Sunderland and a European side was not part of the thinking. There was a element of explanation in the initial home defeat: a generous set-piece award that resulted in the decisive goal and appalling finishing from Forest meant the result went back to the north-east. Forest had almost two-thirds of the ball and multiple attempts but outscoring an opponent on xG is irrelevant.

The manager and Neco Williams will want to reverse the team’s fortunes around at the next venue on the upcoming matchday.

There was a belief that when the forwards regained form, all aspects would be resolved but poor finishing is only one of the issues confronting the boss. The solid backline constructed by the previous manager has been dismantled, leaving Postecoglou still waiting for a clean sheet. Stopping set pieces has been problematic, two of the opponent’s goals originating from them, and the other goal Forest conceded was from a counterattack, the type that were a regular feature during his time at Tottenham.

The coach was keen to return to management quickly after being dismissed by Tottenham, particularly with a European honor around his neck. He aimed to show people wrong and Forest presented that chance, with the added bonus of being in the competition he had triumphed in in the spring. The Hellenic link with Forest’s proprietor, Evangelos Marinakis, helped make the hiring smooth and the manager, in spite of his detractors, does have the qualifications necessary – but pragmatism was not to be part of the equation.

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Nuno was never fired for football reasons but for initiating a dispute with the owner that he was never going to prevail in. Finishing in seventh place and taking Forest into continental competition made Nuno incredibly popular. Despite his complaints, a squad capable of finishing in the top half was put together and a lot of funds was invested. After far too much immediate thinking at Forest, they had a clear future plan and strategy, which included a team that suited the previous boss. Now it feels as if a new figure has entered the house and the children are not happy.

Trips to one opponent and another rival frame the home game of Chelsea in the upcoming trio of league fixtures, suggesting life is only going to get harder. The owner made the selection with his emotions and is urgently hoping to avoid another dismissal because removing Postecoglou would be an acknowledgment that he made a pair of terrible decisions in dismissing the former coach and selecting the successor. The sport is one big popularity competition and Nuno began winning his at St James’ Park. The current manager needs to do the same or he risks forfeiting his for good.