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OH NO HE ISN’T! OH YES HE IS!

Quite possibly the least favored Aussie to show up in the Nottingham area since a sinister lodging owner from a famous TV drama starred in a theatrical show two decades ago, Forest’s new boss’s time in charge at the Nottingham stadium could hardly have begun more poorly. Even though the jeers and taunts that performer the Neighbours star was subjected to during a seasonal stage show were largely good-natured, the hostility of the abuse hurled at the Forest manager during the team’s Europa League loss by their Scandinavian opponents on Thursday was so overwhelming that it is difficult to imagine the manager who has been in charge for only half a dozen games will keep his job to hear the seasonal boos this December. Multiple times the 60-year-old’s shouts of “There’s someone there!” went ignored by his unfortunate players, especially when the Danish side scored their first two goals from poorly handled set-pieces. Far from the celebratory mood they’d hoped for, Forest’s first UEFA fixture on home soil in 29 years ended in rancour with the crowd telling the manager he’d be “sacked in the morning”, before serenading his well-liked, newly sacked previous manager, Nuno Espírito Santo.

“I understand the atmosphere won’t be positive, I grasp the public’s opinion, chiefly directed at me, but I don’t fret over it, I’ve been here before,” the coach retorted in answer, while directing the area at his feet to the usual intense glare. “Nothing surprises me in football, it’s the way things are. That appears to be the trend. It’s nothing I can control. The fans are disappointed, they have every right to their view. I heard their opinion.” Although those Forest fans are free to express anger, it could be argued that they might be better advised choosing a more fitting focus for their frustration. In the end, it was the club owner who sacked a popular figure to hire Postecoglou, who was always going to begin his reign on a hiding to nothing. Watching from the owners’ area as he went through a range of surly, dark scowls unseen since that period he heard Spurs had activated the player’s transfer clause, the wealthy owner has up to now dodged any kind of serious criticism from fans, a fair few of whom remain certain the he can do no wrong.

By Friday midday, talk of Postecoglou getting sacked in the morning proved to be greatly exaggerated and sources indicate his job remains secure until such time as … well, it isn’t. Even though the Forest head coach can offer a partial defense that he has had very few sessions on the practice field to implement the approach and gameplan subtleties that caused Tottenham Hotspur losing 22 of their 38 top-flight games last campaign, his club’s upcoming matches remains forbidding and relentless. Up against the Magpies, the Blues, Porto and the Cherries on the horizon it is difficult to see from where a initial success under the new boss will come before what could surely be the ultimate sack-race clash against Manchester United.

COVERAGE ON MAJOR SITE

Join the journalist at 7.30 in the evening for women’s football coverage on the stalemate between United and Chelsea.

TOP STATEMENT

“I’m not the kind of guy who gets involved in controversies, who singles out individuals, actually, I’ll keep it anonymous. However I think there was a bit of a lack of respect there, even a bit of rudeness too, with no one giving you a ‘good morning’, a ‘good afternoon’” – the Brazilian winger criticizes Manchester United over the frosty environment at their stadium, where conviviality has seemingly headed south like the side’s performance.

READER COMMENTS

Is it true Ange Postecoglou has promised Forest fans he never loses a game in his following term?” – Pete Negri.

Far be it for me to wish to reinforce the cliché that the Emirates faithful are the game’s biggest moaners, but Thabo Caves (the prior edition’s comments) does make you ponder. Highlighting that rather than a pair of fixtures per week, the North London side are having to play over two matches weekly (wow, 30 additional minutes!) over a particular 21-day span (for a squad with strong depth in each place to boot) is not the discussion-closer he might imagine. Rather it’s just going to have the smallest fiddle players tuning up their instruments once more, while the rest of football sigh in unison” – Andrew Parker.

I can’t work out whether your current contributors (on multiple matches weekly) are consciously, ironically recreating one of the memorable moments of web discussion (family-friendly), or inadvertently demonstrating the famous quote about historical events repeating themselves as farce” – Nick Wiltsher.

If it’s any solace, Bob Cushion (yesterday’s letters), I’ve always been like that [hoping rich Premier League sides to be defeated abroad]. Ever since Forest fell out of European contention, European competition for me has induced a state of seething impotent rage, broken up only sometimes by Steaua Bucharest and, if pressed, the La Liga outfit. I care not one jot for the Reds’ achievements from the 1980s right up to Istanbul. I am unmoved by {‘that