Nottingham Forest: Dougie Freedman confident of Fawaz Al Hasawi backing

Nottingham Forest manager Dougie Freedman insists he was never in danger of losing his job and has the full support of chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi.

Freedman, 41, has overseen a 13-game unbeaten run.

But before a 1-0 win over Derby County in November, there was mounting speculation the Scot would be sacked.

"The chairman very openly said 'you'll be here and you're the future of this club' and he's getting the rewards," Freedman told BBC East Midlands Today.

"He has been very strong."

Freedman will have been in charge for a year on 2 February and, despite operating under the financial restraints of a transfer embargo, he said he has "loved every minute" of his 12 months at the City Ground.

"It has been a huge challenge," he said. "I have had to adapt my thinking and my recruitment policies as well.

"I have had to adapt the way I think in terms of the pressure I put on myself and have an objective to do one thing at at time.

"That was obviously to come out of the situation we find ourselves in off the pitch, be very competitive on the pitch and be realistic with the fans as well.

"We are working towards that but we still have a little bit to go."

Calming influence

Lennie Lawrence joined Freedman at Crystal Palace in 2011 and has followed him to Bolton and Nottingham Forest

Freedman was quick to praise the support of 68-year-old former Charlton Athletic and Middlesbrough manager Lennie Lawrence, who is part of the coaching team at Forest.

"You are only as good as the colleagues you work with," said Freedman. "And you don't want them to be the same as you, you want them to have a different view and Lennie has been there, seen it and done it.

"Lennie brings a certain calmness to me when maybe my temper can get the better of me.

"He brings a certain calmness to the group as well. He is not only helpful for myself but he has been helpful for the chairman as well. I know there are moments when the chairman has leaned on him in the past.

"The chairman and Lennie have got a very good relationship."