Postecoglou retains Forest support but pressure growing

Ange Postecoglou was taunted by Nottingham Forest fans on Thursday

Ange Postecoglou retains the immediate support of the Nottingham Forest hierarchy, but Sunday's match at Newcastle is emerging as a potentially key fixture for the under pressure Australian.

The club are without victory in the six matches since the Australian replaced Nuno Espirito Santo at the City Ground.

A section of Forest supporters chanted "you're getting sacked in the morning" towards the former Tottenham and Celtic boss following Thursday's 3-2 Europa League defeat at home to Midtjylland.

It is understood the club's board is still behind Postecoglou heading into the Premier League trip to Newcastle, although no talks were held between him and owner Evangelos Marinakis following the European loss.

"I didn't catch up with him, it's fair to say we weren't both in the mood," said Postecoglou on Friday.

"I caught up with him after the Sunderland game though. He wants his team to win, his only comment to me was, 'how can we help you?'

"He asked if I needed anything, did I need any other support? I don't expect him to be happy about the current situation, but neither am I. Both from the owner and people connected, all they have said is, 'how can we help?'

"The reality is there is very little they can do, it is in my hands. I'm responsible for changing the club's fortunes."

BBC Sport understands there is a belief that a number of mitigating circumstances have contributed to the poor start to Postecoglou's reign, particularly in the Midtjylland defeat, where key figures believe a number of refereeing decisions wrongly went against them.

There is, however, a sense the match at St James' Park is likely to be significant in how Forest view Postecoglou's position moving forward.

The game against Eddie Howe's side provides the team with an opportunity to show they are responding to his coaching following the poor start.

While the result at Newcastle will be key, the manner of the performance, it is understood, will be equally as important.

A heavy defeat could put Postecoglou under internal scrutiny heading into the international break.

Postecoglou also said the Europa League he won at Tottenham last season, before he was sacked in the summer, demonstrated he does not allow pressure to impact his management.

"It doesn't enter my head," he added. "My responsibility lies in making sure this football club progresses and gets to a position where it can challenge for things.

"If I start putting timelines to that or worry about what is going to happen next week then I am not performing the role I have been given.

"I just don't think it is helpful to anyone. At the end of the day, I have to concentrate on the environment, the training, the way we play, and, as I said last night, I am still very, very strong in my belief that we are not too far away.

"Put it this way - I knew I was getting sacked at Tottenham about three or four months before I did, but that didn't stop me from winning something."

The 60-year-old joined Spurs from Celtic in 2023 and supporters initially warmed to the Australian for his attacking style of play, with the Londoners finishing fifth in the Premier League during his first season.

Postecoglou's second term was more difficult as Spurs finished fourth from bottom in the table. He did, however, lead the club to their first trophy in 17 years as they beat Manchester United in the Europa League final.

A dismal and difficult start

With the current poor run of results, there is no denying it has been a difficult start for Postecoglou.

And the numbers illustrate just how poor Forest have been since his appointment.

In Postecoglou's six matches, they have been beaten four times across three different competitions.

No Premier League team has lost as many matches as Forest since his appointment and they have conceded 13 goals - at a rate of 2.17 per game.

Only Manchester United and Burnley have a worse goals conceded per game average than Forest since Postecoglou's arrival.

Surprisingly, it is the 35th instance in which a top-flight manager has failed to win any of their first six matches in charge in all competitions.

Paul Jewell holds the record, having failed to win any of his first 27 matches as Derby County boss in the 2007-2008 season.

Nuno was dismissed after just three matches of this campaign when Forest were 10th in the table. They are now 17th, having drawn one and lost two of their three domestic matches under Postecoglou.

He is the first permanent Forest manager in 100 years not to win any of his first six matches.

'Considered & philosophical' - a cathartic news conference

It has been a tense 24 hours at the City Ground and Postecoglou's press conference felt somewhat therapeutic.

The manager did not change his low tone of voice, but came across considered and even philosophical during his 30 minutes with the media.

Postecoglou spoke well, outlined why he felt Forest had failed to win any of his six games so far, all the while underlining the need to win before Sunday's trip to Newcastle.

Under pressure towards the end of his Tottenham reign he often shot back at the press.

In May, he angrily dismissed a suggestion he was a clown, referencing a report which said he was "teetering between hero and clown" before the Europa League final.

Despite the defeat by Midtjylland, he feels the pressure to win games rather than win over supporters.

The strength his predecessor Nuno and, before him, Steve Cooper had was their connection with supporters.

Nuno had to win that trust following scepticism of his appointment in December 2023 after Cooper led Forest back to the Premier League.

Postecoglou started with negative equity, which has already diminished, having never been a favoured appointment of the fans, but the 60-year-old feels victories will appease the doubters.

There has been no whirlwind blowing through the City Ground despite the frustrations.

There is internal sympathy - combined with realism - that other games could have had different outcomes had it not been for individual errors, injuries or loss of form.

'It's never dull at Forest'

Nottingham Forest fan view. Pat Riddell - The Famous Club

This season should have been one of Nottingham Forest's best in modern history. Qualification for Europe for the first time in 30 years, the best squad this century and everyone at the club pulling in the same direction.

Somehow, at least for now, that has all gone out of the window. Nuno has departed, performances have been abject and on Thursday night the City Ground turned on the new manager Ange Postecoglou after just six games.

And yet it's very much classic Forest, a club that veers from success to self-made disaster like a learner driver who can't stay in a lane.

For whatever reason, the much-heralded arrival of Edu seems to have destabilised the club. The global head of football only officially arrived in July but allegedly fell out with Nuno and, despite a successful transfer window, things have taken a turn for the worse ever since.

It might all be entirely coincidental but the lack of continuity at Forest has thrown the club into crisis. It's a perfect storm of events that mean nine games into the season, the Reds have only won once.

Little wonder that some fans have already turned on him. Is it entirely of his own making? Of course not. Do the players bear some responsibility? Naturally.

Can he turn it around before it becomes even more toxic? With games against Newcastle, Chelsea, Porto, Bournemouth and Manchester United coming up, it's very hard to say.

But ask any fan and they'll tell you the same, it's never dull at Nottingham Forest.