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Nottingham Forest

Edu will, no doubt, play a key role in the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo's successor.

Former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou was the name immediately linked to the vacant post after Nuno's sacking, but there are others.

We will assess those in a moment.

Whoever is handed the role will face a tricky early run of games.

Four of Forest's next five fixtures are away from home across three competitions, including their first European match for 30 years.

• Saturday Arsenal (A)
• 17 Sep Swansea (A - EFL Cup)
• 20 Sep Burnley (A)
• 24 Sep Real Betis (A -Europa League)
• 27 Sep Sunderland (H)

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Nottingham Forest spent more than £180m this summer but Nuno Espirito Santo was unhappy with being unable to integrate new players quickly enough.

Suggestions of a rift with Edu, Forest's global sporting director, lingered and the 3-0 defeat by West Ham last week was the worst performance of his reign, coming before talks with Evangelos Marinakis about the club's future direction following his comments.

Nuno said, although not entirely convincingly, he expected to be in charge for Saturday's trip to Arsenal after the international break, but Forest's future is now without him.

A search for his replacement is not expected to be a lengthy one with ex-Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou previously linked.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

• 01 Apr: Nottingham Forest strengthen their position in third in the Premier League, in the Champions League places, with a 1-0 win at home to Manchester United
• 27 Apr: Forest lose 2-0 against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals after a run of just three points in three games had weakened their position in the league
• 01 May: Forest drop from third to sixth in the Premier League table with a 2-0 defeat at home to Brentford
• 11 May: Further dropped points followed in a draw at Crystal Palace before Forest conceded a late equaliser at home to local rivals and relegation candidates Leicester City, which left them in seventh, one point behind fifth-placed Chelsea
• 25 May: Forest lose a nerve-shredding final game of the Premier League season 1-0 at home to Chelsea. The visitors qualify for the Champions League at the expense of Nuno Espirito Santo's side, who end up in the Conference League with a seventh-placed finish. They are later bumped up into the Europa League at Crystal Palace's expense
• 31 Aug: The new season kicks off with a 3-1 victory over Brentford, but, after a draw at Palace, Forest fall to a shock 3-0 defeat at home to early strugglers West Ham
• 09 Sep: In the early hours of Tuesday morning Forest release an 80-word statement confirming Nuno's sacking

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

Image source, Getty Images

As an outsider, it might be difficult to understand the frustration of Nottingham Forest chairman Evangelos Marinakis, considering the club had bounced back from a relegation battle to be challenging for Europe.

However, it is important to note that for much of last season Forest looked nailed on to qualify for the Champions League.

They were even considered to be title challengers in January, when Nuno Espirito Santo's side were second in the Premier League table, just six points behind leaders Liverpool, ahead of a match between the top two at the City Ground.

Forest were on course to cut the Reds' lead to just four points after Chris Wood handed them an early lead, before Diogo Jota scored a second-half equaliser to claim a 1-1 draw.

Results tailed off a little after that point, but Forest remained in the top three as the season entered the final two months...

Pat Nevin
Former Scotland winger on 5 Live Breakfast

It [Nuno's sacking] is no surprise whatsoever.

I don't mean just going back to Nuno's words at the start of the season when he thought his job was in danger, it goes back further than that.

It goes back all the way to when Marinakis came on to the field at the end of a game.

At that point in time there is going to be a breakdown - it is just a matter of when.

When you heard the comments from Nuno, obviously he wasn't getting the control, particular the transfer of players he wanted.

I was waiting for the first bad result and expecting it to come. No shock, no surprise.

In May last season, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis appeared to confront Nuno Espirito Santo on the pitch following a 2-2 draw against Leicester City at the City Ground.

Forest later said the incident was because of the owner's frustration that striker Taiwo Awoniyi had continued to play following an 88th-minute injury, which subsequently required what was described as "urgent" surgery.

The club said there was "no confrontation" and it was "fake news" to suggest otherwise.

Forest picked up eight points from their last eight matches of last season, missing out on Champions League qualification with a final-day defeat at home to Chelsea.

They finished seventh, despite spending much of the season in the top three.

It was enough to secure European football for the first time in three decades.

They qualified for the Conference League but were moved into the Europa League for 2025-26 at Crystal Palace's expense after the Eagles were deemed to be in breach of multi-club ownership rules.

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

So Forest fan Ian is disgusted and neutrals Laurie and Dave are confused.

Please get involved using the icon at the top of this page to explain your overriding emotion this morning following Nottingham Forest's decision, announced shortly after midnight, to sack manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

We have reaction coming up from Pat Nevin, who has told BBC Radio 5 Live that this outcome was inevitable after chairman Evangelos Marinakis confronted Nuno on the pitch in May following a 2-2 draw at home to Leicester.

Before we bring you Nevin's comments, lets delve a little bit deeper into that confrontation and Forest's run of results that led to it....

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

They are the views of neutrals.

You can imagine some of the messages we have had coming in from Nottingham Forest supporters....

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

In just under two years Nuno Espírito Santo guided Nottingham Forest from a relegation battle back into Europe for the first time in 30 years.

He leaves beloved by the Forest fans but after a clear breakdown in relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis.

He created a siege mentality which served Forest well and, despite both being big characters, it appeared a perfect match between him and Marinakis.

Last season's shock European challenge ended in missing out on the Champions League on the final day, a finish which may now have been crucial to Nuno's future.

Forest still finished seventh and reached the Europa League - being promoted to the competition after Crystal Palace's demotion - but for Nuno they did not prepare quick enough this summer.

Successive swipes in press conferences about the club's slow movement in the transfer market included the revelation his relationship with Marinakis had changed.

It was a shock given how guarded the Portuguese usually is.

Image source, Getty Images

• Nuno Espirito Santo had criticised Nottingham Forest's activity in the summer transfer window, saying they had wasted a good chance
• Edu, Arsenal's former sporting director, was appointed as Forest's global head of football earlier in the summer and has taken firm control over the club's recruitment operation
• Nuno was known to be unhappy about the speed the signings were made, leaving him less time to prepare the squad for the new season
• He said: "I always had a very good relationship with the owner - last season we were very close and spoke on a daily basis. This season it is not so well. Our relationship has changed and we are not as close. Everybody at the club should be together but this is not the reality."
• Forest made 13 signings in the summer window for about £196m, based on reported initial fees
• Key winger Anthony Elanga, along with defender Danilo and goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, were among the players who left the City Ground

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest released an 80-word statement confirming Nuno's sacking shortly after midnight:

"Nottingham Forest Football Club confirms that, following recent circumstances, Nuno Espírito Santo has today been relieved of his duties as head coach.

"The club thanks Nuno for his contribution during a very successful era at the City Ground, in particular his role in the 2024/25 season, which will forever be remembered fondly in the history of the club.

"As someone who played a pivotal role in our success last season, he will always hold a special place in our journey."

Image source, Getty Images

• Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has been sacked just three games into the season - and nine days after a 3-0 defeat at home to West Ham
• Talks are under way over Nuno's replacement, with an appointment imminent and former Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou a contender
• In a statement released early on Tuesday morning, Forest thanked the Portuguese "for his contribution during a very successful era at the City Ground" and said he would "always hold a special place" in their journey
• The 51-year-old former Wolves and Tottenham boss was in the job for 21 months, helping to stave off relegation in his first season before guiding Forest to seventh place last season and, ultimately, into the Europa League
• His success saw him sign a new three-year deal in June but Nuno said during the summer that his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis had deteriorated.

Good morning all, especially the Nottingham Forest fans amongst you who are eager to find out more about last night/this morning's sacking of manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

We will delve straight into that story, which broke just after midnight.

Stick with us for analysis and reaction to Nuno's departure after 21 months in charge at the City Ground.

And have your say on the news by using the Get Involved icon at the top of this page.

Image source, Getty Images