A “world-class” manager has now emerged as a shock candidate to replace Ange Postecoglou as Nottingham Forest manager, following the Australian’s dismissal on Saturday.
Forest set out to appoint new manager following Ange exit
Ange only lasted a little over a month as Forest manager, which has sparked debate over whether he was given enough time, having replaced Nuno Espirito Santo at the beginning of September, before going on to implement a more attacking style.
Former defender John Curtis has since claimed it was the wrong decision to appoint the former Tottenham Hotspur boss in the first place, with Nuno enjoying a successful 2024-25 campaign, overseeing the Tricky Trees’ return to Europe.
With Ange gone, Evangelos Marinakis is now tasked with bringing in a replacement, and it could make sense to bring in a more pragmatic manager, given that the attacking philosophy didn’t produce the desired results.
The Aussie failed to win any of his eight matches in charge, which leaves the Europa League side in a precarious position, falling into the Premier League relegation zone after the 3-0 defeat at home against Chelsea on Saturday.
As such, getting the next appointment will be crucial for Marinakis, and it has now been revealed that Sean Dyche, who has a track record of guiding teams to safety, is in advanced talks about taking over as manager.
According to a report from Football Insider, however, there is an alternative option on the shortlist, with Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers emerging as a ‘shock’ new candidate for the Nottingham Forest job.
Rodgers is set to be sounded out by Forest about a move to the City Ground, with the Celtic boss out of contract at the end of the season, and the Scottish club have thus far failed to make any progress in talks about an extension.
Dyche remains the frontrunner for the job, but former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini and Fulham manager Marco Silva are also in contention.
"World-class" Rodgers could be savvy appointment for Forest
The 52-year-old is vastly experienced in the Premier League, taking charge of 204 matches as Leicester City manager, during which time he led the Foxes to victory in the 2020-21 FA Cup final, with Gabriel Agbonlahor lauding him as “world-class”.
The Northern Irishman, who won the FA Cup with Leicester, has since gone on to have another very impressive stint with Celtic, winning the Scottish Premiership and League Cup last season, meaning he has now lifted 13 trophies across a successful managerial career.
Dyche would perhaps be the safer option, having developed a reputation as a manager capable of leading relegation-threatened sides to safety, but Rodgers could be a more exciting long-term appointment, given his track record of winning trophies.
