Nottingham Forest have made a bold move by sacking Portuguese coach Nuno Espirito Santo despite his record as their most successful manager in 30 years. The decision followed growing tensions between Santo, club owner Evangelos Marinakis, and Sporting Director Edu.
Why was Nuno Espirito Santo sacked?
Santo’s relationship with Marinakis began to sour in August when he openly admitted that communication had broken down. “I always had a perfect relationship with the owner – last season we were very close and spoke daily. 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,” Santo told the media.
Those remarks left him in a vulnerable position, and while Marinakis initially offered public backing, the writing was on the wall. The sacking was confirmed on Monday night during the international break.
What did Santo achieve with Nottingham Forest?
Appointed in December 2023 to replace Steve Cooper, Santo inherited a relegation-threatened side and managed to steer them to safety despite a four-point deduction over financial breaches. Last season, he guided Forest to a seventh-place finish, their best since the 1994–95 season, and secured European football for the first time in three decades.
Forest are set to compete in the Europa League this season after being promoted from the Conference League following Crystal Palace’s demotion over ownership breaches. Still, Santo’s frustrations with summer transfer activity left him at odds with the board, ultimately costing him his job.
Reports suggest Forest are lining up Ange Postecoglou, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic manager, as their next head coach. Postecoglou, who has Europa League-winning experience, is seen as a strong candidate to build on the foundations Santo laid.
By Yockshard Enyendi
