Ange Postecoglou is set to officially introduce himself to Nottingham Forest supporters when Sunderland visits the City Ground early Sunday morning AEST. The Australian manager remains winless in four matches since taking over at Forest.
In Forest's first European outing in 29 years, a late equaliser resulted in a 2-2 draw against Real Betis in Spain on Thursday morning AEST. Last weekend, newly promoted Burnley also prevented Postecoglou from securing his first win, as Forest left Turf Moor with a point.
This draw marked Forest's first league point under Postecoglou, following a 3-0 loss to Arsenal in his debut match and a 3-2 defeat to Swansea in the League Cup earlier this month. After traveling to London, Wales, Burnley, and Spain, Postecoglou hopes to achieve his first victory in front of the home crowd.
Sunderland, currently sitting seventh in the league with eight points from five matches, has exceeded expectations since their promotion from the Championship. In contrast, Forest is positioned 15th with five points, and Postecoglou is under pressure to secure a win to ease tensions among fans disappointed by the dismissal of Nuno Espirito Santo.
“Playing away in football is always a challenging experience because it’s the job of opposition supporters to make it as uncomfortable as possible for the visiting team. To have some home comforts tomorrow, from the people who support this football club and get behind the players, it’s going to be great,” Postecoglou stated.
He emphasized the importance of the fans’ support, stating, “When the players walk out and they hear the noise that will be supportive of them, I think it will help the performance.” Postecoglou acknowledged the need to win to build faith among supporters, noting that while winning games is the immediate goal, there must also be visible progress in the team's performance.
Since the Arsenal match, he remarked that the football played against Swansea, Burnley, and Real Betis has been compelling and reflective of their ongoing work. He highlighted the growth of players like Igor Jesus and Elliot Anderson, as well as the development of the team's defense.
In a surprising move, Postecoglou benched New Zealand striker Chris Wood, who scored 20 goals last Premier League season, opting instead for Igor Jesus in Seville. Jesus responded by scoring a double, bringing his tally to four goals in three appearances under Postecoglou.
When asked about the selection dilemma, Postecoglou dismissed any concerns, referencing his previous challenges with an injury-plagued Tottenham squad. He praised Igor’s performance, stating, “Igor has done awfully well... he has made an impact since the first day he has been here and did really well for us the other day.”
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