Ange Postecoglou has shared fresh and harrowing details of his 'brutal' sacking at Nottingham Forest, revealing the Australian manager was dismissed a mere 18 minutes after his final game in charge.
A Miserable Spell in the East Midlands
Postecoglou, 60, endured a deeply disappointing and short-lived tenure with the East Midlands club after taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo earlier this season. His time at the helm was marked by an eight-game winless run, culminating in owner Evangelos Marinakis delivering his marching orders after just 39 days. The team's 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the charismatic Australian coach.
The Immediate Aftermath of the Chelsea Loss
In a candid interview with SEN 116 back in Australia, Postecoglou has now shed light on the chaotic aftermath of that Chelsea defeat and his abrupt dismissal. He admitted that the decision to join Forest was not the right one, but it was the manner of his exit that left a lasting impression.
'I haven't told the story but it was brutal mate, I literally got sacked straight after the game,' he recounted. 'I knew it was coming so it was one of those that could come any day now but they literally sacked me straight after the game. I hadn't done the press yet but the press already knew. I just wanted to leave because I was going to do something I regret.'
A Chaotic and Humiliating Exit
Postecoglou described a scene of utter chaos as he attempted to depart the stadium. 'I hadn't spoken to the assistant coaches who I knew also were probably going to be sacked so I needed to say something to them and I'm doing this walking through throes of press and people who are just all looking at me and I just wanted to get out of there.'
Security personnel advised him on his exit, noting that after Premier League games, roads are typically blocked for about half an hour. 'And then after half an hour they said Ange, the roads have opened but there's obviously traffic out there and they did their best to try and get me through.'
His journey was far from smooth. 'I got stuck at one set of traffic lights for at least 15 minutes, I've got Chelsea supporters giving it to me, Forest supporters weren't much kinder.' In a surreal twist, amidst the hostility, 'I'm sitting in the car laid back and in between I got little kids coming up asking for a selfie, so what do you do, I don't want to disappoint.'
Reflecting on the entire ordeal, Postecoglou concluded, 'So I paid for my penance, whatever mistake I made, I paid a pretty heavy price for it.'
Forest's Managerial Carousel Continues
Postecoglou was swiftly replaced by Sean Dyche, who himself was sacked by Forest in February. The club's new boss, Vitor Pereira, now stands as the fourth manager to take charge this turbulent season. In a positive turn, Forest's 3-0 victory at Tottenham on Sunday has provided much-needed breathing space in the relegation battle, with Pereira's side currently three points clear of 18th-placed West Ham.
