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IT CAN’T BE HIM! BUT IT IS!

Without a doubt the least favored down-under figure to make an appearance in the Nottingham area since a sinister lodging owner from a popular soap appeared in a theatrical show two decades ago, Ange Postecoglou’s reign at the City Ground could hardly have begun more poorly. Although the boos and catcalls that actor Stefan Dennis was faced during Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood were generally lighthearted, the toxicity of the invective directed at Postecoglou during the club’s Europa League loss by their Scandinavian opponents on last Thursday was so overwhelming that it is tough to see the manager who has been in charge for a mere handful of fixtures will keep his job to listen to the seasonal boos this December. Multiple times the veteran manager’s shouts of “Watch out behind!” went unheeded by his struggling players, especially when the visiting team scored their opening pair from badly organized dead-ball situations. A long way from the joyous atmosphere they’d expected, Forest’s first continental match at home in nearly three decades ended in rancour with supporters telling Postecoglou he’d be “dismissed soon”, before chanting for his popular, recently dismissed predecessor, the ex-Wolves coach.

“I get the mood around the place isn’t going to be great, I know how fans feel, especially about me, but I never worry about that, this is nothing new to me,” the manager snapped in answer, while aiming the ground near him to the typical death-stare. “I’m never shocked in this sport, it’s the way things are. That appears to be the trend. It’s nothing I can control. The fans are disappointed, they have every right to their view. I heard their opinion.” And while those Forest fans are entitled to vent, it could be contended that they might be more sensible choosing a more fitting focus for their frustration. After all, it was the Greek businessman who sacked a popular figure to hire the new boss, who was always going to face a tough task from day one. Observing from the executive seats as he went through a range of surly, dark scowls not seen since that occasion he learned Spurs had triggered the midfielder’s transfer clause, the Greek tycoon has up to now dodged any kind of serious criticism from fans, a sizable group of whom remain sure the sun shines out of his generously upholstered nether regions.

By Friday midday, speculation of Postecoglou getting sacked in the morning proved to be unfounded and reports suggest his job remains protected until such time as … well, it isn’t. Even though the Forest head coach can make a reasonable case that he has had little or no time on the practice field to implement the style and strategic detail that resulted in Tottenham Hotspur dropping more than half their league matches last term, his side’s schedule remains tough and continuous. Up against Newcastle, the Blues, Porto and the South-Coast team coming soon it is difficult to see from where a maiden victory for the manager will come before what could likely be the ultimate sack-race clash against the Old Trafford side.

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TOP STATEMENT

“I’m not the kind of guy who gets involved in controversies, who points fingers, in fact, I’ll keep it anonymous. Yet I think there was a bit of a lack of respect there, plus some impoliteness, with no one giving you a ‘good morning’, a ‘good afternoon’” – Antony slams Manchester United over the cold atmosphere at the Theatre of Dreams, where warmth has likely worsened like the club’s results.

READER COMMENTS

Is there truth the Forest manager has vowed Forest fans he always wins a match in his second season?” – a fan.

It’s not my place to wish to reinforce the cliché that Gunners fans are football’s whiniest fans, but a correspondent (the previous day’s mailbag) does make you ponder. Noting that rather than a couple of matches weekly, Arsenal are having to play more than two fixtures each week (ooh an extra 30 minutes!) over a certain trio of weeks (for a roster with double coverage in all roles to additionally) is not the argument-settler he might imagine. On the contrary it’s just going to have the orchestra of the world’s smallest violins preparing to play once more, while the rest of football sigh in unison” – Andrew Parker.

I’m unsure whether your current contributors (on multiple matches weekly) are intentionally, sarcastically mimicking one of the memorable moments of online debate (family-friendly), or inadvertently demonstrating the famous quote about history repeating first as tragedy, then as farce” – a respondent.

If it’s any solace, Bob Cushion (yesterday’s letters), I’ve long felt that way [hoping wealthy English teams to be defeated abroad]. From the time Forest stopped competing in Europe, continental matches for me has led to a state of frustrated anger, broken up only sometimes by the Eastern European team and, if pressed, the Spanish club. I care not one jot for the Reds’ achievements from the eighties right up to the 2005 final. I am unmoved by {‘that