Former Nottingham Forest boss Mark Warburton has hailed Reds goalkeeper Brice Samba after his heroics in Tuesday’s penalty shootout win over Sheffield United.
The Reds star saved three penalties, but he also made two absolutely brilliant stops during the game to frustrate the Blades.
Warburton left QPR at the end of the 2021/22 campaign. His team went on a miserable run at the end of the campaign culminating in them missing out on the play-offs.
Forest drew with Warburton’s team at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium and beat them 3-1 at home on a run of six straight league victories.
Warburton arrived at Forest in March 2017. He left in December of the same year with a 40% win ratio and his best achievement was to keep the team in the Championship during 2016/17.
The 59-year-old is now looking for his next role and this morning he appeared on TalkSPORT as a pundit following the Europa League Final.
His former club Rangers were beaten in the final by Eintracht Frankfurt, also on penalties, and he used Forest as an example of fine margins.
He told TalkSPORT (19/05; 10:20am): “You look at the Forest game last night. Brice Samba pulls off a save that is frankly miraculous.
“Last night Kevin Trapp does the same from Ryan Kent. It really is a case of fine margins.”
Warburton hails Forest man Samba but couldn’t resist familiar fine margins comment
Mr Fine Margins was a nickname that used to be tagged to Warburton during his time at Forest. After most defeats, it would be the same stuff coming out of his mouth.
Still, he did some good stuff on Trentside and perhaps he was the right manager at the wrong time for the football club.
He did get appointed at a time when things weren’t awfully rosey off the pitch and as a result, he didn’t get an embarrassment of riches to spend.
Warburton was right to hail Samba. He was fantastic for the duration of Tuesday night and it’s thanks to him that Forest are off to Wembley.
For the former boss, he will spend the summer wondering where his next job will take him following his QPR exit.