A report has shared that Nottingham Forest have gone through the entire 2022/23 campaign without a head physio. The Reds are now guaranteed Premier League football next season after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Arsenal.
The Times has made this astonishing claim. It’s one that will perhaps explain why injuries have been so frequent this season and Forest will almost certainly look to address the balance of the medical team.
Forest were stunned at the end of last season when Neil Simms left for Southampton. He had an exemplary record with keeping players fit during the promotion-winning campaign but headed to pastures new.
Simms headed for pastures new but now he will be overseeing the medical issues at a Championship next season. He was, however, a trusted member of the backroom team and wasn’t replaced.
It seems unthinkable that the Reds haven’t had a head physio to speak of. Training Ground Guru lists three physios in place at Forest but none of them have actually been given the responsibility to lead.
Dimitris Kaplanis, Mark Devonshire and Niall Stevens are the three listed. The latter joined from Sheffield Wednesday in 2021 and stepped up to the role of physio in March 2022.
Forest have had several injuries to contend with this season. Only Chelsea with 46 injuries have picked up more than the 45 that Forest have been forced to deal with during 2022/23.
Forest have gone through 2022/23 without a head physio and things must change
Now Forest are safe things have to change off the field. Ross Wilson has arrived and surely one of his remits will be to appoint the right staff into the right roles at the City Ground ahead of next season.
It’s laughable that Forest can sign 30 new players since winning promotion yet not have a head physio. That just doesn’t make sense and you can see why that would rile the club’s supporters.
Forest have to start behaving like a Premier League football club. Okay, staying in the league is now a reality but things need to change this summer, starting with a head physio coming into the club.