Nuno Espirito Santo has been appointed as the new manager of Nottingham Forest today. He replaces Steve Cooper who had been in charge for over two years at the City Ground.
The links to Espirito Santo have come from nowhere really. It was announced earlier this week that the head coach was in talks and that Cooper’s job was at serious risk.
Forest have appointed a head coach with a decent pedigree in England. He’s managed Wolves to promotion and then kept them in the Premier League, whilst he’s also had a short spell at Tottenham.
We confess, however, that we’ve not been following Espirito Santo as closely as some other people. Fear not, because Al-Ittihad News Editor Ahmed El-Ramady was on hand to give us the lowdown on Espirito Santo.
NFN: What can Forest expect from Nuno Espirito Santo?
AIN: Tactical discipline. Nuno has been a very strict type of character and demands a lot from his players at all times.
NFN: What sort of tactical approach does he have to games?
AIN: It depends because during his Tottenham or Wolves days, he played with three central defenders which is different from his 4-2-3-1/ 4-4-2 approach at Al-Ittihad. So it ultimately comes down to the type of players he has at his disposal.
NFN: Are there any weaknesses that Forest should be wary of?
AIN: Man management has definitely been a talking point during his time at Al-Ittihad as you often saw reports of players complaining over playing style and similar stuff. However, it’s possible that he used his time at the club as a chance to experiment with tactics so we’ll have to see.
NFN: Who were his key players at Al-Ittihad?
AIN: Romarinho and Igor Coronado. The Brazilian duo have consistently delivered this season for Al-Ittihad despite their poor run of form in the league.
NFN: Why was he sacked from the club?
AIN: He fell out with the dressing room and management according to multiple Saudi reports. There was a strange case at Al-Ittihad where they signed Jota from Sporting for big money in the summer and Nuno didn’t give him game time at the start of the season and decided to leave him out of their squad in the Saudi Pro League before going back on their decision. Additionally, constant disputes with Karim Benzema and other players like Abderrazak Hamdallah over the formation or tactics didn’t do him any favours.
NFN Finally, will he be a success at Forest?
Based on the position of Nottingham Forest at the moment, he can still be the breath of fresh air they need because they have a decent squad and if he manages to form a good relationship with the players, the supporters can definitely expect an upturn in form in the next two months
Summary – Espirito Santo needs fast Forest start
Ultimately, we just don’t know how the head coach is going to get on at Forest. Certain people suit certain clubs and that might be the case with Espirito Santo.
The 49-year-old has ample experience and he should be capable of getting a tune out of the current Forest squad. The Reds need points quickly and ultimately they can’t afford too many more setbacks.
Espirito Santo will have to hit the ground running. Cooper’s stock was so high that some fans are furious he’s gone and if it’s a slow start things could go toxic at a frantic speed.
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