Gary Neville has asked an intriguing question involving Brian Clough when discussing how Nottingham Forest behave as a club. The Reds have recently been deducted four points for breaching financial fair play regulations.
It would appear that every pundit is currently waiting in line to take a pop shot at Forest. Some of the media are slamming the Reds for Steven Reid’s behaviour; whilst others are acting as though Forest are the first team to ever break financial fair play.
Now, Neville is the latest to wade into the discussion – and he’s used Brian Clough when arguing why Forest need to improve how they do things going forward.
Neville criticised Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis this week. He’s not happy with the owner being pitchside when things aren’t going well and he’s also questioned the decision to appoint Mark Clattenburg.
Gary Neville makes Brian Clough claim when discussing Nottingham Forest
The Forest situation has divided opinion to a certain degree. When Forest were promoted they lost a lot of players and to most, it’s easy to see why so many new players were added.
It’s not harsh to say that Forest did sign too many. Ultimately, it’s come back to bite them on the behind and now the club has to take their four-point punishment – although the club has appealed.
Speaking on The Overlap: The Fan Debate, Neville made a claim about Brian Clough following his time in charge at Forest. He’s not entirely convinced that he’d be happy with the current regime and how they handle affairs at the City Ground.
He said: “I have to say, you’re Nottingham Forest and I don’t know much about your football club other than the fact that I’ve watched it and followed it for 30, 40, 50 years.
“It’s got a rich history with a man who used to be at the helm in Brian Clough who is an absolute legend. What do you think he would make of the casual way in which Forest have broken the rules?
“You talk about the integrity of the football club and the history of it, why would you even want your club’s reputation to be ruined by breaking the rules? We’ve got to come away from that.”
Brian Clough wouldn’t like modern-day football
Neville doesn’t make a bad point. That said, it’s hard to imagine the iconic Forest boss appreciating much of football in the modern era – and he certainly wouldn’t like how the top six appear over-protected.
Officiating was something that Clough would never batter. Now, in this day and age – even with technology – referees get things wrong at an alarmingly frequent rate.
Neville is right to mention that the blase approach to how Forest have perhaps treated the rules wouldn’t have been something welcomed by Clough.
However, Marinakis is in charge of the football club and ultimately, he can do as he pleases with it.
The hope will be that Forest learn lessons from this whole debacle. If the club can become shrewd performers in the transfer market, one day Forest fans can live in the hope that Neville might say something positive about the club.
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