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OH NO HE ISN’T! OH YES HE IS!

Without a doubt the most disliked down-under figure to arrive in the Nottingham area since a villainous hotelier from a famous TV drama appeared in a Mansfield panto 20 years back, the Greek-Australian’s time in charge at the City Ground could scarcely have got off to a more inauspicious start. Even though the heckling and shouts that actor Stefan Dennis was faced during a festive pantomime were largely good-natured, the venom of the invective directed at the Forest manager during the club’s European setback by the Danish side on Thursday was so intense that it is tough to see the man who has been in charge for only half a dozen games will still be around to hear the Christmas jeers this December. On more than one occasion the 60-year-old’s shouts of “There’s someone there!” went disregarded by his struggling players, particularly when the Danish side scored their initial strikes from poorly handled dead-ball situations. Nowhere near the celebratory mood they’d anticipated, Nottingham Forest’s first European home game in nearly three decades ended in acrimony with supporters telling the boss he’d be “sacked in the morning”, before serenading his well-liked, recently dismissed predecessor, the Portuguese tactician.

“I understand the atmosphere won’t be positive, I understand people’s attitude, particularly towards me, but I don’t fret over it, I’ve been here before,” the manager snapped in response, while aiming the floor around his feet to the now customary fierce look. “Football holds no surprises for me, it’s the climate we’re in. This seems to be the direction. It’s beyond my influence. Supporters are upset, they can think what they like. I listened to what they said.” Even if those supporters are free to express anger, it could be contended that they might be better advised choosing a more fitting focus for their frustration. After all, it was the club owner who sacked a popular figure to bring in the Australian, who was always going to start under pressure. Watching from the owners’ area as he went through a repertoire of sullen, fierce looks unseen since that time he learned Spurs had triggered the player’s release clause, the Greek tycoon has so far escaped any kind of harsh judgement from fans, a good number of whom remain certain the sun shines out of his generously upholstered nether regions.

By Friday midday, speculation of the manager being fired overnight proved to be overstated and sources indicate his job remains safe until such time as … actually, it’s not. Even though the team manager can make a reasonable case that he has had very few sessions on the training pitch to introduce the style and strategic detail that led to the London club failing to win more than half their league matches last term, his team’s fixture list remains forbidding and relentless. Facing Newcastle, Chelsea, Porto and the Cherries on the horizon it is difficult to see from where a maiden victory for the manager will come before what could surely be the mother of all El Sackicos against Manchester United.

COVERAGE ON MAJOR SITE

Tune in with Scott Murray at evening UK time for women’s football coverage on the goalless draw.

TOP STATEMENT

“I avoid conflicts and disputes, who names people, actually, I’ll refrain from naming names. Yet I think there was a bit of a lack of respect there, along with some incivility, and not a single hello or hi” – the Brazilian winger slams his club over the frosty environment at their stadium, where warmth has seemingly headed south like the club’s results.

READER COMMENTS

Is it true the Forest manager has promised followers he guarantees victory in his next campaign?” – a reader.

I wouldn’t normally to wish to reinforce the stereotype that Arsenal supporters are football’s whiniest fans, but a letter-writer (the prior edition’s comments) does make you think. Pointing out that rather than a couple of matches weekly, Arsenal are having to play more than two fixtures each week (wow, 30 additional minutes!) over a particular 21-day span (for a squad with double coverage in all roles to additionally) is not the argument-settler he might believe. Rather it’s just going to have the tiniest violin ensemble getting ready once more, while the other fans roll their collective eyes” – a different supporter.

I’m unsure whether your latest letter-writers (on multiple matches weekly) are deliberately, mockingly repeating one of the classic instances of internet discourse (SFW), or inadvertently demonstrating the philosopher’s saying about historical events repeating themselves as farce” – Nick Wiltsher.

To comfort you, yesterday’s letter-writer (the last mailbag), I’m the same [wishing wealthy English teams to fail on the continent]. From the time Forest stopped competing in Europe, European competition for me has caused a state of helpless fury, broken up only sometimes by the Romanian side and, maybe, the Spanish club. I care not one jot for the Reds’ achievements from the 1980s right up to the 2005 final. I feel nothing for {‘that