Ange Postecoglou has declared he is determined to take two-time European Cup winners Nottingham Forest back to its “rightful place” in English football, reminding his new club’s fans: “I love winning things — that’s what I’ve done.”
Four months on since leading Tottenham to the Europa League title, Postecoglou has made it clear he wants to help transport the English Midlands outfit back to the days when they ruled the continental game under Brian Clough.
“I get a sense the club wants more and that’s certainly what I want, so it’s a really exciting time,” said the 60-year-old, who, it was also confirmed on Wednesday, has brought his backroom coaching staff from Spurs to the City Ground.
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“I’m honoured and I’m humbled, but more importantly I’m determined to make sure this football club takes its rightful place.
“It’s a fantastic football club with great history and, even in recent times, it has done really well. You bear that responsibility, but I’m excited and I’m looking forward to it. Really happy to be here.”
Postecoglou has often talked of how he would watch European Cup finals — long before the Champions League era — with his dad in Australia when he was a kid.
Those were the days when the late, great Brian Clough led Forest to back-to-back European triumphs in 1979 and 1980.
He now has the rare opportunity to win the Europa League trophy in consecutive seasons with two different Premier League clubs.
“It was an exciting competition for me last year when I was at Spurs, and we ended up having a historic night in Bilbao,” said Postecoglou.
“And this football club hasn’t been in Europe for a very long time, but it’s got a couple of stars on its chest that show it’s got rich history, and I’m sure the fans will be looking forward to it as well.”
Ange Postecoglou won the Europa League in Bilbao. (Getty Images: AMA/Catherine Ivill)
The pressure’s on Postecoglou, though, as his predecessor Nuno Espírito Santo is still much loved after getting them back into Europe after three decades before his fall-out and eventual sacking this week by Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Forest fans are also likely to be wary of Spurs’ 17th-placed finish in the Premier League last season.
The Australian’s side are expected to play a completely different, attacking brand to the more safety-first approach of the Portuguese’s side.
“I’ve got to be careful what I say,” Postecoglou said.
“Everyone’s kind of pigeon-holed me pretty much through my whole career.
“I love winning. I love winning things. It’s what I’ve done. I like the fans to be excited about watching the team play. There’s already an existing mentality within the group here of working hard for one another, and I want to tap into that.
“It’s about now implementing my own ideas. I love my teams to attack. I love my teams to score goals. That’s sometimes misconstrued as me just playing one way. But the reason I want my team to play that way is because I love winning things — and that’s what I want to do here.”
Forest also confirmed Postecoglou will be reunited with his Spurs coaching team of assistants Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo, and goalkeeping coach Rob Burch.
It will mean the same Australian flavour to his Spurs regime being transported 210km north as he reunites with his trusty right-hand man, 41-year-old assistant Jedinak, who was his choice for captain as long ago as 2014 when he managed the Socceroos at the World Cup.
AAP
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