‘Nottingham Forest sham exposed after Nuno bust-up with Evangelos Marinakis’
Nottingham Forest have complained to Uefa over Crystal Palace’s multi-club set-up in a bid to climb the European ladder – but it has been claimed there are “big issues” at the City Ground as well.
The Times have reported (9 June) that Forest have written to Uefa to express their concerns about the Eagles competing in Europe’s second-tier competition with John Textor also a major shareholder at Lyon.
Meanwhile, Evangelos Marinakis ceased control of Forest earlier this year in anticipation of Champions League football – with Uefa rules preventing the Olympiakos owner from controlling two clubs in the same competition.
Forest eventually finished seventh and only qualified for Uefa Conference League football – meaning Marinakis can take his shares out of the blind trust.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – has claimed the rules around multi-club ownership in Europe are a “sham”.
Nottingham Forest incident exposed ‘big issues’, says Wyness
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness suggested there are “big issues” as Marinakis stormed the pitch after Forest drew against Leicester earlier this year – despite not controlling the club.
The Greek billionaire has owned the Midlands giants since May 2017 and they were promoted to the Premier League in 2022.
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Marinakis putting his shares into a blind trust certainly seems a sham.
“There are some big issues with multi-club ownership coming to the fore.
“I’ve got some ideas about how that can be addressed.
“The blind trust solution doesn’t seem to be effective. When Marinakis came on the pitch to remonstrate with Nuno, we all saw who was in charge at Forest.
“But that was supposedly a person who had no control over the club.
“The blind trust has now been disbanded, he’s got Olympiakos in the Champions League.
“Marinakis wears his heart on his sleeve, he’s passionate, I get it. He loves his clubs.
“There’s never been any doubt in anyone’s minds over who was and who is in charge.”
Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest in Bobb race
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace are reportedly among a number of clubs considering moves to sign Man City winger Oscar Bobb on loan.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game.
The Norway international suffered a broken leg last August and featured just four times for City last season after spending over 200 days on the sidelines.
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