Nuno Espirito Santo sack latest: Expert shares Nottingham Forest exit verdict
Nuno Espirito Santo’s position as Nottingham Forest boss looks safe for now after the club backed him with some big signings in the latter stages of the summer transfer window.
That is according to football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that it is unlikely that Nottingham Forest sack the Portuguese boss anytime soon despite disagreements behind the scenes at the City Ground.
Nuno Espirito Santo has done a stellar job in charge of Nottingham Forest, taking the club from Premier League relegation candidates to qualifying for European competitions.
Despite their recent success, he fuelled rumours of a potential exit last month by saying that his relationship with Forest co-owner Evangelos Marinakis is “not the same” as before, and admitting that “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” in response to reports over his position as boss being uncertain.
Former scout Mick Brown revealed to Football Insider on Tuesday (26 August) that Nottingham Forest have considered sacking Nuno Espirito Santo following public bust-ups with both Marinakis and global head of football Edu Gaspar.
He has remained in charge for now, however, and their recent exploits in the transfer market may point to an exit not being on the horizon despite widespread rumours around his future.
Nottingham Forest to stick by Nuno Espirito Santo following summer spending spree
This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
Forest did not rest on their laurels in the transfer market ahead of a first foray into European competition since 1996, with the signing of Omari Hutchinson from Ipswich Town breaking their transfer record, while Dan Ndoye, Dilane Bakwa and Arnaud Kalimuendo were also each signed for big fees.
Nuno’s squad is looking a lot stronger than last term following the further captures of James McAtee, Douglas Luiz and Oleksandr Zinchenko, and his side looks well-prepared to compete on all fronts this season.
| Games managed | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points-per-game |
| 70 | 30 | 15 | 25 | 1.5 |
Speaking to Football Insider exclusively, Plumley said that, despite uncertainty around Nuno’s future in charge of the club, Forest chiefs look set to stick by him for the foreseeable after allowing him to oversee such an expensive summer window.
He said: “Yeah, I think it’s unlikely it leaves at this point…especially given they’re about to go into their first European competition in a long, long time.
“[It] just feels unlikely, despite the comments and things we’ve seen behind the scenes, with a bit of a boost to spending on Deadline Day, and [with] what that squad’s looking like going into a Europa League season.
“You know, of course, you never say never in football, do you? It’s the other side of the coin. And it’ll be dictated by what happens on the pitch, ultimately, but yeah, I think at this stage, it’s unlikely you would see him leave.
“It just seems to be [that] the club is progressing, not regressing, so I think at the minute, it seems unlikely.”
Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Espirito Santo replacement revealed
Forest do seem likely to stick by Nuno for now, but things can change very quickly in football, and it is no secret that the club have had their eyes on other managers if he is not at the helm for whatever reason soon.
Football Insider revealed on Sunday (31 August) that Forest are planning to appoint a big-name manager if they decide to sack Nuno Espirito Santo in the near future, with the likes of Jose Mourinho, Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers each thought to be on their radar.
Marco Silva is Forest’s top target to replace Nuno if he is sacked, however, as revealed by Football Insider last month, and Silva is believed to be unhappy at Fulham, so will be interested in the post if it becomes available soon.
Whether Forest will look to relieve their head-coach from his duties at any point this term remains relatively unclear, but he will surely have no problem finding another job after enjoying a successful time in charge at the City Ground.