Pressure 'doesn't enter my head', says bullish Postecoglou

Nottingham Forest head coach Ange Postecoglou says any pressure on his position will not affect him.

The club are winless in his first six matches since the Australian replaced Nuno Espirito Santo at the City Ground.

A section of Forest supporters chanted, "you're getting sacked in the morning", towards the former Tottenham and Celtic boss following Thursday's 3-2 Europa League defeat at home to Midtjylland.

Postecoglou, though, said the Europa League title he won at Tottenham last season, before he was sacked in the summer, was proof he does not allow pressure to impact his management.

"It doesn't enter my head," he added. "My responsibility lies in making sure this football club progresses and gets to a position where it can challenge for things," said Postecoglou.

"If I start putting timelines to that or worry about what is going to happen next week then I am not performing the role I have been given.

"I just don't think it is helpful to anyone. At the end of the day, I have to concentrate on the environment, the training, the way we play, and as I said last night, I am still very, very strong in my belief that we are not too far away.

"Put it this way - I knew I was getting sacked at Tottenham about three or four months before I did, but that didn't stop me from winning something."

The 60-year-old joined Spurs from Celtic in 2023 and supporters initially warmed to the Australian for his attacking style of play, with the Londoners finishing fifth in the Premier League during his first season.

Postecoglou's second term was more difficult as Spurs finished fourth from bottom in the table. He did, however, lead the club to their first trophy in 17 years as they beat Manchester United in the Europa League final.

Forest visit Newcastle United on Sunday (14:00 BST).

With the current poor run of results, there is no denying it has been a difficult start for Postecoglou.

And the numbers illustrate just how poor Forest have been since his appointment.

In Postecoglou's six matches, they have been beaten four times across three different competitions.

No Premier League team has lost as many matches as Forest since his appointment and they have conceded 13 goals - at a rate of 2.17 per game.

Only Manchester United and Burnley have a worse goals conceded per game average than Forest since Postecoglou's arrival.

Surprisingly, it is the 35th instance in which a top-flight manager has failed to win any of their first six matches in charge in all competitions.

Paul Jewell holds the record, having failed to win any of his first 27 matches as Derby County boss in the 2007-2008 season.

Nuno was dismissed after just three matches of this campaign when Forest were 10th in the table. They are now 17th, having drawn one and lost two of their three domestic matches under Postecoglou.

He is the first permanent Forest manager in 100 years not to win any of his first six matches.

It has been a tense 24 hours at the City Ground and Postecoglou's press conference felt somewhat therapeutic.

The manager did not change his low tone of voice, but came across considered and even philosophical during his 30 minutes with the media.

Postecoglou spoke well, outlined why he felt Forest had failed to win any of his six games so far, all the while underlining the need to win before Sunday's trip to Newcastle.

Under pressure towards the end of his Tottenham reign he often shot back at the press.

In May, he angrily dismissed a suggestion he was a clown, referencing a report which said he was "teetering between hero and clown" before the Europa League final.

That was perhaps because he knew he was leaving, but he is not at that combative stage in the Midlands.

There was an understanding of some of the questions about his future and any potential talks with owner Evangelos Marinakis, even if he is just 24 days into his reign.

Despite the defeat by Midtjylland, he feels the pressure to win games rather than win over supporters.

The strength his predecessor Nuno and, before him, Steve Cooper had was their connection with supporters.

Nuno had to win that trust following scepticism of his appointment in December 2023 after Cooper led Forest back to the Premier League.

Postecoglou started with negative equity, which has already diminished, having never been a favoured appointment of the fans, but the 60-year-old feels victories will appease the doubters.

There has been no whirlwind blowing through the City Ground despite the frustrations.

There is internal sympathy - combined with realism - that other games could have had different outcomes had it not been for individual errors, injuries or loss of form.

Striker Chris Wood, who has not scored in the league since the opening day, has missed chances he would have scored in his sleep last season, while injuries to Murillo and Ola Aina have unsettled the defence.

It is a sign of the times - at both clubs - that Forest's most appealing forthcoming fixture appears to be the visit of Manchester United on Saturday, 1 November.

Before then, they travel to St James' Park on Saturday and host Chelsea on 18 October.

The visit of Porto - who have won all of their nine games this season - in the Europa League follows, with a trip to Bournemouth completing a testing October.

Pat Riddell - The Famous Club

This season should have been one of Nottingham Forest's best in modern history. Qualification for Europe for the first time in 30 years, the best squad this century and everyone at the club pulling in the same direction.

Somehow, at least for now, that has all gone out of the window. Nuno has departed, performances have been abject and on Thursday night the City Ground turned on the new manager Ange Postecoglou after just six games.

And yet it's very much classic Forest, a club that veers from success to self-made disaster like a learner driver who can't stay in a lane.

For whatever reason, the much-heralded arrival of Edu seems to have destabilised the club. The global head of football only officially arrived in July but allegedly fell out with Nuno and, despite a successful transfer window, things have taken a turn for the worse ever since.

It might all be entirely coincidental but the lack of continuity at Forest has thrown the club into crisis. It's a perfect storm of events that mean nine games into the season, the Reds have only won once.

Little wonder that some fans have already turned on him. Is it entirely of his own making? Of course not. Do the players bear some responsibility? Naturally. Can he turn it around before it becomes even more toxic? With games against Newcastle, Chelsea, Porto, Bournemouth and Manchester United coming up, it's very hard to say.

But ask any fan and they'll tell you the same, it's never dull at Nottingham Forest.