‘He’s behind you!’ Is Postecoglou the real villain in Forest’s panto?

NO WAY! ABSOLUTELY YES!

Arguably the least favored down-under figure to show up in Nottinghamshire since a notorious innkeeper from a long-running series appeared in a Mansfield panto 20 years back, Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at the City Ground could hardly have begun more poorly. Although the jeers and taunts that TV star the Neighbours star was endured during a festive pantomime were mostly in fun, the toxicity of the criticism aimed at the Australian coach during the team’s Bigger Vase defeat by the Danish side on Thursday was so intense that it is difficult to imagine the man who has been in charge for just six matches will keep his job to hear the Christmas jeers this December. Repeatedly the 60-year-old’s shouts of “He’s behind you!” went unheeded by his struggling players, particularly when the Danish side scored their first two goals from badly organized set-pieces. Nowhere near the joyous atmosphere they’d hoped for, the team’s first continental match at home in almost 30 seasons ended in bitterness with supporters telling the manager he’d be “sacked in the morning”, before serenading his popular, recently dismissed predecessor, the ex-Wolves coach.

“I get the mood around the place isn’t going to be great, I grasp the public’s opinion, chiefly directed at me, but that doesn’t concern me, it’s not unfamiliar territory for me,” the manager snapped in answer, while subjecting the floor around his feet to the now customary intense glare. “I’m never shocked in this sport, it’s the climate we’re in. It seems that’s the way things are going. I have no power over it. Followers are let down, they have every right to their view. I listened to what they said.” Even if those supporters are free to express anger, it could be suggested that they might be better advised picking a more fitting focus for their ire. After all, it was the club owner who fired a firm fan favourite to bring in the new boss, who was always going to begin his reign on a hiding to nothing. Watching from the directors’ box as he went through a repertoire of surly, dark scowls not seen since that period he found out Spurs had activated Morgan Gibbs-White’s buyout option, the shipping magnate has so far escaped any kind of serious criticism from supporters, a good number of whom remain certain the sun shines out of his generously upholstered nether regions.

As the clock ticked past noon on Friday, rumours of Postecoglou getting sacked in the morning proved to be overstated and sources indicate his job remains safe until such time as … actually, it’s not. Although the team manager can offer a partial defense that he has had minimal opportunity on the training ground to introduce the philosophy and tactical nuance that led to Tottenham Hotspur losing more than half their league matches last campaign, his side’s schedule remains forbidding and relentless. With the North-East side, the London club, the European opponents and the South-Coast team on the horizon it is hard to predict from where a maiden victory for the manager will come before what could likely be the biggest dismissal-decider against the Old Trafford side.

COVERAGE ON MAJOR SITE

Join the sports writer at 7.30 in the evening for Women’s Super League news on the stalemate between United and Chelsea.

BEST REMARK

“I’m not the kind of guy who gets involved in controversies, who names people, truthfully, I’ll keep it anonymous. But I believe there was some disrespect, along with some incivility, and not a single hello or hi” – the United player takes a pop at Manchester United over the frosty environment at their stadium, where friendliness has apparently declined like the club’s results.

FAN MAILBAG

Can it be Ange Postecoglou has vowed supporters he always wins a match in his following term?” – a fan.

Far be it for me to seek to emphasize the trope that Arsenal supporters are the sport’s most complaining followers, but a correspondent (the previous day’s mailbag) does make you think. Pointing out that rather than a couple of matches weekly, Arsenal are having to play over two matches weekly (wow, 30 additional minutes!) over a particular 21-day span (for a roster with strong depth in each place to additionally) is not the debate-ender he might imagine. Rather it’s just going to have the smallest fiddle players preparing to play once more, while the rest of football roll their collective eyes” – a different supporter.

I can’t work out whether your current contributors (on multiple matches weekly) are intentionally, sarcastically mimicking one of the high points of online debate (safe for work), or unconsciously proving Marx’s adage about historical events repeating themselves as farce” – a respondent.

If it’s any solace, yesterday’s letter-writer (the last mailbag), I’m the same [hoping rich Premier League sides to fail on the continent]. From the time Forest stopped competing in Europe, European competition for me has induced a state of seething impotent rage, broken up only sometimes by the Eastern European team and, maybe, the Spanish club. I couldn’t care less for Liverpool’s exploits from the 80s right up to Istanbul. I am unmoved by {‘that