Ex-Burnley manager Sean Dyche heavy favourite for Nottingham Forest job after Ange Postecoglou sacking
Sean Dyche has been out of work since January but may be set to take a new job.
Former Burnley manager Sean Dyche is the heavy favourite to take over the Nottingham Forest job following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou only took the job in September following the departure of Nuno Espirito Santo, quickly moving back into the dugout after his Europa League success with Tottenham Hotspur last season.
However, the Australian endured a wretched record, failing to win any of his seven games in charge heading into the weekend, losing five and drawing one.
The Tricky Trees fell to a miserable 3-0 loss at home to Chelsea on Saturday, their fourth straight defeat in all competitions, and third consecutively in the Premier League - with their last top-flight goal now coming in the 1-1 draw with Burnley back in mid-September.
Nottingham Forest sack Ange Postecoglou after just 39 days
That defeat to the Blues proved to be one too many for Postecoglou, who was promptly relieved of his duties after full-time.
“Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that after a series of disappointing results and performances, Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect,” a short statement on the Nottingham Forest website read, concluding: “The Club will make no further comment at this time.”
Postecoglou’s reign goes down as the second-shortest in Premier League history at just 39 days, with only Sam Allardyce’s 30-day stay with Leeds United lasting a shorter amount of time.
The decision to hire and fire Postecoglou so quickly has drawn widespread criticism of Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, including from ex-Everton and Chelsea winger Pat Nevin.
“A wild shambles,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “If you are the owner and you choose the managers, you need to look at yourself sometimes.
“I do think eight games, even though it's been bad, that ain't enough to see if you are good enough.”
Sean Dyche the favourite for Nottingham Forest job
While the door has closed for Postecoglou, it may now have opened for Dyche.
The ex-Clarets boss has been out of work since leaving Everton in January, and given his record in the Premier League, he’s one of the most in-demand candidates for any potential vacancy.
Dyche is now the overwhelming favourite to take the Nottingham Forest job, with widespread reports linking him with the City Ground throughout this week, including from BBC Sport, who say Forest would like to make a ‘quick appointment’.
While Dyche is the heavy favourite, BBC Sport have also revealed that ‘long-term interest’ has also been held in Fulham’s Marco Silva.
Dyche has managed 332 Premier League matches to date, winning 93 of them and picking up 91 draws, alongside 148 defeats.
Should he accept the job, he’ll take over a Forest side sitting 18th in the Premier League table, with just one win and five points on the board from eight matches. Their next match is at home to Portuguese giants FC Porto in the Europa League on Thursday, though it’s unclear yet whether or not they’ll have a new boss in place before then.