‘I’m a winner’ – Ange Postecoglou hits back at failed manager critics

Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou has defiantly responded to his critics, promising that his tenure at the club will culminate in success, given enough time.

Postecoglou goes into Saturday’s clash with Chelsea knowing another defeat could cost him his job, just weeks after taking over from the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo.

The former Tottenham manager only took the helm at the City Ground last month and is currently winless after seven games, the worst start by a Forest manager in over a century, which has led to speculation about his job.

In a fiery response to his detractors during an extensive pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend’s fixture, the Greek-born Australian passionately defended his position. When asked about the speculation and pressure surrounding his role, he provided a nearly five-minute-long reply.

“Look, I guess from my perspective I just don’t fit,” Postecoglou said. “Not here, just in general. If you look at it through the prism of I’m a failed manager who’s lucky to get this job – I know you’re smirking at me, but that’s what’s being said, right, and I can find the print where that’s actually said – then of course these first five weeks look like, this guy is under pressure.

“There is an alternative story that you can look at. I came to the Premier League two years ago, I took over Tottenham – ‘Spursy’ Tottenham. I was told by the chairman at the time that this club has to win a trophy. Has to win a trophy.

Ange Postecoglou Head Coach of Nottingham Forest looks dejected during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD2 match between Nottingham Forest FC and FC Midtjylland. (Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar Via Getty Images)

“He said, we’ve tried to bring winners in – Jose (Mourinho) and Antonio (Conte) – and it hasn’t worked, we need something different. I was slightly offended by that because I see myself as a winner.

“Took over the Spurs that had finished eighth. Big club, no European football. Can’t go two years without European football.

“We finished fifth in my first year. Every time Harry Kane scores a goal I wish he’d just stayed one more year, because it would have been handy to have him after finishing fifth.

“But somehow that year has disappeared from the record books. In fact, it was used as a reason for me losing my job because even Tottenham decided to exclude the first 10 games, because they were an anomaly, apparently. Although the first 10 games here are very important, apparently. Anyway, we finished fifth and I got them back into European football, which a club like Tottenham should be.

“Again, I was in meetings and people who are still at that club were in those meetings, where I was told winning a trophy is everything for this football club. That’s fine.

“We win a trophy (the Europa League). We shed the tag of being ‘Spursy’. It’s Champions League football, which brings some rewards and the opportunity to bring in better players.

“But all I’ve heard since I’ve finished at Tottenham is that we finished 17th last year. So if you look at it from that prism of we finished 17th, then, yeah, I’m a failed manager who’s lucky to get another opportunity.

“But again, if I have to explain why we finished 17th, really, it doesn’t have to be too in-depth. Just have a look at the last five or six teamsheets of us in the league last year and see what I prioritised – who was on the bench and who was playing.

“The last game, against Brighton, the players were out partying for two days, which I sanctioned because I felt they deserved to. So yes, we finished 17th. If people think that’s a reflection of me and my coaching, then, again, I think they’re looking at it through the prism of I just don’t fit.

“So, we get to the current space where there’s a different story to tell, that maybe I’m not a failed manager who was lucky to get this job, but maybe I’m a manager that if you give them time, the story always ends the same. At all my previous clubs, it ends the same – with me and a trophy.

“So, just to finish up – and it’s a long-winded answer, which probably won’t get any coverage, but that’s okay – you can look at this first five weeks and say, he’s under pressure because he was lucky to get this job. Or you can look at it and say, well, there’s been a major change.

“I am trying to change the way we play. The players are adapting, but there’s inconsistency in there, for sure. But some will look at the weeds, I’ll look at what’s growing.

“The flip side of that is that I’m really still excited about the opportunity here. I’ve got a group of young players who are willing to change, which is the first thing, and I’m heading down that road.

“The rest of it, whether people don’t want to see… and all I said were not opinion, they were just facts. That’s just where we’re sitting.

“I’m not going to waste my time or my energy worrying about that. And whether that’s internal or external, I couldn’t care less. At the end of the day, I will do what I think is the right thing to do to bring success to this football club, and that’s what I’m focused on.”