Ange Postecoglou determined to take Nottingham Forest back to ‘rightful place’

Ange Postecoglou is determined to take Nottingham Forest back to “its rightful place” in English football.

Postecoglou sealed a rapid return to the Premier League on Wednesday when he was appointed as Nuno Espirito Santo’s successor at the City Ground – only four months on from being sacked by Tottenham.

Spurs parted company with Postecoglou despite a first trophy in 17 years in May with Europa League success, and with two-time European Cup winners Forest back in a continental competition for the first time in three decades, the 60-year-old is full of excitement about the challenge ahead.

“I love winning things. That’s what I’ve done,” Postecoglou said in an in-house interview.

“From my perspective now it’s about implementing my own ideas. It’s no secret I like my teams to attack, I love my teams to score goals.

“That is sometimes misconstrued as me just playing one way, but the reason I want my team to play that way is because I love winning things and that is what I want to do here.

“When you look at what the club has achieved in recent times, it’s an outstanding feat to be where we are right now.

“Other clubs that have won promotion have struggled to stay in the league, but in a short space of time we’re back in Europe and competing for honours, which is a great credit to everyone involved.

“I get a sense that the club wants more and that’s certainly what I want, so I think it’s a really exciting time.

“I’m honoured and I’m humbled, but more importantly I’m determined to make sure this football club takes its rightful place.”

Postecoglou, who has regularly discussed watching European Cup finals as a boy with his father in Australia, knows the responsibility on his shoulders at a club steeped in history, especially the golden era under Brian Clough between 1975 and 1993.

He added: “It’s a fantastic football club with great history and, even in recent times, it has done really well. You bear that responsibility, but I’m excited and I’m looking forward to it and I’m really happy to be here.”

Ex-Celtic boss Postecoglou has got four of his staff at Tottenham back together at Forest, with Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo installed as assistant coaches and Rob Burch named as goalkeeper coach.

Spurs finished 17th in Postecoglou’s second season in charge, after a horrendous list of injuries, but placed fifth in the 2023/24 campaign.