International Break: Ange Postecoglou's Fate at a Crossroads

Unlike during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, there is no longer a honeymoon phase for coach Ange Postecoglou at Nottingham Forest. Instead, there is only a relentless storm in the first month of his leadership. The international break allows the coach to take a moment to breathe and reflect.

Coincidentally, the Scottish club Rangers has just dismissed coach Russell Martin on Monday (6/10/2025). Martin was removed after leading the team for seven matches in the Scottish League, totaling 17 matches across all competitions, within 123 days. The main reason for his dismissal was the poor record, with only one victory in the league.

The situation has begun to be compared with Postecoglou. Since being recruited by Forest in early September 2025, he has yet to deliver a victory in seven matches across all competitions. Forest has lost five of those matches, including the most recent one against Newcastle United with a score of 0-2.

If people want to make judgments after three and a half weeks, after we've played seven games, there's nothing I can do about it.

Although Postecoglou's time is much shorter, there are similarities between the two situations. Both Postecoglou and Martin are not supported by the club's fans. The Forest supporters even chanted the phrase "You will be fired in the morning" during the match against FC Midtjylland.

Postecoglou is very aware of his precarious position at the moment, including the anxiety of the supporters and club officials. He stated that he would not be surprised if he were called to discuss his future with club owner Evangelos Marinakis in the near future.

"If people want to make an assessment after three and a half weeks, after we have played seven matches, I cannot do anything. At the same time, there is nothing wrong with a difficult situation. I like being here, I like to fight," said the Australian coach.

Forest's defense is very concerning in the Postecoglou era. They have conceded 15 goals in 7 matches. In the previous era, under coach Nuno Espirito Santo, Forest was known as one of the best defensive teams. The decline in the backline is quite evident.

Nevertheless, that risk is actually unavoidable. In choosing Postecoglou, Marinakis also agreed to adopt the coach's ideas. As is known, Postecoglou was dismissed from Tottenham due to a playing philosophy that was too offensive and open.

The philosophy of Postecoglou is in stark contrast to that of Nuno, who is considered pragmatic. Therefore, it is understandable that Forrest is experiencing turbulence in this new era. Elliot Anderson and his teammates are still adapting to Postecoglou's more open style of play.

Moreover, Forest is currently experiencing a decline in performance towards the end of Nuno's era. They have only won four times in 13 matches across all competitions since April, until Nuno was ultimately dismissed during the previous international break.

Joe Hart, former goalkeeper of the England national team, stated that Postecoglou deserves a chance. He had previously worked with the coach at the Scottish club, Celtic. At that time, Celtic also faced difficulties at the beginning of Postecoglou's leadership. "There was a lot of pressure from outside after we only won three times in the first six matches," he said.

"Then he told us it was going to be a tough road ahead. But we had to keep going and believe in him. We believed in him and won a few titles after that. You have to give him time. Ange is a tough guy and understands what he's up against," Hart continued to BBC Sport.

This international break will also serve as a turning point for Postecoglou's fate. Although it may seem unrealistic, he could potentially be dismissed given the character of the club owner, who is very ambitious. If given another chance, he needs to make significant decisions regarding his playing philosophy.

Postecoglou can continue to impose his philosophy known as "Angeball" or play more pragmatically to navigate through this emergency period. This choice will determine his fate in the near future, as Forest will face a rather challenging schedule following the international break. They are set to be challenged by Chelsea, Manchester United, and Bournemouth in the league.

Upon closer observation, Forest has been significantly affected by the transitional counterattack situation. They lose the ball in their own half, which is then exploited by the opponents. For instance, in the match against Newcastle, two goals from the opposing team resulted from mistakes made by Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White in ball possession.

The issue began with Postecoglou's idea to build a slow attack from the back, in contrast to Nuno, who heavily relied on transitions. This idea is reflected in the ball possession, which reached an average of 55.6 percent in the last four matches. Under Nuno last season, Forest recorded an average of only 40.7 percent, ranking third lowest in the league.

It would certainly be safer if Postecoglou were to compromise. He is not incapable of playing pragmatically, but he does not wish to. This is evidenced by the fact that the coach led Tottenham to victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final last season with a very defensive and cautious strategy.

Postecoglou must lower his ego until Forest's condition stabilizes. The coach seems to be softening as he has begun to understand the threats that lie ahead. "We just need to prioritize positive results at this moment. We have two weeks to improve it," he said before the international break.

If he continues to be stubborn and cannot find the momentum to rise, Postecoglou may find himself unemployed again during the next international break in November 2025. (AP/REUTERS)