No regrets for Nuno Espirito Santo despite putting Nottingham Forest job at risk

NU-NO REGRETS: Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo ahead of the Premier League match at Selhurst Park. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.

NUNO Espirito Santo has proven himself candid to a fault in the opening two weeks of the Premier League season but the Nottingham Forest head coach insists he would do nothing differently despite putting his own job at risk.

“When you are honest and at peace with yourself,” he said yesterday, “you don’t have to regret.”

Except even now his future remains uncertain. Nuno confirmed that talks have been pencilled in with owner Evangelos Marinakis during the international break around the club’s direction of travel – or, more accurately, whether a fractured relationship that not too long ago involved daily conversations can be ameliorated.

Given the tumult of the past fortnight, no one can be sure of the outcome – regardless of both owner and manager making somewhat positive noises yesterday.

On the eve of the campaign Nuno complained about his squad’s lack of depth, listing out every position bar centre-back as being in need of strengthening. Four players arrived in the following five days at a cost of about €100m.

Then he appeared to talk himself into trouble a week ago by revealing in remarkably frank detail a breakdown in communication with Marinakis. It was delivered in a calm and calculated manner, making it clear that he had given considerable thought to whether it was the right thing to do.

Yesterday there was no bombshell revelation but he was no less forthright when it came to discussing where things stand. He was notably more chipper, working the room as always to shake the hand of every journalist present, and promising to never mislead.

Except when an offer to declare his confidence of remaining in post when club football resumes two weeks from now presented itself, Nuno stopped a few words short of a guarantee.

“I think so,” he said. “I don’t know how to answer that but I think so.”

Marinakis, meanwhile, stated after Forest learnt of their opponents for the Europa League league phase that “everything is solid” between the pair.

"We are all together, united, and we'll make some corrective actions and everything will be smooth and ready to go,” the Greek said, though Nuno’s list of topics for their tete-a-tete is lengthy.

“Our goals for the season, sharing the vision that I have after the squad is complete, how are we going to address four competitions in one season, the plans for the preparation of the players, looking at the future,” he said.

“A normal conversation that we need to have.”

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo gestures to the fans. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.

At the centre of the rift is Nuno being on a different wavelength to Edu Gaspar, the former Arsenal sporting director who is now Forest’s Global Head of Football, a grand title that places him as the ultimate decision-maker around recruitment and development.

While the noises around repairing his relationship with Marinakis seem tentatively optimistic, when Nuno was asked whether he has been in touch with Edu there was zero room for ambiguity.

“No, no, no,” he said, shaking his head.

Does he feel that relationship can be repaired?

“I have to speak with the owner,” came the reply. “It’s important everybody at the club has the same vision.”

The City Ground should really be a place of abundant joy. Forest are about to embark on their first European campaign for 30 years and benefited from Crystal Palace’s demotion with a free upgrade to the Europa League.

Yesterday they learnt of their opponents, including a home tie against Porto, whom Nuno has managed and played for, a trip to Real Betis and a rerun of the 1979 European Cup final against Malmo.

“We are very proud,” Nuno said, having watched the draw on TV with his squad at their training ground gym. “We are going to face tough opponents but it's a good draw.”

Midfielder Eliott Anderson was also promoted to the England senior set-up for the first time yesterday morning alongside club captain Morgan Gibbs White, who signed a new contract in July after a peculiar transfer saga involving Tottenham Hotspur and threats of legal action.

It is the first time in 29 years that Forest have had two players in the national squad.

The summer arrivals include two of England’s most promising young talents, James McAtee and Omari Hutchinson, while Brazil international Douglas Luiz has come in on loan from Juventus.

Yet the fact Nuno has stressed that none are ready to start could be construed as a pointed remark about Edu, who is overseeing the transfer policy.

That he was happy to take the very unusual step of confirming Ibrahim Sangare will start instead of Douglas Luiz against West Ham tomorrow was enlightening and doubly interesting considering Forest rejected an approach from West Ham to sign the Ivorian earlier this week.

Considering Forest were a sleeping giant in the second tier as recently as 2022 and threatened by Premier League relegation because of financial fair play points deduction 16 months ago, that cocktail should be leaving fans overcome with joy.

Yet Nuno’s extraordinary decision eight days ago to speak so willingly about his relationship with Marinakis means dark clouds will continue to gather menacingly above them beyond tomorrow’s meeting with a Hammers side in full-blown crisis.

Rare is the head coach who survives after effectively calling out his owner. Rarer still is the manager who thrives in the job afterwards.

Forest, Nuno and Marinakis, however, all have long track records of succeeding when going against the grain. Maybe their peculiar locking of horns can remain a recipe for success.