Oliver Glasner Takes Charge at Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest have turned to serial trophy-winner Oliver Glasner as the man to steady – and then supercharge – one of English football’s most restless dugouts.
The Austrian has been unveiled as Forest’s fifth head coach in less than a year, replacing Vitor Pereira, who was sacked on Tuesday in a ruthlessly timed decision that came just two minutes before an exit clause in his contract was due to expire.
From Palace glory to Forest turbulence
Glasner arrives at the City Ground with his reputation firmly intact. At 51, he has already built a formidable European résumé. He took over Crystal Palace in 2024 and promptly delivered the club’s first major honour, the FA Cup, in his debut season. He then followed it up with the Europa Conference League last term, before adding the Community Shield in August by beating Liverpool on penalties.
This is not a coach learning on the job. This is a coach who collects silverware.
Yet, in January, Glasner chose to walk away from Palace. Offered a new contract and the chance to deepen his legacy in south London, he instead opted for a new challenge. That decision now leads him to a club that has craved stability but repeatedly chosen upheaval.
Nuno Espirito Santo started last season in charge. Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche and then Pereira all had turns at the helm since September. Now it is Glasner’s turn to try and impose order on the chaos.
Contact with the Austrian was made earlier in the summer, long before Pereira’s exit. Forest’s hierarchy clearly identified him as the man they wanted to build around, not just the next name on a revolving door.
A ‘winner’ with a European pedigree
“Oliver is a winner,” declared owner Evangelos Marinakis, leaving no doubt about the scale of his expectations.
“It was clear that we share the same vision, the same ambition and the same relentless desire to succeed.”
Marinakis has never hidden his intentions. He does not want Forest to simply survive in the Premier League or hover around mid-table. He wants the club back among the elite.
“It has always been our goal to establish Nottingham Forest once again among the leading clubs in England and Europe,” he said. “Our ambition is not simply to compete – our ambition is to win, to challenge for major honours and to create a football club that our supporters can be proud of for many years to come.”
Glasner’s track record suggests he will not shy away from that brief. He is one of only three coaches to have lifted both the Europa League and the Europa Conference League, having guided Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2021-22. His teams play with structure, aggression and belief – qualities Forest have shown only in flashes during their recent managerial churn.
Glasner’s vision for Forest
From his first words as Forest head coach, Glasner leaned heavily on the idea of trust and long-term building – two concepts that have been in short supply at the City Ground.
“From my very first conversations with the owner and the leadership team, it was evident to me that they have a clear vision for this football club and complete trust and belief in me and my staff to build a strong future together over the long term,” he said.
“That trust and shared commitment, together with the potential that I see within the squad, were key factors for me and I am excited about what we can achieve together.”
The emphasis is deliberate. Forest have cycled through managers at a dizzying rate; Glasner is betting that this time will be different, that he will be allowed to shape a squad and a style over more than a handful of months.
Marinakis, for his part, pointed directly to the qualities he believes will make the partnership work.
“He has consistently demonstrated throughout his career that he can build outstanding teams and deliver success against the strongest competition,” the owner said. “He has earned success through his leadership, his personality and the style of football his teams play.”
A club at a crossroads
The appointment lands at a critical moment for Forest. The club’s ambitions are grand, the patience less so. The owner talks about challenging for major honours; the new head coach speaks of long-term projects and potential within the squad.
Somewhere between those two timelines, results will have to come quickly.
Glasner has walked into intense environments before and left with trophies in his hands. The question now is whether he can bring that same ruthless clarity to a club that has spent the past year searching for an identity.
If he can, Nottingham Forest’s carousel of coaches might finally grind to a halt – and the City Ground could once again become a stage for something more than survival.
