‘Ideological clash’: Ange warning as Forest players stunned by first training session — UK View

Ange Postecoglou’s first training session at Nottingham Forest has shone a spotlight on a looming “ideological clash” for the English Midlands outfit.

Earlier this week, the Australian was appointed as the successor for Nuno Espírito Santo, who became the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season following a dispute with club owner and Greek billionaire Evangelos Marinakis.

Despite ending Spurs’ 17-year wait to win a trophy, Postecoglou himself was sacked by Tottenham just days after winning the Europa League – but he only needed three months before a return to the Premier League.

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Will Unwin of The Guardian warned that Nottingham Forest’s p layers and staff will not immediately embrace Postecoglou because of “the admiration and warmth they felt for Nuno”.

“Postecoglou is highly regarded; his amiable nature and warmth are the cornerstones of his man-management and they will be critical to win over players disappointed Nuno is no longer their leader,” Unwin penned.

However, Postecoglou’s attacking philosophy – colloquially dubbed ‘Angeball’ – contrasts heavily from Nuno’s cautious approach at Nottingham Forest, meaning the club’s style of play could be headed for a drastic change.

“There is an ideological clash here. Postecoglou prided himself on playing attractive, attacking football with high lines, aggressive presses and lots of the ball. He is now entering a squad of Forest players who were drilled in low blocks, counterattacking breaks and a lack of ball possession under Nuni,” Sam Blitz of Sky Sports wrote.

“The two styles of Nuno’s Forest and Postecoglou’s Spurs are polar opposites.”

Alex Keble, writing for premierleague.com, added: “If he wishes to reassert ‘Ange-ball’, if he believes that the endgame at Spurs was simply emergency measures, then he has his work cut out. Forest were one of the most defence-first and reactive teams in the Premier League under Nuno, while Spurs were one of the most attack-first and proactive.”

Nottingham Forest forward Callum Hudson-Odoi revealed that Postecoglou put the players through their paces during an intense maiden training session on Tuesday, confessing to feelings of culture shock.

“Yeah that was a session! I can’t even lie to you,” Hudson-Odoi told talkSPORT.

“For us, it’s building that relationship with him early and getting ideas of what he wants to bring into the team.

“When the manager comes in, you have to make sure that you get that quickly because games happen fast.

“So for us, it’s just making sure we’re ready, we’re prepared and make sure that everyone just knows what he wants us to do, and hopefully apply it in the game.”

Gregor Robertson of The Times suggested there were lingering doubts about the legitimacy of Postecoglou’s high-intensity attacking football, pointing out that Tottenham finished in the Premier League 17th last season under his guidance.

He added that Nuno was “hugely popular in the Forest dressing room”, claiming his departure he “not gone down well” with the players.

“Nuno’s team played effective football; Postecoglou’s played football rooted in ideology,” Robertson penned.

“Has the 60-year-old learnt from his two seasons in north London? Will we see a return to the buccaneering, free-flowing football that earned more plaudits than points? Or will we see something more akin to the conservative, counterattacking play that got his hands on a trophy?”

Elsewhere, Joey Lynch of ESPN analysed the contrasting strategies of Tottenham and Nottingham Forest last summer; Spurs had the fifth-most possession among clubs in the English top flight with 55 per cent, while Forest had the third-fewest in the league with 41 per cent.

“Postecoglou will need to quickly come to grips with a squad that has been built around playing a risk-averse, counterattacking style of football that stands as an almost polar opposite of his preferred approach,” Lynch wrote.

“Forest’s players have spent an entire pre-season preparing to play with an approach that brought them significant success last season, but now they’ll likely be asked to do something completely different – ‘Angeball’.

“And there won’t be a transfer window to bring in suitable stylistic reinforcements until January.”

Lynch also acknowledged that Nottingham Forest’s jam-packed schedule for the 2025/26 season could jeopardise Postecoglou’s maiden campaign, just as injuries plagued Tottenham last year.

“Forest will be tasked with league, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League commitments this season,” he explained.

“Postecoglou, and the fans, need only look back to last season to see what kind of challenges can be presented by such a logjam of fixtures

– especially if you don’t have all the pieces you need to play the high-octane, all-or-nothing approach likely to be implemented.”

Currently sit tenth on the Premier League standings with four points after three games, Nottingham Forest will next face Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday at 9.30pm AEST.

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