Carragher: Postecoglou ‘lucky’ to ‘sip from ‘poisoned chalice’ at ‘disliked’ Nottm Forest
Jamie Carragher thinks that new Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou is fortunate to be given another Premier League job after his work at Tottenham.
The Australian was sacked by Spurs at the end of last season despite winning their first major trophy since Juande Ramos triumphed in the League Cup final in 2008.
Postecoglou guided Tottenham to victory in the Europa League final against Manchester United but their awful 17th-placed finish in the Premier League ultimately cost him his job in north London.
Now, after Nottingham Forest‘s unexpected move to sack Nuno Espirito Santo just three games into the new Premier League season, Postecoglou is back in a Premier League job at the City Ground.
And Carragher reckons Postecoglou is “lucky” to be walking into the “poisoned chalice” at Nottingham Forest under owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Liverpool legend Carragher wrote in his Daily Telegraph column: “Some might say Ange Postecoglou is sipping from a poisoned chalice making his comeback working for such a combustible owner. He is more likely grateful to get such an opportunity.
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“He should be. Postecoglou is fortunate to get another chance in the Premier League so soon after his Tottenham Hotspur sacking.
“That has nothing to do with Postecoglou’s style of football, even though it is strange to shift so far from one extreme to another. First and foremost, Postecoglou can be considered lucky on the strength of his Premier League record. He lost 34 of his last 56 league games at Spurs. No amount of spin on his behalf, or rationalising how and why it went wrong last season, can disguise the reality: he arrives in Nottingham with much to prove.”
Carragher thinks Marinakis is “a walking hand grenade” at Nottingham Forest, which makes the job unpredictable for any manager.
The former Liverpool defender added: “Nottingham Forest were once one of the most liked clubs in the country because of the charisma and success of their legendary manager Brian Clough.
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“Today, they are one of the most disliked because of the behaviour of their owner, Evangelos Marinakis. The Premier League has a new pantomime villain. Marinakis is a walking hand grenade.
“Football is not a popularity contest, and the game is more colourful when different personalities adopt contrasting approaches to get where they need to be, so long as it’s within the rules. All the best dramas have their saints and sinners, and a cocktail is more interesting than a glass of water.”
