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NO WAY! ABSOLUTELY YES!

Quite possibly the most disliked Aussie to show up in Nottinghamshire since a villainous hotelier from a popular soap appeared in a local pantomime in the early 2000s, the Greek-Australian’s time in charge at the Nottingham stadium could scarcely have got off to a more inauspicious start. Although the heckling and shouts that performer the soap veteran was subjected to during Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood were largely good-natured, the venom of the abuse directed at the Forest manager during the club’s Bigger Vase defeat by the Danish side on Thursday was so intense that it is tough to see the manager who has been in charge for a mere handful of fixtures will keep his job to hear the seasonal boos this holiday season. Repeatedly the experienced coach’s shouts of “He’s behind you!” went ignored by his hapless players, especially when the Danish side scored their first two goals from badly organized free-kicks and corners. Far from the happy occasion they’d hoped for, Forest’s first UEFA fixture on home soil in nearly three decades ended in acrimony with the crowd telling the boss he’d be “sacked in the morning”, before chanting for his favored, recently dismissed previous manager, the ex-Wolves coach.

“I get the mood around the place isn’t going to be great, I grasp the public’s opinion, chiefly directed at me, but I don’t fret over it, I’ve been here before,” Postecoglou growled in reply, while aiming the ground near him to the now customary fierce look. “Football holds no surprises for me, it’s the way things are. This seems to be the direction. I have no power over it. The fans are disappointed, they have every right to their view. I heard their opinion.” Even if those supporters are allowed to complain, it could be argued that they might be wiser choosing a better aim for their anger. Ultimately, it was Evangelos Marinakis who fired a popular figure to bring in Postecoglou, who was always going to start under pressure. Observing from the executive seats as he went through a series of sullen, fierce looks last witnessed during that period he learned Spurs had triggered the midfielder’s buyout option, the Greek tycoon has up to now dodged any kind of serious criticism from fans, a sizable group of whom remain sure the he can do no wrong.

When Friday lunchtime arrived, talk of Postecoglou getting sacked in the morning proved to be greatly exaggerated and it appears his job remains safe until such time as … actually, it’s not. Even though the team manager can make a reasonable case that he has had very few sessions on the training ground to implement the philosophy and tactical nuance that caused the London club failing to win 22 of their 38 top-flight games last campaign, his team’s fixture list remains forbidding and relentless. Facing the Magpies, the London club, the European opponents and the South-Coast team next up it is hard to predict from where a initial success under the new boss will come before what could possibly become the biggest dismissal-decider against Manchester United.

COVERAGE ON MAJOR SITE

Join the journalist at evening UK time for WSL updates on Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea.

TOP STATEMENT

“I avoid conflicts and disputes, who names people, in fact, I’ll refrain from naming names. But I think there was a bit of a lack of respect there, along with some incivility, without anyone offering a greeting” – Antony takes a pop at the Red Devils over the cold atmosphere at the Theatre of Dreams, where friendliness has apparently declined like the team’s form.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

Is it true Ange Postecoglou has promised Forest fans he guarantees victory in his second season?” – a fan.

I wouldn’t normally to want to amplify the cliché that Gunners fans are the sport’s most complaining followers, but a correspondent (yesterday’s Football Daily letters) does make you ponder. Pointing out that rather than two games a week, the Gunners are having to play 2.33 games a week (oh, a half-hour more!) over a specific three-week period (for a roster with double coverage in all roles to additionally) is not the argument-settler he might imagine. Instead it’s just going to have the orchestra of the world’s smallest violins preparing to play once more, while the rest of football sigh in unison” – a different supporter.

I can’t work out whether your recent correspondents (on two or three games a week) are deliberately, mockingly repeating one of the high points of web discussion (SFW), or accidentally confirming Marx’s adage about history repeating first as tragedy, then as farce” – a respondent.

If it’s any solace, the previous correspondent (the last mailbag), I’ve long felt that way [wanting rich Premier League sides to lose in Europe]. From the time Forest stopped competing in Europe, continental matches for me has led to a state of helpless fury, punctuated only occasionally by Steaua Bucharest and, maybe, Zaragoza. I don’t give a hoot for Liverpool’s exploits from the 1980s right up to the Champions League win. I’m indifferent to {‘that