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Forest Fire: Wood's manager given shock marching orders after fallout with owner
Reuben Wickstead • September 9th, 2025 2:10 pm
Nuno Espirito Santo's time at Nottingham Forest has come to an abrupt end | Photo: AP
Chris Wood's manager at Nottingham Forest has been fired just three games into the club's new Premier League campaign.
Despite spearheading the club's return to Europe during a remarkable period of rejuvenation, Nuno Espirito Santo has been sacked just two months after inking a new three-year deal.
Forest finished seventh on the table last year and currently sit 10th through three games with a win, a draw and a loss.
The news follows reports of growing tensions between the Portuguese manager and club owner Evangelos Marianakis.
In the prematch buildup to their away season opener at Selhurst Park, the 51-year-old manager commented on the changing relationship between the pair.
“I have always had a good relationship with the owner," said Nuno just a fortnight ago.
"Last season it was very close, almost on a daily basis. This season, not so well.”
Later that week, the Greek owner maintained that the two have a solid relationship and affirmed that Nuno was the right man for the job.
“I am flying back to London today and over the weekend and we will meet each other. I don’t see any problem whatsoever. We are all together, united.”
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Despite a disappointing home loss to a struggling West Ham the following week, Nuno’s 20-month tenure in charge of the club has been largely successful.
The former Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur manager took over at the Forest Ground in December 2023 after the departure of Welshman Steve Cooper.
Prior to his arrival, the side sat just two points above the relegation zone and staring down the barrel of a points deduction due to breaches of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
After securing the club's safety that season, Nuno has overseen something of a renaissance at the club.
Tipped by many as relegation candidates last season, the tricky trees had a flying start which saw them sat third going into the Christmas break, having already eclipsed their previous season’s points tally.
A late slump in form saw the East Midlands side finish outside the coveted top 5 but a win in their second to last game was enough to secure the club’s first European qualification since 1995/96.
Following this unprecedented success during his first full year in charge, Nuno was given a three-year extension.
Forest and Marianakis’ attention will now turn to finding a replacement ahead of their difficult trip to Arsenal in game-week four.
Fellow former Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou appears to be the betting favourite to take over the role, his Greek heritage likely to make him an attractive prospect for Marianakis.
Brendan Rodgers and Sean Dyche make up some of the other names in the discussion alongside Jose Mourinho, who hinted at a desire to return to England after his recent departure from Turkish giants Fenerbahçe.
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