Nothing changes, just the names and the faces.

Nothing changes, just the names and the faces.

          The summer was a period of change at my beloved Nottingham Forest. The evil Kuwaiti family that took a few years to rip the club apart and put pictures of themselves all over the joint left the club. Albeit about half a year too late for my liking. I have no issue so to speak with Evangelos Maranakis, but I feel as though I would have been happier with John Jay Moores at the helm.          

          The period of change began early on, Fawaz Al Hasawi's last act as owner/chairman was to appoint Mark Warburton as manager, although supposedly that was the doing of the incoming owners. Following that came wholesale changes in the boardroom, including a new chairman in Nicholas Randall and numerous other things to appease the supporters. 

Nicholas Randall, the new Chairman acting on behalf of Evangelos Markanakis.

          The summer transfer business looked like it would be good for the side, replacing the outgoing Britt Assombalonga with Daryl Murphy and giving  Ben Brereton more play time was likely to make supporters happy, Jason Cummings as well was considered a good summer signing. Barrie McKay looked good early on but hasn't shown much consistency, Kieran Dowell has been nothing short of quality, Darikwa doesn't look much better than Lichaj in all honesty and Liam Bridcutt has pleasantly surprised me. 

          Forest had looked 'not too bad.' all season, but not special. Not how I would like to see Forest playing. Then December came. Four points from a possible eighteen, made even worse with the Boxing Day defeat at home too manager-less Sheffield Wednesday in which we looked gutless followed by a defeat at home to Sunderland where, again, we looked poor. On New Years Day the news broke that Mark Warburton had been sacked.

Mark Warburton, the latest in a long line of departing managers.

          This decision has thrown me. All I have craved in recent years is stability at the club, but Warburton's tactics were not up to it. The repeated decision to play some of our best players out of position was baffling, his lack of a plan B was also becoming an issue and it is safe to say Forest were not a side to be feared. Since Steve McClaren, we have had eight permanent managers. Two of which were appointed by the late Nigel Doughty, five by Fawaz and allegedly two by Maranakis. This number is far too high.

          It is crucial that the next appointment is a long term one. My choice would be Danny Crowley of Lincoln City, a young manager with one promotion already on his CV would be a good choice in my eyes. Forest have an exciting talent pool in the current youth team that can be nurtured into a top side. Brereton, Cash, Osborn, Walker, Worrall, Iacovitti and Smith are already involved regularly or on the fringes of the first team and I see no reason they cannot become the core of the team.

Danny Cowley, my choice for the next manager, and his assistant/brother Nick Cowley

          What comes next remains to be seen. But as the title suggests, this lark of sacking a manager after thirty-odd games is looking all too familiar at Forest...

          That's all for my first post of 2018. All being well I should be able to go back to my one post per week schedule with ease. Here's to a good year for Nottingham Forest, Ollerton Town and England. Until next time though,

Craig