Oliver Glasner has committed to a three-year contract as Nottingham Forest head coach, pledging to restore continental competition to the City Ground following his departure from Crystal Palace.
Athens talks convinced Austrian
The 51-year-old revealed that discussions with owner Evangelos Marinakis over a seafood platter in Athens persuaded him to become the club’s fifth manager in less than twelve months. Forest dismissed Vítor Pereira to secure Glasner, who had left Selhurst Park after winning the FA Cup, Conference League and Community Shield.
“When we had talks, I probably found one of the few people who is more ambitious than I am,” Glasner said. He conceded the hierarchy were “very hard-working” in their pursuit, but warned supporters that tangible progress would require patience. “My personal history shows that what we are asking them to do – the habits we want them to do – it takes three to six months to see it for the first time. I’m no magician.”
Targeting European return
Glasner arrives with the club positioned in the Europa League following their semi-final run last season, though they only avoided relegation from the Premier League by a narrow margin. The Austrian highlighted the importance of returning to continental fixtures, referencing the club’s history as two-time European champions.
“These players felt the sweet honey of playing European football and this year it’s just butter – no honey – on the toast,” he said. “Hopefully, next year it will be sweeter. Our goal is to come closer and closer to European places.”
Addressing concerns about managerial instability, Glasner employed a marital analogy. “Nobody wants to get divorced,” he noted. “Every club wants the same manager for a decade, but it’s just not the real world. We want to get stability and consistency because the owner and I are convinced that is the foundation for success.”
Summer rebuild continues
Glasner met his new squad on Monday and hopes to integrate at least two new signings before the team departs for a training camp in Portugal next week. The club are pursuing Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall as a club-record replacement for Elliot Anderson, who recently joined Manchester City.
RB Leipzig’s Xaver Schlager is also close to arriving on a free transfer. Glasner dismissed suggestions that joining a rival Premier League club could damage his legacy at Palace, noting he remains in contact with former players including Marc Guéhi. “I gave 100% every single day for Crystal Palace,” he said. “We definitely created memories and that is what I’m really proud of.”