Forest turn to Glasner after sacking Pereira
Nottingham Forest have appointed former Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner as their new head coach, making him the fifth person to hold the role in less than a year. The Austrian replaces Vitor Pereira, who was sacked on Tuesday — reportedly just two minutes before an exit clause in his contract was due to expire.
A trophy-laden CV
Glasner arrives at the City Ground with an impressive record. During his time at Crystal Palace, he led the club to their first-ever major trophy — the FA Cup — in his debut season. He followed that up by guiding Palace to the Europa Conference League title the following season, along with a Community Shield victory over Liverpool on penalties.
Before Palace, Glasner made his name at Eintracht Frankfurt, where he won the Europa League in 2021-22. He is one of only three coaches to have won both the Europa League and the Conference League.
Why Forest needed a change
Pereira replaced Sean Dyche in February and helped Forest finish 16th in the Premier League, just five points above the relegation zone. He also led the club to the Europa League semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners Aston Villa.
Despite that progress, owner Evangelos Marinakis decided a change was necessary. Forest have cycled through Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, Dyche, and Pereira since September — a level of instability that has become a hallmark of the Marinakis era.
“Oliver is a winner”
Marinakis made his ambitions clear in the club’s announcement. “Oliver is a winner,” the owner said. “It was clear that we share the same vision, the same ambition and the same relentless desire to succeed.”
He added: “It has always been our goal to establish Nottingham Forest once again among the leading clubs in England and Europe. Our ambition is not simply to compete — our ambition is to win, to challenge for major honours and to create a football club that our supporters can be proud of for many years to come.”
Glasner excited by the project
Glasner, who left Palace at the end of last season after stating in January that he wanted a new challenge, expressed enthusiasm about the move.
“From my very first conversations with the owner and the leadership team, it was evident to me that they have a clear vision for this football club and complete trust and belief in me and my staff to build a strong future together over the long term,” Glasner said.
“The trust and shared commitment, together with the potential that I see within the squad, were key factors for me and I am excited about what we can achieve together.”
What to watch
Glasner faces a significant challenge at Forest. The club needs stability after a chaotic year of managerial changes, and expectations under Marinakis are always high. Forest will be competing in the Premier League and potentially in European competition again next season, so Glasner will need to hit the ground running.
The Austrian’s track record of winning trophies at Palace and Frankfurt suggests he has the quality to succeed — but Forest’s revolving door of managers means patience is not something the club is known for. How long Glasner lasts may depend on how quickly he can translate his winning mentality into results at the City Ground.
