Ange Postecoglou: The 40 Days That Broke Records at Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest have dismissed head coach Ange Postecoglou after a mere 40 days in the role, a decision made just 20 minutes after a humbling 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.

The loss left Postecoglou without a single victory in his eight games at the helm.

The club confirmed the news via a brief statement on social media just immediately after the loss.

"Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that after a series of disappointing results and performances, Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect. The club will make no further comment at this time," it reads.

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sports

Postecoglou's tenure is now the shortest in Premier League history, surpassing Les Reed's 41-day spell at Charlton in 2006.

He also managed the second-fewest league matches, with his five games just one more than Frank de Boer's brief stint at Crystal Palace in 2017.

The final whistle at the City Ground was met with a storm of boos from the home supporters. Postecoglou stood alone near the centre circle, applauding the few fans who remained as Chelsea celebrated a comfortable victory that propelled them to fourth in the table.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed his sympathy for his counterpart. "I feel very sorry. It’s always a shame," Maresca told TNT Sports.

"Unfortunately, it’s a business where you need to win games. For all of us, it’s the same consequences."

Just a day before his dismissal, Postecoglou had confidently stated that if given time, "the story always ends the same… me with a trophy." However, club owner Evangelos Marinakis opted for a premature conclusion to his manager's chapter at Forest.

Appointed on September 9th as Marinakis's top choice to succeed Nuno Espírito Santo, Postecoglou leaves the club precariously positioned just one point and one place above the relegation zone. His brief reign included a string of poor results, starting with a 3-0 loss at Arsenal and a Carabao Cup exit to Swansea after squandering a 2-0 lead.

Draws against Burnley and Real Betis were followed by four consecutive defeats to Sunderland, Midtjylland, Newcastle, and finally Chelsea. Fan discontent had been growing, with chants for his dismissal heard during the Europa League loss to Midtjylland and calls for the return of his predecessor, Nuno, who had guided Forest to a seventh-place finish last season.

Despite the mounting pressure, Postecoglou had remained defiant after the loss to Newcastle, insisting progress was being made.

"I get that it’s part of the fanfare of the Premier League that it needs one manager to be in the spotlight," he said.

"What I have seen and felt in this period is that we are heading in the direction I want us to. The results will come."