After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, Nottingham Forest is gearing up for another exhilarating English Premier League (EPL) campaign. Their pre-season will commence with a warm-weather training camp in Spain.
This will mark head coach Nuno Espirito Santo's second season with the club, having taken over the role in December 2023. Before the start of last season, the Reds invested with a array of signings to strengthen their squad.
However, their performances were disappointing, leading to the departure of former coach Steve Cooper. Nuno then stabilized the team, helping them finish 17th in the table with 32 points from 38 games.
In his distinguished managerial career so far, the Portuguese coach has managed only three clubs for more than one season before this ongoing stint with Nottingham. Prior to joining the Reds, he was the manager of Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, where he won the league in his first attempt.
However, the following season saw a few surprising results, and reports of issues with their new signing, former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema, surfaced. Eventually, the club decided to sack him.
Nottingham fans are hoping for a much better outcome this season, and they have reason to believe in Nuno's capabilities. At the two European clubs where he managed for more than one season, Nuno always found success in his second year. Rio Ave (Portugal) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (England) both thrived under his leadership in his second season. Let’s delve into his past successes:
Rio Ave (2012-2014)
Nuno joined the Portuguese side Rio Ave in July 2012 after retiring from his role as the goalkeeping coach at FC Porto. This was his first position as a head coach, and it seemed he aimed to implement everything he had learned from José Mourinho, who was in charge of Porto when Nuno was the goalkeeping coach.
In his second season, Nuno made history by guiding Rio Ave to qualify for the UEFA Europa League for the first time in the club's history. They also reached the finals of both domestic cup competitions. This remarkable achievement in his second season marked his grand arrival as a coach.
Wolverhampton Wanderers (2017-2021)
In his first season at Molineux, Nuno led the Wolves to promotion and the Championship title, bringing Wolverhampton Wanderers back to the EPL for the first time since their relegation in 2012. His success continued in the 2018/19 season, with Wolves finishing in 7th place, their highest Premier League finish, and the best in the English top flight since the 1979/80 season. This was also the highest finish for any newly-promoted team since Ipswich Town finished 5th in the 2000–01 season.
Additionally, Wolves enjoyed a thrilling run in that season’s FA Cup, reaching the semi-finals before losing to Watford 3-2. Finishing seventh in the league earned them a spot in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round, marking the club's first continental participation since the 1980–81 season.
They also performed admirably against top teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United. In the league, Nuno’s men defeated the Red Devils once (at home) and managed a draw in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford. In the FA Cup quarter-final, Wolves knocked Manchester United out with a 2-1 victory.
As Nuno embarks on his second season with Nottingham Forest, fans are beginning to believe that he can replicate his previous successes. With new signings like Elliot Anderson, Carlos Miguel and Erik da Silva Moreira strengthening the squad, Nuno hopes to achieve improved results across all competitions.
Nottingham Forest boasts a rich history, including winning two European Cups (now known as the UEFA Champions League), but it has been over approx. three decades since they last participated in any European competition. Nuno’s second-season magic could propel Nottingham Forest to new heights this season, potentially securing a spot in European competitions.
