Nuno Espirito Santo expressed his enjoyment of reaching a year in charge of Nottingham Forest as they prepare to face Brentford this weekend.
A timely landmark as Forest catapulted themselves into the top four for the first time since early November with a dramatic 2-1 win over Aston Villa last Saturday.
That result ensured consecutive wins for the Reds, who hope to extend their winning run against a Brentford side strong at home.
The Bees are on a five-game winning streak on home turf, but are looking to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, in addition to their EFL Cup exit to Newcastle in midweek.
This fixture spells an extra edge with Forest yet to beat Brentford in a Premier League fixture or win away in any competition since January 2020.
Addressing the media ahead of Saturday’s game, Espirito Santo answered all things Nottingham Forest.
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A landmark year in charge
Forest's season so far has seen them gatecrashing the Premier League's top four, a stark contrast to what many predicted for the East Midlands side.
A major reason for that has been the management of Espirito Santo, who has defied expectations to push the Reds into contention for European football.
The Forest boss arrived last campaign to eventually keep the club up after languishing in 17th, following Steve Cooper's dismissal.
From relegation trouble to European push, Espirito Santo expressed his pleasure of leading the journey.
“It’s been good. Started difficult but it’s been enjoyable," he said.
“Last season of course saw a lot of things to attend to and to solve. I think we did well as a club and now it’s the beginning of something we want to do together.”
He was also quizzed on whether it adds more importance to the weekend, to which he remained modest.
“What I’m trying to always do is make the right decisions, try to find the right solutions for the game and then help the players as much as I can.
“Personally it’s not about me. Football is not about individuals, it’s about the team.”
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Enjoying the buzz of fourth
In response to their current exploits, many in the Forest fanbase have heighted their expectations to what could be achieved come May.
The Reds find themselves in fourth place above the likes of both Manchester clubs and Tottenham, having won three of their last four matches.
A top four finish has not been achieved at the club since the days of Frank Clark, who guided Forest to third back in 1994/95.
Enjoying the rollercoaster of Premier League football is uncommon for managers, but Espirito Santo believes everyone associated with the club has to take in the moment.
"We’ve been out in the community and what I see is happy people enjoying the moment, bonding with the team. This is what we want.”
“Nights like last week makes it worth it because this is the job, this is the moment you really enjoy - when the players perform well, achieve a good result and the fans are happy.”
“After a game you immediately start thinking about the next one and that is enjoyable.
“Let’s enjoy it and keep our feet on the ground because it’s going to be another big test for us."
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Stopping the Bees' home run
This weekend's clash features many talking points, one of which being Brentford's formidable home form this campaign.
Thomas Frank's side boast the best record in the division, winning seven and drawing one of their eight games, while Forest's last away trip ended in victory against Man United.
The Brentford Community stadium has also seen a league-high 40 goals in those matches, with the Bees averaging more than three per game.
Stopping the West Londoner's from scoring was an aspect Espirito Santo was keen to drill into his team, while being complementary of the opponents.
“It’s a challenge against every team. Defensively we have to be really good, solid and compact.
“They have many things that they can cause danger and create opportunities. Set-pieces, throw-ins.”
Brentford have also caught the eye with scoring early in games, with the Forest boss eager to highlight the need for concentration.
"We’ve been analysing the previous games and they start strong so minute one we have focused to contain what Brentford does.”
"We have to start really focused and concentrated but also try to play our game and compete well.”
