Nottinghamshire

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

When Oliver Glasner took over at Selhurst Park in February 2024, Crystal Palace were 15th, having lost 10 of their previous 17 games under Roy Hodgson.

Come the end of the season they finished 10th, winning six of their last seven games - beating Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa.

He utilised a back three, something he used with success at Frankfurt, but it is not something Glasner has immediately promised at Nottingham Forest.

"We are not here to be Palace 2," he said. "The habits and the patterns are important, how to attack and defend, the spirit you create, to create a shared way of playing and understanding of what we want to do.

"I told the players I don't know if we will play a back four or back three. We will get the players where they feel comfortable and it's important they all play in their best positions."

It feels, though, Glasner has the right players, with Ola Aina and Neco Williams a perfect fit for wing-backs, leaving Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic and Morato as the senior central defensive options. Zach Abbott is highly thought of but lacks top-flight experience.

In attack at Palace, Glasner inherited a forward line of Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise. This time he has Chris Wood, Igor Jesus, Omari Hutchinson, Dan Nodye and Dilane Bakwa.

Add to that Morgan Gibbs-White and James McAtee, and he has the players to suit his style. Expect Glasner's Forest to get up the pitch quicker.

His Palace side attacked the fastest (2.00 m/s) of any side in the Premier League last season, with Forest 13th in that table (1.80).

Although Forest scored more goals and had more shots than Glasner's Palace, they can still improve under him.

Both sides struggled to take chances as Forest created poor ones - only Burnley and Tottenham created worse on average. Palace created good chances under Glasner but could not take them, ending the season with -17 xG.

Under four managers, Forest played the highest ratio of backwards passes in the Premier League last season, with 17.1% of their total, while Palace had the lowest score on that front, with just 14% of their 14,920 passes.

There will be a clear change in style and the way Forest attack. They put in 628 crosses - the second highest - with Palace managing only 417, the third-lowest in the division, only above Manchester City and Burnley.

Palace did not do much passing in the final third of the pitch - more than 500 passes fewer than Forest last season - but Glasner's philosophy is not to waste time when his teams get close to goal.

The Eagles created 29 more big chances (98) than Forest (69). Forest still scored more, though, netting 32 to Palace's 30. Their conversion rate was 43.5%, better than Palace's 32.7%.

Read more from Nick on Forest

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With pre-season officially in full swing, we asked you to tell us what you're looking forward to about club football returning.

Here are some of your replies:

Josh: I'm looking forward to seeing what the new season brings. After the circus of last season, I feel we finally have a manager at the wheel who will steer our club in the right direction. Oliver Glasner, welcome to Nottingham Forest.

John: I'm excited for us winning the league!

Matt: What am I most looking forward to? No hydration breaks and playing football again instead of soccer.

Image source, Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest have released their new 2026-27 home kit, which the Reds say is inspired by the club's pre-match anthem, Mull Of Kintyre.

On the traditional Garibaldi base, the V-neck Forest kit features a pattern influenced by the lyrics.

It is paired with traditional white shorts, with Garibaldi trim, and red socks.

Forest will debut the new home kit in their first pre-season friendly, at neighbours Notts County on Saturday.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray says he was "impressed" by Oliver Glasner who was "very comfortable with the press" during his unveiling as new Forest manager.

Glasner spoke to media for well over an hour on Thursday, fielding questions on subjects including his ambition, playing style, and any potential controversy surrounding his departure from Crystal Palace - given the recent rivalry between the two clubs.

"He talks very eloquently," Fray told the Shut Up and Show More Football podcast.

"He's very happy to be here. Lots of big, beaming smiles at light-hearted moments in the press conference, but lots of serious talk as well.

"Not necessarily promising the earth, but talking about wanting to build solid foundations.

"Forest fans over the last decade or so have heard a lot of first day interviews from a lot of managers. But, clearly this is a guy who has methods and they have been successful at his previous clubs. He was far from shy at mentioning these clubs.

"Wherever he has been, he has built solidly. He has non-negotiables in how to build a squad. It doesn't always guarantee you success but it gives you the best chance of possibly being successful and without them you definitely won't be successful.

"I was impressed. He is obviously very comfortable with the press given his experience in management. There's lots of things for Forest fans to take because of how considered he was in many of his answers."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Oliver Glasner was Nottingham Forest's fourth managerial unveiling since September. The new man, who has signed a three-year deal, has been brought to the club to deliver for silverware and stability.

After guiding Crystal Palace to the FA Cup and Europa Conference League in the past two seasons before standing down in May, he arrives with the winning pedigree owner Evangelos Marinakis demands.

But after the carousel of managers at Nottingham Forest in the last 12 months, is taking the job a risk?

Behind the same desk, Nuno Espirito Santo started the merry-go-round when revealing his breakdown in relationship with the club's hierarchy last August.

Ange Postecoglou did not even get a chance to host a final post-match press conference before he was sacked after 39 days following a wretched defeat by Chelsea.

Sean Dyche lasted 114 days. Replacement Vitor Pereira was told he was being dismissed just two minutes before a clause which allowed Forest to terminate his deal expired in June.

So why is it not a gamble for the new man?

"Nobody wants to get divorced. I don't know how it's in England but in Austria it's 50% [the divorce rate]," said Glasner, who takes his new side across the Trent to Notts County for Saturday's opening pre-season friendly.

"So when you ask them at the wedding, they would say 'yeah, not us' but it happens.

"Every single club wants to have the same manager for a decade, have the same players as long as possible but that's just not the real world - due to different reasons, due to different expectations, different plans in your life.

"When we had the talks, that's why we were also committed on a three-year contract. We said, 'OK, we want to get stability and consistency' because that's what the owner and I are convinced of. That's the foundation of success.

"We hope now that this is the starting point."

An end-of-season study by the League Managers Association found the average tenure of sacked managers in the Premier League was less than a year - having been more than three years as recently as 2021-22.

Across the English leagues, 43 managers were sacked, up by 2% from last season, and there were 65 managerial movements - a rise of 12% - but it is not something Glasner considers.

"In Cyprus last year they had 14 teams in the top league and all 14 changed manager. I don't really think about that part of the job," said the 51-year-old.

"I never sign and think about getting sacked. I just think: 'OK, what do we have to do to bring success to the club?'"

Read more on Glasner's first Forest news conference

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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BBC Sport understands Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who Nottingham Forest are set to make a £45m bid for, wants to move to the City Ground.

The 20-year-old Sweden international played limited minutes at the end of last season under Spurs boss Roberto de Zerbi, often not in his preferred number six position.

Forest are believed to be looking for another midfielder in addition to Bergvall after Elliot Anderson's record-breaking move to Manchester City.

But there will not be another 13-player £180m spree like last summer, with Forest looking to add quality over quantity.

A goalkeeper is needed to support Matz Sels and John Victor, while a striker is also wanted to aid Chris Wood, who turns 35 in December, and Igor Jesus.

When asked about the prospect of Bergvall joining the club during his first news conference as Forest boss on Thursday, Oliver Glasner did not directly refer to the midfielder but said: "I have one strength and weakness - it's impatience. Sometimes it's a strength, sometimes it's a weakness.

"Of course, I would have hoped they already trained with us on the other side.

"It's impossible because the players we're now talking to play at the World Cup so are still on vacation. I'm pretty convinced we will have a few players joining us in Portugal [on a training camp]."

Bergvall played 33 games for Tottenham last season but missed two months after having ankle surgery.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Oliver Glasner got sunburned taking Nottingham Forest training on Tuesday.

The new manager admitted the one thing which had surprised him since arriving at the City Ground was the weather.

The two-and-a-half-hour pre-season training session did not just take its toll on the squad, with Glasner joking he has now got some factor 50 sunblock.

Glasner is the Reds' fifth manager in less than 12 months but expected to last longer than his predecessors and bring the silverware Evangelos Marinakis desires.

Open, sociable and chatty, his first Forest news conference lasted almost one hour and 10 minutes, having earlier walked on to the City Ground pitch for pictures and camera shots.

He recognised Marinakis' ambition - that the Greek owner is perhaps one of the people more ambitious than him - and waxed lyrical about the seafood they ate when talking about the Forest job in Athens.

Glasner spoke about making a meal with the ingredients he has at Forest, hoping it will be good, how he understands why Crystal Palace fans may be upset with him - given the new rivalry between the clubs - and the stability needed at Forest.

Glasner hit the right notes. He even revealed he texted his former Palace captain Marc Guehi on his birthday on Monday - only for Guehi to reply not realising Glasner had joined Forest.

Saturday's opening pre-season friendly over the Trent at Notts County gives fans their first view of the new era, albeit without Elliot Anderson after his move to Manchester City.

Standing on the side of the Meadow Lane pitch, Glasner will hope to remember his sunscreen.

A new episode of BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast has landed on BBC Sounds.

David Jackson and Colin Fray reflect on new Forest boss Oliver Glasner's first news conference since taking charge, plus hear an 11-minute interview with the Austrian.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Nottingham Forest content on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Oliver Glasner understands Crystal Palace fans will be upset by his move to Nottingham Forest.

The former Eagles boss joined Forest on a three-year deal this month after leaving Selhurst Park at the end of last season.

The two teams have struck up a rivalry since Forest took Palace's place in the Europa League last term.

Eagles fans were unhappy with Forest's involvement in their demotion from the Europa League to Conference League for breaching multi-ownership rules, with Forest expressing their concerns to Uefa.

Glasner ended up guiding Palace to the Conference League title - 12 months after winning the FA Cup - and recognises how some supporters will feel about the move.

"I always can understand what people are thinking, their own motivation, their own thoughts and that's what I completely accept," he said.

"I hope everybody accepts that I can't ask every single one: 'Do you agree with my decision?' Because then I don't know where I would end.

"That's why I have to take my own decision for my family and for myself, and it was also enough to convince my family to leave again. It was probably the hardest part of this decision.

"I always try to understand everybody. This also gives me a different view. I like some feedback and sometimes I agree, sometimes I don't agree, but yes, I can understand this.

"I had two and a half fantastic years at Palace - an amazing time, amazing connections to the players and staff, to the chairman, owners and fans. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been possible to win three trophies.

"I'm really pleased to have been part of it but now a new chapter begins with a new book to write at Forest."

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media for the first time since his appointment earlier this month.

Here are the key lines from Thursday's news conference:

• The Austrian was contacted by "many clubs across Europe" after leaving Crystal Palace, but he wanted to stay in the Premier League and feels there is "a new book to be written" at Nottingham Forest.

• On what pulled him towards the job: "I had great talks with the owner [Evangelos Marinakis]. I went to Athens for a dinner where we spoke about the vision and ambition for the club. I had a detailed look at the squad and it looked very talented. I thought it could be quite an interesting and exciting journey."

• He continued: "It is important that we stick to what we are telling each other because that builds trust. The club are seventh place in terms of net spend since promotion four years ago, so that shows the ambition of the owner."

• The club appointing a Premier League record-breaking four permanent managers in just one season doesn't worry him because "the average time a manager gets is already below one year".

• He added: "I never sign a contract thinking about getting sacked. I just focus on what I have to do to bring success to a club." However, he is aware that Marinakis is "one of the few people more ambitious" than himself.

• On the brand of football he wants to bring to the City Ground: "Every manager will tell you they want to play attacking and offensive football, but I don't know if we will play a back three or four right now. I'm trying to get to know the players before finding the right system because if we do something we aren't comfortable with, that's when we will lose confidence."

• It is "unfair" to name the Nottingham Forest players he had his eyes on as Crystal Palace boss because he has "promised to support" every player in his squad.

• That being said, Omari Hutchinson's "dribbling and left-foot finishes" have caught his eye early on. He added: "I feel he has a lot of potential still. I want to help him deliver more consistently on the pitch because he can definitely help us win games."

• Long-term absentees Callum Hudson-Odoi, Murillo and Nicolo Savona have also impressed with their determination to get back into team training, while Morgan Gibbs-White and Ryan Yates have shown they are "the leaders" in the squad.

• On how the club will replace club record sale Elliot Anderson: "Like in my previous clubs, we probably can't afford to replace him like for like but we have already identified the midfielder we want to add. It is now a case of getting that deal done and, as soon as the ink is dry, we will let you know."

• He promised to be "authentic" and "always honest" with the supporters: "I am who I am. I won't be telling them what they would like to hear at times, I will always say how I see things but that doesn't always mean I'm right." He hopes those values will cultivate a "good relationship" during his time at the club.