FOREST HISTORY · Historic event
Montanier appointed head coach
On this day in 2016 Forest appoint Philippe Montanier as head coach.
Philippe Montanier’s appointment gave Forest another new direction during an unsettled period at the City Ground.
Supporters entered the summer looking for signs of stability after several frustrating years of managerial changes and inconsistent Championship performances. Montanier’s arrival from France immediately created curiosity, partly because many fans knew relatively little about him.
The appointment also felt different from the usual cycle of familiar domestic names. Forest were looking beyond the obvious candidates, and that gave the decision a sense of intrigue before the new campaign began.
Talk around the club quickly turned toward what Montanier might bring in style, structure and recruitment. Hope was cautious rather than loud, shaped by the knowledge that previous fresh starts had not always led to lasting progress.
The appointment is remembered as part of a wider search for calm and direction, but it did not bring the stability Forest needed. Montanier lasted less than seven months and was relieved of his duties in January 2017 after a poor run of results left the club near the bottom of the Championship. The short spell became another example of how unsettled Forest remained during that period.
Sources
BBC Sport; Sky Sports; Nottingham Forest official site
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