Nuno appointed head coach
On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 2023 Forest appoint Nuno Espírito Santo as head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract.
Nottingham Forest made a major Premier League change by appointing Nuno Espírito Santo as head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract.
The decision came the day after Steve Cooper’s departure and with Forest under pressure near the lower end of the table. Nuno arrived with Premier League experience from Wolves and Tottenham, but he also inherited a squad that needed quick results.
His first win came within a week, when Chris Wood scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory away to Newcastle United. That Boxing Day result gave the appointment an immediate lift and showed how important Wood would become under the new coach.
The 3–1 win gave Nuno Espírito Santo his first victory as Forest head coach, only six days after his appointment. At the time it was a vital result in a relegation fight, but it later looked like the first real sign of the bond he would build with supporters. Nuno went on to become hugely popular at the City Ground, eventually leading Forest back into European football for the first time in 30 years.
Sources
Nottingham Forest official site; Premier League; Reuters
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