Echoes of the McClaren Era

Oh dear. The current state of affairs is not good, nor ideal. Far from it. The question marks remain over whether Alex McLeish is going to be around long enough to see out a seasonal season rather than a football one. It’s been a little over a month since the Scot came in, and at the time that was an acrimonious arrival. It speaks volumes that any departure wouldn’t be with a braying crowd but almost a sense of understanding.

Nobody likes being in a job where they were mis-sold the specifications or the tools been given to you. That is what it seems McLeish feels like, and whether it’s the truth is another matter. But it does feel like when McClaren was moaning about a lack of funds promised.

And although the transfers are different in very large ways, Verhoek and Boyd look like similar bed fellows in impact. For Burke read Routledge, and lord knows who else.

Managers with a “pedigree” though with that tainted and wanting reprove themselves. Making a step down in their book. Failing. There is also the Villa connection. McLeish actually having the job but being hounded out, and McClaren not being offered it despite being approached because of the crowd. There are horrible connections to me all over this sorry affair.

And like McClaren it looks like it will see an early demise to a man with a Scottish surnames tenure at Nottingham Forest. Both took over from managers well regarded by a core of fans (Davies made way for McClaren and O’Driscoll of course for McLeish) Both has strong connections to Alex Ferguson the clubs hoped to play upon, but the managers tenure looks being so brief as to not take advantage of.

I currently have no doubt that McLeish won’t see out February, and even if then, he won’t stay past the summer. Yesterday seemed to be one certain benchmark date to pass. The fact he took training yesterday speaks volumes.

But McClaren stayed on past a rumoured imminent resignation. He didn’t last much longer, results were poor and he cleared off before his reputation was completely destroyed. McLeish might be currently thinking the same. Coupled with a bad transfer window where he feels he hasn’t been backed has been an awful run of results. It doesn’t exactly endear him to fans, which doesn’t make him feel wanted or loved by anyone.

So summer 2011 looks like it’s all happening again, but with different managers, a different board and a different season

What a Difference a Day Makes.

Where to Start


It was wisely once sung in a song “What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours” and nothing can be truer here. This time yesterday there was optimism. There was hope. There was a general good feeling about what would unfold. We were in for 3-4 players, and yeah maybe we wouldn’t get them all, but we’d have a good go.

Well, how did that go eh? Not very well at all might be an understatement.

It’s interesting that for a guy who barely played for the club that George Boyd has had such an impact. This has mainly been off the field. A key wedge between board and Davies was the type of signing Boyd represented. Signings being foisted upon him. Now he has an impact in a way I don’t think many of us could have foreseen.

The question of his eyesight is neither here or there. It’s ridiculous that we’d question his eyesight as a factor. He clearly has been fine thus far in his career, and save for an impending meltdown in his eyes then I can’t see it being a huge factor. But a huge new wedge between a new board and a new manager has been slammed into place.

What is apparent is that this whole sorry charade of Boyd’s eye sight is a smoke screen for the real element of what the club were trying. What that is remains to be seen (no pun intended, or maybe just a little bit)

So you ask, what is that? What is it that you think Fawaz and co were trying to do? I have my theories. There are 3 I have in mind, which vary in possibility. The one I favour is that we used it as a way to try and negotiate out of the deal and into a loan, for cheaper, and then as he’s out of contract we could get him for free. Strong-arm Peterborough into a deal they didn’t want, but felt they had no choice to do. He was already sat there, so surely just surely Peterborough would roll over and let us have him. Well no, there’s one thing about Darragh McAnthoney and that is he is strong willed.

But maybe that’s not the case, and I don’t like blind conjecture without looking at a bigger picture. So what else could it be? My second theory is that Fawaz was reluctant on this deal. Maybe he has an advisor or someone he turns to, and this person was a bit unsure about Boyd. That or the avalanche of tweets at hm when this was rumoured saying don’t sign him (ironically considering the current avalanche of tweets now we haven’t) The first hint of being able to get out the deal with a decent explanation to McLeish about why his target hasn’t been signed, and they took it.

Or finally, maybe they simply have something else, though admitted a free transfer or a loan lined up and pulled the plug with a lame excuse.

Because it is clearly a lame excuse to get out the deal, and that’s what’s annoying. We haven’t been told the truth, and the board have made an almost comical excuse to get out of this. I just worry there is more comical excuses where that came from. Maybe in Kuwait they could get away with this but in England the fans are a different animal.

Now the whole has McLeish walked question is something I’m going to wait and see the fallout from. I suspect not. I suspect he was angry, but will carry on in his post.

It will have made McLeish question why he has took the job, almost seemingly a bit like McClaren in his era. A signing he wanted, not made, and the house of cards tumbles down.

However it’s not a good time to be a Forest fan. The infighting with fans and the now quite open questioning of high up decisions is not good. I’m not saying we shouldn’t question them, but like with Doughty after awhile, it means everything they do gets questioned. Because of a few errors, it all falls under the microscope. Every decision Fawaz makes or tweets, fans will be immediately seeing and fearing the worst.

The timing of everything has been off. Since Fawaz took over it’s been frankly a shambles. It seems under Omar we had stability and progress and since Fawaz came in, it's been turmoil, strife and embarrassment. Had we made the three dismissals of Burt, Clark and Arthur when they took over, no-one would have batted an eye lid. But the timing was wrong. The timing of SoD’s dismissal after a glorious win was wrong. 2 weeks earlier and maybe people would have been a little more understanding. And now this. A lot of people had been against the Boyd signing anyway, so seeing the same people now vociferously tweeting Fawaz is odd, but also it’s because we had been led to believe signings were coming. We were promised signings, surprises and all that. #Surprise might be the new “we’re serious promotion” tag line. Something to use against them.

Had we said no there will be no more signings then maybe we’d have not been angry? But it’s the whole being misled thing that bothers most if feel.

Turbulent times ahead. Be interesting to see what Fawaz has to say.

A Comparison: David Platt and Steve McClaren

I feel these characters almost pull Forest full circle over a 10-12 period of time. Both coming to the club with reputations before them that include England although with mixed experiences, and both with a lot to prove. And both given substantial wage funds.

Platt of course was charged with getting us promoted after relegation. No tall order, but in those days almost expected. Clubs yo-yoed frequently, and it wasn’t rare to see the same three clubs up or down doing the same the next season. Platt was given a hefty war chest, even by today’s standards, and splashed out on players which didn’t succeed. This included a veteran in the guise of Moreno Mannini, ho on paper looked to be a rock to hold it all together. Throw in Petrachi and Matrecano, and the three worst signings in clubs history perhaps are complete. There were also large sums spent on Scimeca, and later the likes of Jim Brennan.

McClaren was charged with taking us the extra step to promotion that Billy Davis had failed to achieve, and in a highly competitive division where anyone could beat anyone and in times where clubs from the Premier League were not always expected go up, that differs to Platt. He did however bring in a veteran, in the guise of Boateng who never got going and a duo of expensive players in Miller and Greening, as well as Matt Derbyshire, and Andy Reid (although that was apparently set up before McClaren came in) There was also the Wesley Verhoek saga, and in what now looks like the greatest foresight of anyone, Verhoek opted to turn us down. At the time it was the club said he was unsure about leaving Den Haag. You can’t help wonder if he had some kind of vision.

The comparisons are already there. And take into account that both of them never really inspired confidence during their times with the club. Throw in that both are bookends essentially to Nigel Doughty’s time with the club, and that’s how we come full circle. Platt’s errors bought Doughty to the fore as chairman, and McClaren's ended his reign.
For a long term legacy Platt has to be
argued to be worse. His bad signings and wasting of vast swathes of our cash and parachute payments led us to being in a financial mess. However out of the ashes rose the phoenix of many top young players, and a campaign where we nearly went up. Had it not been for having to shed so many players, perhaps, Jenas, Dawson, Reid and Prutton may not have broken through? Well they probably would, Platt wasn’t afraid to blood youth, he gave Prutton his début (which for me checking Forest results at uni and seeing an unknown name to me played was odd) Some players like Keith Foy were blooded, and although ultimately failing its further than many of have got for a while. That financial element is key though. It meant ultimately we had to sell Jenas before getting any benefit.

Platt also signed David Johnson for a large sum and very large for the time wages. Johnson had a past of succeed in the second tier but never quite the top flight. He flattered to deceive and after being attempted to be moved on, after a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, Johnno came good and started banging them in.
Ishmael Miller was an expensive signing on large wages who has done it at this level before. He has also largely flopped in his first season. Now I am not trying to see parallels everywhere, but there are quite striking ones here. He also too had Marlon Harewood to play alongside.

The long term legacy of McClaren is of course similar to Platt. No more money and having to move on players. Top earners HAVE to go, and like the Italians, Derbyshire and Greening look to have simply have failed here. Perhaps Greening could do a Scimeca and ultimately come good.

The long term effects are that again a new chairman will have to come on board and settle the club. The main difference is McClaren walked early. Knowing he was on a hiding to nothing. Platt kept hanging around like a bad smell, until Sven Goran Eriksson insisted he was to be his right hand man, groomed as his heir apparent, only to continue to prove to be inept at England U-21 level.

For the reasons that it appears to be a full chapter beginning and closing in similar ways that I feel a new stage for the club is on the horizon. Steve Cotterill has had the thankless task of mopping up, and despite there still being many boo boys he has ultimately won me over. The guy is genuine, and does, from his signings, seem to know a good player from bad. McClaren and Platt just seemed to sign anyone who came along.

Whether both had tried to create a new cabal of players in the dressing room that were his and knew he could turn to, as well as the obvious restructuring required. We lost a number of players before both players tenures, and in that vital strikers (van Hooijdonk and Earnshaw) needed to be replaced. McClaren also lost a talismanic midfielder in Cohen to injury, although we were already struggling by then.

The basic thing to consider is that both will never be remembered fondly. Both will be remembered as flops, again at least McClaren had the grace to walk away (although this was less for the club, but more to retain his reputation and not taint it with a failure) That is certainly one thing they share, to be even more maligned than perhaps Kinnear and Megson takes something. I think Platt is more hated, and that’s a lot or retrospect too. Platt’s record was never great, but we weren’t in the clear and present danger we were post McClaren. Don’t get me wrong; Platt led us to the brink of relegation, needing late results to be safe, just in case. It’s more the long term legacy; McClaren was just always bad (even if I did miss two games of his brief tenure.) The simple comparison is both failed, and when you look into it, although the timelines were different it was a very similar story.

POLL: Who's Been Worse: Cotterill or McClaren?

The poll is on the right... Just choose whose tenure as manager has been the more of a disaster..

Back to Back Wins Illustrate McClarens Shortcomings

Following Saturdays defeat of Blackpool Forest have already equalled what we achieved under Steve McLaren in his tenure. Steve Cotterill has taken just two games to do as such. A 100% record is all we can ask for as fans.

Seeing as Cotterill was a somewhat maligned appointment, this is obviously wonderful news. The win on Saturday was a hard fought victory. It wasn't a smash and grab by any means. But we did make a lot of hard work. Thomas Ince for instance at times made or defence look like they were playing statues.

This was of course by the time we were looking good anyway. The first goal was a familiar gal in the past, but hasn't been of late. A headed goal from a corner, which used to be Chambers domain for netting, but Big Wes stepped up. Tudgay had gone close and Chambers also with a header had chances. Blackpool of course had their own, it wasn't one way as I said.

Their goal didn't have that inevitable feel that usually happened under McClaren. But it was the defence standing off. Allowing Kevin Phillips a chance to get some space is naive. He is a natural goalscorer. And we gave him all the speed he wanted. He duly showed us why thats bad. A low drive into the corner.

But when Majewski scored the winner it did feel a little against the run of play. A throw in that dropped to the Pole who volleyed home. I still think Matt Gilks should have done better in Blackpool's goal. No matter, I don't mind when it comes to Forest nicking a goal.

As said Blackpool had chances and maybe should have equalised. I think that would have been fair. As said though, for what we have been through, I don't care one iota or have any sympathy. Especially as Blackpool had a 4 wins in a row record against us.

So the fact that with the very same players that McClaren had (in fact less as Hill had returned to QPR) Cotterill has been able to carve a double wins, with a similar formation. The differences are the defence looks like it now has a clue,the players don;t look completely unmotivated, and they seem to want to play for the new Steve rather then the Old Steve.So had McClaren lost the dressing room, well that much is apparent. I supported the man but admit I was wrong. The fact Cotterill has done so much more in 2 games than McClaren did in his 10 speaks volumes.

It has been said that, I think it was on Football Weekly's podcast that going for the big showy name doesn't work at this level.you go for the grafter,the budget worker. Look at Leicester, Sven has as good track record as anyone, and he didn't get this division right.

All in all, things look good for Forest again. Confidence is back.

The Craziest Soap Opera Of Them All...

There are some of those outlandish soap opera plot lines, the ones where the long lost brother who was dead reveals it was him all along he infiltrated whatever. Basically that sort of tat TV seems more believable than what has happened in NG2 over the previously weekend. All of which I will break down more in further blogs too. This is all too big for just one.

If we go back 7 days all this looked somewhat improbable and impossible. We'd just won for a start. Going into a winnable away game with Burnley and a home game. It almost looked like things were looking up.

7 days later and the whole world has changed in ways beyond ever most of our wildest imaginations. McClaren resigning, well OK,this was always possible I guess, rumoured at least twice before, it has been a doomed relationship. The photos which will feature in time will be his lonely position he took up in the stands at Vicarage Road. And that was in a win.

The Doughty situation I don't think any of us saw coming, probably even the angry mob of protesters. The irony is of course most were anti Arthur and probably not Doughty, one remains and the other doesn't. And not as intended. I am sure100% of the protest would have taken Arthur resigning and not Doughty, certainly not in reverse. The irony is now too I have seen the protesters think they can get Davies in and will let Arthur stay. Like you get a choice. This is the funny part, one success and they think they are a focus group.

Doughtsy announcement he is to resign at the end of the season shocked me. Initially worried this meant he had decided enoughs enough, you pump a vast amount of your fortune into a club only for people one evolutionary rung on the ladder above a neanderthal to essentially hound you out. I am being unfair somewhat,Doughty has been hounded out per se. I think he is ashamed by this whole affair and so bares all the blame himself and so will bow out to avoid further embarrassment.

There is no embarrassment per se, he has always acted with the best interests at heart. Any line of business sees mistakes and you learn from those. It takes a big man to admit he got it wrong, and therefore I applaud him for that.I think its somewhat misguided,and he will essentially have final say so being the owner. The worry is that the clamour to replace him,might see us bring in a worser animal. Someone who makes bad decisions. Someone who doesn't differ opinion, a Mike Ashley figure, a figure of ridicule. Who merely makes problems worse.

What now? Well the fact that at least 4 people have been bookies favourites speaks volumes. There is no clear favourite. Names are just being bandied about willy nilly. We do have to get this right though.

The move to have Billy reinstated is ridiculous though. Never go back is one the main things said in football. Secondly every single bridge was burnt in this relationship. Finally I am sure it would be more poisonous than before. He wanted to go, and the only reason he has offered to come back is merely to prove a point, and he knows that won't happen.

As I say though, there will be more to come, focusing on Doughty and his reign, McClaren and his doomed tenure. And where do we go from here. Stay tuned.

McClaren and Doughty Resign

After just 111 days in charge, Steve McClaren has resigned from his role as Nottingham Forest manager  with immediate effect.

Today's defeat to Birmingham was the last straw for Steve and following 2 hours of rigorous talks with both chairman Nigel Doughty and chief exec Mark Arthur, he decided leaving the club was in the best interests of both parties.

Reports suggest McClaren was ready to walk away win, lose or draw. Doughty wrote off two loan moves for Michael Kightly and Lloyd Dyer in the past 48 hours due to wages. For McClaren, enough was enough.

Steve will not take any compensation.

The drama didn't end there as Nigel Doughty will also step down from his role as chairman at the end of the season.

Doughty has taken full responsibility and said appointing Steve was a 'very poor decision' on his part. 

There is no doubts in my mind, the pre and post-match protests also got to Doughty - he probably knew they would only get worse the longer he stayed associated with the club.

It's also worth pointing out that Mark Arthur will stay on...for now at least.

Rebuilding starts here and hopefully the end to the City Ground circus.

Follow me on twitter @benando_torres

Protests and Social Networking

Yes, there is an irony here that to market the site I use Facebook and Twitter, and yet I am about to lambast those very same tools for their role in what is become somewhat of a farce.

See I say farce because of the planned protests. I do not deny your right to protest, hell we live in a free country, but I am yet to see one salient united point for this. A series of gripes, which are either protesting against all the board, some about saying its about Mark Arthur, some saying Doughty out, others saying about McClaren, and one scamp about the price of a halftime bovril.

Social Networking is playing a key role in rallying the troops. Just today I got an invite (from someone I don't know) on Facebook inviting me to a protest. It didn't say what about, it just vaguely specified a location and time. Nothing about its aims, its techniques, its methods or any of that kind of valuable information.

That speaks volumes about the lack of coordination.

Social Networking is key to this as you can easily invite a vast array of people to single events. Whether that's by an event on Facebook, or by hash tags on Twitter. The problem then becomes partly in who is organising what, or the fact that a complex game of Chinese whispers goes off till the point is lost amongst the thousands who have seen passed it on.

I don't know if that invite was from an organiser, or just some chancer on Facebook trying to take credit for organising things, because lets face it, on Facebook there is a lot of people hiding behind certain identities currying discord without actually stepping forward. Pretending to be a player or the manager, they know thousands of people have added that player, because they like that player so it can show on their timeline. Not to have some kid fire a million status updates and ridiculous questions at people to the point of annoyance ( i do concede not all them do this)

In fact that these enablers, I say enablers purely from some kind of social studies context, as they (perhaps unknowingly) influence people into a certain belief. Hell I saw Lee Camps Facebook profile, which is definitely not Lee Camp despite what the kid used to try and make out, start commenting on national politics. Is that what you "like" a player to see. Some 14 years old views on matters he clearly didn't understand. These accounts curry feelings by one person being able to present his views to many, often presenting his views as facts, and as I say hiding behind anonymity, instead of actually putting their views out there as their own

Anyone who has used Social Networking sites knows how misinformation or suchlike can spread like wildfire. People see a status or a group and angrily react too.You end up with lots of people believing something that might not be true because one person somewhere set something up.

Its like with the recent riots, being able to send mass messages quickly to people you might never meet, and that message then being forwarded and proliferating till you get a mass movement of people, who may or may not know what the initial aim was. Things get lost in translation. Maybe the first people to want a protest did have a salient end point. It's not what I am seeing or hearing though.

Yes, something is wrong, but the very fact that there is very little common consensus what is wrong suggests something. It isn't clear what. So to start acting like this and wanting wholesale change is some what kneejerk. Some want Doughty to sell up, well we covered this before, who exactly do they expect in? I always get the same response to this question. Someone will buy us, someone out there will. Well, no I don't believe there will be. Last season Mike Ashley was on every street corner in the world hawking Newcastle to people. This is a club with a lot better financial record than we have. More appeal, more fans, fervent support. More income. And no body bought them. Why do people insist on saying someone will us? Everton are a bigger club with more going for them, again no buyers. We lose a lot of money per annum, so why would someone buy into that? People say the clubs being run badly, but if someone came in and balanced the books, those same fans would be angry that prices were raised, players sold and cheaper alternatives bought in, because "running the club better" would see that occur. And what with Financial Fair Play coming in, it would also be impossible.

The simple truth is the football fan is never happy. Just look at the big clubs, who cry foul when they finish second. Second!!!?? We'd kill for that.,

I've also seen today people moaning about lack of communication from Doughty, and this was on Twitter. This is the same site of course Nigel Doughty came on to communicate with fans, and was hounded off by keyboard warriors,hiding behind their monitors or on their phone, feeling the big man. Maybe they think they are like an Internet Simon Bolivar or Che Guevera, bringing down the big men with their action, rather than pimply faced cowards. Same people who probably tweeted Robin Chipperfield their anger that they thought Radio Nottingham pandered to the club. You simply can't win with some people, who I seethe anonymity of the Internet as their chance to rant and rave in a way they would never do face to face

So by all means protest. At least know what your protesting about, rather than a vague notion of knowing your unhappy, but not sure why.

Pleat Has Gone

Well I am sure everyone has by now seen the news that David Pleat has left the club.

The official line from the club is that he has stepped down. Whether that's fully true,who knows. Perhaps he has seen the supporter pressure, perhaps he has been asked by the club. It was always one of Billy Davies main moans about the Transfer Panel, and it was common knowledge amongst fans that it was mainly with Pleat that Davies had an issue. That seems to have carried on with McClaren.

I am sure people coming into the club are somewhat bemused by what a Part Time Football Consultant really actually does, other than merely add an extra cook to an over populated broth. Keith Burt, the chief scout has now been given a more trumped up job title, but his role will probably remain quite similar. Director of Recruitment and Scouting is surely still just Chief Scout at the end of the day. The much maligned Transfer Panel will now be reshuffled, with one less man. Hopefully streamlining the whole process.

 If this is the big news that was previously alluded to by the usually unreliable FanHousePercy then its small fry really.I was expecting Mark Arthur to have resigned rather than the minimal impact this change will have had.

McClaren Calls For Drastic Changes

Apparently, according to the BBC McClaren has called for drastic changes at the club. Whether thats on field or off field wasn't overtly specified. However it is obvious that something somewhere needs radically overhauling.

McClaren wne on to say

"There is a problem somewhere but I think the inquest will go on for the next few days in preparation for Sunday [against Birmingham]."

That almost sounds Megson-esque to me. I hope this doesn't mean we start to get onto dark forces at work in the club quotes again.

Sending the players out early whilst he cut a lonely figure in the dugout smacks of a desperate man. Not knowing what else he can do to get this set of players playing right.

It seems to me that calling for drastic changes is strange. This is a club that reached the playoffs for the last two seasons, Ergo surely drastic changes weren't required. Okay, a lot of staff left in the summer, but they were by and large excess baggage anyway, players who weren't the players needed to make that step up. And now he's saying that drastic changes are required? Surely not.

I expect maybe another delve or two into the loan market looks on the cards. Who and where, that remains to be seen. Before now I had been defending McClaren thinking it takes time to settle in, but we are nearly into October, really we should be doing better by now.

Whats also alarming is for the second time in just over 2 weeks I have heard reports of Lee Camp being involved in dressing room altercations. This worries me greatly. Why is Camp becoming embroiled in these skirmishes? Because he is unhappy? There has been further talk of clubs interest in him. That'd further unsettle him even more than before.

I said it last night,but all is not right at Nottingham Forest. We take a step forward and follow it up with 3 backwards. Petty disputes at all levels and games of political control still seem to dominate the club, rather than letting people get on with their jobs. It really does feel like Megson all over again.

A Week of Madness

I left some of views on the matter of the transfer saga and McClarens on off relationship with the club till now, so that it would be easier to dissect after all the dust had settled.



In what was a week that seemed insane at times, it looked like the good old politicking at Forest between Manager and Board has reappeared. The end result has divided fans, and there now appears to be somewhat of a rift between those tagged as Pro Doughty and those who are Anti the Board.



This is not a schism that is pleasant to read on the Internet, and on Twitter people venting their e-spleen by tweeting at the Forest Chairman Nigel Doughty. In fact I even had a small flame war myself. People claiming the chairman should sell up to someone who will spend. Well rich people wanting to do that are not very common. And the clubs which are being bought up are clubs being worked up to be sold on, as shown in the recent Dispatches documentary "How to Buy a Football Club", showing shady Asian groups openly trying to buy clubs to sell on later. I don't want that. A short term gain, for long term disaster.



In the middle of this were the media fanning all the flames of discontent to sell papers. I have written before about my scorn for the Evening Post, and I readily understand that they do have to sell papers. What they appear to be doing is trying to manufacture news and issues by directly inserting themselves into the middle and by currying discontent amongst fans. It almost seems to me that the Evening Post might as well list itself as a blogsite these days as it is becoming less a news site, but more a personal mouthpiece of Paul Taylor



The media have had a central role in all this. McClaren essentially used the media to get his point across that he was disgruntled. This then completely got out of hand to the point there was reports going round that McClaren had already quit. Which was frankly silly to be honest. It all got created by Facebook player profile pages and Tweets that morphed into a lynch mob.



Of course what with McClarens fame and connections, this then went national, in a way that Billy Davies constant games never really ballooned out of control. Here it did, whether that was McClaren using his contacts to get the message out wide and far,or just he was more newsworthy remains to be seen.



Of course it's been revealed that he never had any intention to quit, and the board were always happy with the arrangement. But this hasn't stopped all the anger amongst fans from spilling out. So instead of a mild disagreement between employee and middle management, we get this whole charade being played out in public.



One of my main gripes with Davies was that he aired all his dirty linen in public, using the fans ire to get the boards attention. The problem is now the boards skin is so thick because of this that it merely doesn't get through.



I applaud the chairman being a presence on the Internet, talking to fans on twitter. And I think people should use this for the right reasons. Not too hide behind the anonymity of a keyboard, remotely sending abuse and anger towards someone they know they'll never meet face to face. Its cowardly. But it makes them feel the big man. I actually stopped following a few people on Twitter that day (the fateful deadline day) as it was frankly getting embarrassing seeing people publicly meltdown over something so trivial and out of their control.



Again, I have mentioned it before, but some of the comments that fans say we deserve more. I don't understand this sense of being owed by the club. No-one forced you to buy that ticket. Therefore you aren't owed anything.



Whats needed is everyone to rally and get behind the team. I genuinely worry that should we go behind against Derby that the anger and cat calling will be deeply unpleasant. It won't help the team one iota. Supporters is what we are and support is what we need to do.

Steve McClaren is staying – for now at least...

Steve McClaren has confirmed he’ll stay on as Forest boss following speculation surrounding his future.

Talk was rife that Steve was on the brink of walking out following a lack of signings and support from the board.

All talk of an exit ended this afternoon, when Steve released the following statement:

I am surprised at the reaction that has come following some of the comments I have made.



I can't deny that it has been a frustrating time and some things have not worked out the way I had hoped in the first three months but it is a building process and still very much early days.



I would like to emphasise that my only concern is getting on with the job at Forest and achieving the goal of taking the club back into the Premier League.



Contrary to reports, it has never been my intention to consider leaving. I'm certainly no quitter and I am as enthusiastic about the task as I was on the day I arrived in Nottingham in June.



I am desperately keen to succeed at Forest and as far as I am concerned it is onwards and upwards with everyone pulling in the same direction in order to achieve our aims."

Now I’m still totally unimpressed with this whole scenario.

The club is really in the dumps at the moment and, as I said last night, this was the last thing the club needed.

The story didn’t only become a talking point among our fans; it went on to draw unnecessary attention from around the country. It even ended up as the main story on both Sky Sports and BBC Sport.

Maybe this news could kick start our season but I have reservations.

While it may be OK between McClaren and the board for now, it’s the players who go out there and get the results. If I was a player, the feelings I’d have would be dismay and bewilderness.

I'd also go as far to say that defeats to Southampton and Derby in coming weeks will see Steve turn his back on the club once and for all.

Like most, I pray that I'm proved wrong.

Follow me on twitter @benando_torres

Follow the blog on twitter @forest247

McClaren to Go?

Apparently the above is tomorrow's back page in the Daily Mail.

We've seen it before, knee-jerk articles thrown together by journalists putting two and two together and coming out with five. This article could be a fake after all from either a Derby fan on the wind up or a supposed 'fan' taking more pride in our downfall. Sadly, the photo looks pretty damn legitimate in my eyes.

The article says Steve will decide in the next few days whether he should go in a bid to protect his reputation - what reputation he's trying to protect in this country I don't know because frankly he doesn't have one.

It also goes on to state his frustration at not being able to compete with West Ham and Leicester - something which had initially been promised to him when the board appointed him.

If there is an element of truth in the story itself, sadly I wouldn't be shocked.

Media sources have said previously, McClaren was close to leaving the club before a ball had even been kicked due to the lack of signings. In the end, he got his players and could possibly be trying the same tactics again.

The article doesn't make good reading and as a club this the last thing we needed - especially on the back of a 4-1 thumping and a less than impressive deadline day.

At the moment, our club seems to be on a collision course to a major slump.

The number of fans turning on the club since Billy left is growing and people are generally unhappy with the results, lack of transfer activity and football we're playing.

If McClaren walked away it would harm everyone involved with the club - including Steve himself.

Steve would become even more of a laughing stock than when he joined us. A chance to re-establish himself in a country that detests him, sees him jump ship after 5 games. His career would be simply ruined.

Players confidence will hit an all time low. It's obvious that some players are unhappy at the moment and the last thing we need is a potential false newspaper article souring this even more.

And then we have the board and fans. We know what the reaction would be from the fans if Steve walked - something along the lines of Doughty, Arthur and Pleat Out!.

Whatever happens, this is not good publicity for the club. In fact it's the worst thing that could leak out the club. In fact, McClaren's time as boss upto now has been nothing short of disastrous - from pre-season to Verhoek to now.

All I can say is that it's a relief we have an international break this weekend. If he chooses to stay on, a defeat to Southampton and then to Derby would probably be the last we'll see of him.

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McClaren... A Few Concerns.

Welcome to brand new writer Matt Waterfield,in what is his first, and depending how this goes maybe last.... I jest... hopefully one of many pieces


Iʼll start by introducing myself, a loyal Forest fan since that fateful day at Hillsborough, a season ticket holder, and one time player at the Academy, or should I say School of Excellence as it was then... showing my age.

I never written anything like this before but recent events at the City Ground have
encouraged me to express my opinions. Firstly Iʼd like to thank Billy Davies for the job he did, yes Iʼm in the half that liked him. Obviously he frustrated me like everyone else and part of me always felt he was trying to be too clever for his own good with the media. But no one can argue whatever happened behind closed doors he galvanised and got the best from the squad.

That leads me to my first point. I believe Forest to have a bit better than average squad in the Championship, Iʼd say league table wise a top 6-10 team. I also believe that Billy maximised the squads ability and consistently got them playing above themselves, hence two play-off semi finals in two years.

And herein lies my concern, I donʼt think anyone can deny Mr McClarens coaching ability, and it concerns me that our current group might not be ready, or have the ability to adapt to a potentially much more tactical approach to the game. Also Mr McClaren needs to adapt to the squad he has and opposition he will face, which Iʼm sure will take time. I think there will be a massive technical shortage with our players compared to his time in Holland and Germany.

If Mr McClaren does identify a potential shortfall in the players to his expectations my next fear leads me to a dark era at Forest, the David Platt era. Signing what are considered players to suit the manager rather than suit the situation. Paying too much for players who struggle to motivate themselves against ʻlower clubsʼ. Successful teams in the division can play football, but theyʼre almost always built on solid (big/strong/decent pace) players.

I hear that one of the things that went against Billy in the end was his decision not to bring Henri Lansbury and Scott Sinclair to the City Ground, two players who excelled at the chosen loan clubs. I can understand the logic, top club reserves with big egoʼs and low work rates, or not as it turned out. I also hear that we struggled to get some players due the manager himself, either the players or the clubs choosing not to send their young prospects to the City Ground.

One thing I think McClaren will bring is a much higher pull factor for potential signings, be it loan or permanent. I just hope we get the right type and donʼt find ourself taking backward steps. Itʼs taken a long time to get back challenging for promotion to the promised land and I sincerely hope we can keep moving in the right direction.

Although Iʼve expressed some concerns in this article I want to make it clear that despite being a Billy fan, Mr McClaren will have my full support. There are too many negative voices at the City Ground, itʼs time we accepted our position in the football hierarchy and get behind the team and the manager. You only need to look at Burnley and Blackpool to see what positive support can do, it doesnʼt keep you up but itʼs a start.

So... Steve McLaren, Great PR man, good coach. Lets hope heʼs the manager to get us
up, for me the jury is still out, but Iʼll be happy to be proved wrong come the end of next season.

Follow me on Twitter @matto_w

Colin Cooper to Return?

Following on from Billys departure is the hardly surprising news Ned Kelly has also left,though not announced officially, he has been removed from the list of staff at the club on the website. Julian Darby remains on the list of staff as well as all pre Billy Davies era incumbents

And this will be followed by the news that McClarens first signing will see former Reds legend Colin Copper as his assistant. This would undoubtedly be a popular move. Cooper was highly regarded by fans and would be welcomed back. He played for the Reds from 1993 to 1998 returning to Middlesbrough to finish his career where he went on to coach, rising to Assistant Manager before being replaced when Gordon Strachan came in.

He is currently at Bradford City,but would surely jump at the chance to come back to Forest. He played under McClaren at Boro.

So Mr Steve McClaren....

So it looks a foregone conclusion that the former England manager Steve McClaren will be our new boss.

I have seen a lot of anger about this, and frankly why? We are being linked with a manager with a high pedigree and yet people moan and want something else, making me think once again, the vast majority of fans must be one rung on the evolutionary ladder above a zombie.

So he didn't work out with England, I forgot that part where random idiots with no pedigree get appointed to a top job in the international game. Wait. the Sun nicknamed him and we must all blindly agree with what a vile rag with a history of questionable view says!!!!

It really appals me the lack of foresight I have seen by many fans. McClaren has took a side with a worse past than us to a European final and took a team a similar size to us to a national title. BUT THE SUN CALLED HIM THE WALLY WITH THE BROLLY> Fuck the Sun folks. They have an agenda to ruin anyone who's famous and he also famously refused to answer questions, another reason the Sun got its goat up. So ask again why most blindly agree with an idiots paper written by idiots for idiots.

This is a good appointment no matter what some think. And we will prosper.So if you don't agree and decide to set up a pathetic protesting Facebook profile. (by the way, you really are a fucking idiot for setting these up) and those saying "I will NOT renew my ticket." Billy's gone., get over it, we now have a manager with a high pedigree as a boss. Good news all round