Nottingham Forest

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Recently, Liverpool and the Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk said former players-turned-pundits have a responsibility when discussing the performances of the current generation of footballers.

He believes they can stray into "clickbait" and have a possible impact on players' mental health.

On Thursday's episode of the More than the Score podcast, former Scotland international Pat Nevin and chief sports editor for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf Marcel van der Kraan join John Bennett to discuss and analyse the modern world of punditry and the impact it can have on players and managers alike.

"As a player you do tend to take it to heart, especially when it feels a little personal," said Nevin.

"Generally, it isn't personal and the pundit is just having their opinion and we all kind of know where the lines are. But, the lines have been jumped over more often in recent years and I think Van Dijk is right about that.

"Because of the clickbait, it is so much easier to get more likes, views and work if you're a little bit more extreme. Ex-players aren't stupid and they know that. If you are too sensible and sit on the fence you won't get the big gigs.

"You have a dichotomy. Most ex-players would like to be balanced but they know if they are too balanced and sensible they won't be there next week.

"My criticism would always be constructive criticism which is explained. One-dimensional labeling of players should never happen. Sometimes if a big name says something enough it becomes accepted wisdom."

Van der Kraan added: "There are two different kinds of pundits; those who need to be on every week and those who are genuinely focused on what is right and what players should do.

"For Van Dijk, after so many years enough is enough.

"It all started after he came into the Netherlands team and became a big player at Liverpool. The first ex-player to really criticise him was Marco van Basten, saying he was not a leader. Van Dijk was biting his lip after every match because it became a bit of a stigma.

"Eventually it filtered to England and every time he had a bad game it became an open nerve."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Vitor Pereira's dream was to manage in the Premier League.

He has conceded he made too many wrong moves too soon as he tried to plot a path to the England, managing 13 clubs before realising his goal.

That eventually came with Wolves after he came close to joining Everton while having also held talks at different times with Chelsea, Arsenal, Watford and West Brom.

He lasted 11 months at Molineux, after being appointed in December 2024, and initially forged a strong bond with the fans, going drinking with them after victories with the phrase 'first the points, then the pints' coined.

It went sour quickly this season, he clashed with supporters after a 3-2 home defeat to Burnley in October, before eventually being sacked in November following a wretched 3-0 defeat at Fulham.

He could get a second chance with Nottingham Forest - and a deal is looking likely - but there are parallels which could be a concern.

Pereira was unhappy with Wolves' transfer business in the summer - much like Nuno Espirito Santo was at Forest - despite ultimately signing off on the buys.

He felt Wolves were too slow and did not get his first-choice targets, to the extent Pereira regrets not walking away from Molineux at the start of the season.

Yet Pereira at least knows what it is like to work under Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, having managed Olympiacos - a club also owned by the Greek - and won the league with them in 2014-15.

So, if there is an agreement, there should be no surprises between the pair.

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

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Nine years into the reign of Evangelos Marinakis, Nottingham Forest are in search of their 10th manager. The club, of course, are no strangers to sacking managers - they're not far off averaging one a year since Brian Clough's retirement in 1993.

Where does repeatedly replacing the man in the dugout get you? Well, it's still not entirely clear but we haven't experienced anything close to the achievements of Old Big 'Ead. Sacking Sean Dyche may or may not be the right decision but we'll only know in about three months' time.

Admittedly he hadn't exactly set the City Ground alight, especially last night as the Reds had 35 shots on the Wolves goal - 10 on target - and still couldn't score. If there was ever a game that epitomised Forest's season, this was it - endless opportunities to score with the occasional defensive lapse, all highlighting the glaring absence of Chris Wood.

The 34-year-old striker has only made eight appearances this season, scoring twice, but his clinical prowess was one of the highlights of the seventh-place finish last campaign. We could be in a very different situation if any of the three managers had the New Zealand international available, given our forward players' profligacy in front of goal.

As it is, we are in this situation. Three points above the relegation places, with former manager Nuno's West Ham United side breathing down our neck, and the teams above us pulling away. Not to mention a Europa League play-off against Fenerbahce coming up.

Dyche had a reputation for solid but effective football and, on occasion, we saw his side dig in and come away with three points. Sometimes it was very good football, often it was very bad. It seems a big call to roll the dice again but, given the way this season is going, it's all going to come down to chance and, frankly, that's pretty ridiculous.

Early reports suggest the new manager could be Vitor Pereira, who Marinakis knows from a stint at Olympiacos and was until recently Wolves head coach. With experience of both avoiding relegation and European competition, the Portuguese has credentials for the job. However, with a somewhat scattered CV, it would surely have to be an interim appointment and a complete rethink in the summer.

Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external

Chris Adams
BBC Sport Journalist

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Nottingham Forest's goalless draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday was the seventh time in Sean Dyche's 18-match reign in which they failed to find the net.

Goals have been an issue for Forest all season, but the loss of last term's top scorer Chris Wood in October only exacerbated the problem for Dyche, who was never able to select the New Zealand target man.

With injury forcing his hand, Dyche opted for Igor Jesus to lead the line. The Brazilian – who had been used exclusively as a substitute for league fixtures while Wood was fit – started 17 of Dyche's games in charge, only dropping to the bench again for Wednesday's stalemate at the City Ground.

The 24-year-old, who cost a reported £10m from Botafogo in the summer, has struggled against Premier League defences, with just two goals in 25 appearances. That's in stark contrast to his cup and European form; he has six in six in the Europa League and notched three in two in the domestic cups, albeit against lower league opposition who Forest failed to beat.

Clearly Igor Jesus is not solely to blame for Forest's failings but his shot conversion rate under Dyche was the second worst in the top-flight and eventually he was replaced in the starting 11 for the Wolves game by 6ft 7in loan signing Lorenzo Lucca, who had scored off the bench on his debut against Leeds United.

Forest's 241 shots during Dyche's 114-day reign places them ninth in the league, but their overall conversion rate of 8.3% was the third worst in the division.

A further look at the numbers suggests that the quality of chances his side were creating was also poor. Their expected goals per shot rate of just 0.09 ranks them 19th in the league in that timeframe.

The fact that Wood is still Forest's joint-third top scorer in the league – level with Igor Jesus, Nicolo Savona and Ibrahim Sangare, one behind Callum Hudson-Odoi, and four behind midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White – despite having missed 18 games, is perhaps indicative of their attacking woes.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Just 12 months ago Nottingham Forest sat joint second in the Premier League with a six-point lead over the chasing pack.

Chris Wood's hat-trick helped demolish Brighton 7-0 and Nuno Espirito Santo's side looked on course for a shock Champions League place.

Yet they won just four of their final 14 top flight games to eventually finish seventh as the dream started to unravel.

Sean Dyche's exit is the latest drama in the City Ground soap opera which has left a season which promised so much in tatters.

The self-inflicted wounds have cut deep.

The deteriorating relationship with Nuno Espirito Santo which sparked his exit and Ange Postecoglou's appointment has forced Forest to search for a fourth manager of the season.

With Dyche it was supposed to be different, reverting back to more of what the players knew and what had made them successful last season.

Forest needed to rediscover their roots - and they did for a time as it looked as if Dyche had brought stability but it was a false sense of security.

Players and fans were not happy, despite the statistics saying Dyche would eventually lead them to safety, even if they still sit just three points above the Premier League relegation zone.

He was nominated for January's Manager of the Month last week but is now out of a job after 114 days, having been brought in to steady a chaotic ship.

Instead Dyche's sacking is the latest chapter in a chaotic and turbulent season which could still lurch into a disastrous relegation.

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Should Nottingham Forest move forward and appoint Vitor Pereira - or anyone for that matter on a permanent basis, they will break a new Premier League record.

No club in Premier League history have ever completed a season with four different permanent managers in charge of the club.

Until now?

Forest 2025-26 managers:

• Nuno Espirito Santo (August 25 - Sept 25)

• Ange Postecoglou (Sept 25 - Oct 25)

• Sean Dyche (Oct 25 - Feb 26)

• TBC (Feb 26 - ?)

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Whoever that successor may be, former Forest defender Michael Dawson thinks the role will bring them a lot of pressure.

"I just think the fourth Premier League manager going into Nottingham Forest in the season... It's just remarkable," Dawson told Sky Sports.

"They're under big pressure now to get this right with 12 games to go.

"It's a club that was sitting in 18th [before Dyche was appointed], with one win in eight and in his 18 games since he's been in charge in the Premier League, he's won six, drawn four and had eight losses.

"I don't know what Mr Marinakis [club owner] was expecting. They were sitting in 18th. They weren't going to end up in the top half of the Premier League."

John Cross, chief football writer for the Mirror, believes Dyche's style ultimately didn't work for the Reds.

"It really is nuts. We all thought Sean Dyche would be such a good fit," Cross told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"He was saying he still lives in Nottingham and he has a passion for the city but it just hasn't worked.

"It gave Forest a lift and yet it quickly went off the boil. I have been shocked with how they have performed recently and it told me that maybe the players just weren't listening to the manager and that has been reflected in the results.

"I think Dyche is a no-nonsense manager and sometimes it just doesn't work."

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The 40-point mark - or thereabouts - could be needed once again to guarantee Premier League survival this term, with an in-form West Ham United attempting to chase down the sides above them.

That mythical number has often been cited as the threshold at which managers, players and fans can relax - but the total has not actually been needed to stay up since 2010-11.

Prior to that the only other occasions clubs were demoted with 40 points or more were 1996-97, 1997-98 and 2002-03.

But could that be about to change?

West Ham, who are 18th in the top flight, are only three points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, who sacked manager Sean Dyche after Wednesday's goalless draw with Wolves.

While Tottenham - who sacked boss Thomas Frank on Wednesday - are 16th, another two points ahead of Forest.

• Read a full breakdown on the 40-point target

West Ham's current points tally (24) is the most by any side in 18th at this stage of a campaign since 2019-20, when the Hammers recovered to stay up with 39 points.

Leeds also look to have found some momentum with recent wins over Fulham and Forest as well as draws at Everton and Chelsea.

In contrast, Spurs have managed a meagre four points from the previous 27 available to them.

Meanwhile, now managerless Forest have won just two of their past 10 games and fans of Brighton and Crystal Palace may also be looking over their shoulders.

The 14th-placed Seagulls (31 points) are on a dismal run having won just one top-flight game since 30 November.

Palace - who are a place and a point above Brighton - have only tasted victory once since 7 December and most recently let a two-goal lead slip as they lost to struggling Burnley.

That magic 40-point mark could well be needed once more to avoid dropping into the Championship.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Nuno was sacked 23 days into the season.

His replacement Postecoglou lasted 39 days.

Sean Dyche at least made it past the 100-day mark, but his reign ends after 114.

Nottingham Forest are now remarkably searching for a fourth manager of a season which has lurched from crisis to crisis.

Forest's problems are of their own making after Nuno fell out with global sporting director Edu and owner Marinakis to make his position untenable.

Postecoglou was an ill-advised appointment, a clash of styles going from Nuno's counter-attack to the Australian's high-pressing, high-action game.

Dyche was supposed to be the safe pair of hands, reverting back to what the squad knew under Nuno, and his connection with the club - having come through the academy - initially made it a sweet homecoming.

Seven wins from his first 12 stabilised the club and season to a point, with Forest mid-table in the league if results since Dyche was appointed in October were only taken into account.

But just two wins in their past 10 league games - plus an FA Cup exit to Wrexham last month - saw a rapid loss of faith from both the board and the fans.

The season is now an embarrassment for Forest. It was not supposed to be like this, with European football returning to the City Ground for the first time since 1995-96.

But after two failed appointments and the decision to sack Nuno after a breakdown in relationships Forest are in tatters.

They finished seventh last season and spent £180m but relegation is a very real possibility in a season where the club, especially Postecoglou, had targeted winning the Europa League.

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We asked for your views on Nottingham Forest's decision to sack Sean Dyche.

Here are some of your comments:

Andy: Absolute insanity to sack Dyche, who has proven his ability to keep teams in the Premier League.

Andrew: Chaotic ownership and big egos has led to this. If we had stuck with Nuno Forest would be sitting mid table and challenging for a European title. I am resigned to Championship football for the next 20 years. At least I might be able to get a ticket!

David: Inevitable. Being tonked by Leed United, beaten easily by Everton (twice in weeks) and only getting two points from three teams in the relegation's with us is unacceptable. Brand of football is/was poor. The players look clueless. Tough job for any new manager coming in.

Jack: It's embarrassing, the way our club is being run. Dyche wasn't spectacular but would likely have kept us up - it's not his average points that has us 17th. Surely the summer would have presented us with better options. Who would want to take over now, the man who led Wolves' bid for worst in Premier League history?

Dominic: I worry we're in a cycle here at Forest. What manager would want to work in this environment? I envisioned Sean , Ian and Steve being around a long time... a new dynasty! naive or what?!

Edward: It's frustrating. Was it the right call? Maybe, but this season has been below disappointing. Dyche's tactics were questionable, but who would we replace him with? Pereira didn't win a game in the league for Wolves. We should have never sacked Nuno and then we would be fighting for the title.

Mike: I am going to back Marinakis. His investment in the club has taken us from the foot of the championship to Europe. However, this season has been an absolute circus, with two poorly judged appointments. I think recruitment has been very poor too. I would like to see a manager for the long term, given time and backed with sensible recruitment.

Sam: Dyche had one plan, and that has been worked out. No imagination, sideways and backwards, and players scared of losing the ball. Dyche wasted the best midfield three that Forest have had for years. Fourth time lucky!?

Get involved in the conversation by giving your views on Dyche's departure here

Follow our live page for all the reaction to Dyche's sacking

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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Nottingham Forest have held talks with former Wolves boss Vitor Pereira after Sean Dyche was sacked following just 114 days in charge of the club.

Forest were held to a goalless draw at home by bottom club Wolves on Wednesday and are just three points above the Premier League relegation zone with 12 games remaining.

Sources have told BBC Sport that former Wolves boss Pereira is a leading contender to replace Dyche, having worked previously worked under Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis at Greek club Olympiacos.

Dyche's departure means Forest are searching for their fourth head coach of the campaign, having sacked Ange Postecoglou in October and Nuno Espirito Santo in September.

So hopefully you've seen the big news that dropped early Thursday morning by now - Sean Dyche has been sacked by Nottingham Forest.

We want to know your thoughts - is this the right decision? Who should Forest go for now?

Get in touch with your views here

Aston Villa are interested in Nottingham Forest's England midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, but Forest could command a fee of £65m for the 26-year-old. (TeamTalk), external

Nottingham Forest will make another move for Celtic's 22-year-old Belgium midfielder Arne Engels in the summer after failing to sign him in January. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Pundits Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy join host Kelly Somers to bring you the action and talking points from Tuesday's and Wednesday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Very frustrated of course. Knock on the door but find a moment of clarity, it was one of them. They set their stall out early to come and defend and look for breaks. It is very frustrating to dominate a game like that, with so many chances and there were plenty of good chances but it's finding that killer moment. The crowd get nervy, the team get nervy, there is a lot of pressure on these games.

"A lot of the performance is right but you have to score a goal obviously. That is the hardest thing for us as managers and coaches, for someone to find that defining moment. There were a few very strong chances.

"The start was good. We were opening them up. When teams are fully flowing, finding that last pass, making that run they all seem to come together quickly. When it is not quite there people start snatching shots and cross and the crowd get on top quickly. This is part and parcel of the Premier League.

"There is no lack of effort or commitment it is just finding those moments. We can't rely on others. Finding the key moments is the frustration. One loss in six is usually a good run but in the position we are in it is not classed as a good run.

"Every time we get a chance to push forward and clear the decks we don't quite deliver those moments. It is a work in progress.

"I am not out there playing it is about trying to get the team to find that confidence amongst the noise and the freedom to go and play. When the hard times come we have to go and deliver."

Did you know?

• Nottingham Forest's 35 shots without scoring tonight was the most by a Sean Dyche team ever in his 351st games as a manager and the most by a team without finding the net in a Premier League match since Manchester United had 38 in their 0-0 draw with Burnley in October 2016.

• Forest had 62.9% possession tonight – it's the 10th time in the Premier League that a side managed by Sean Dyche has had at least 60% of the ball and he hasn't won any of those games (D4 L6).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Nottingham Forest's performance

What did you make of Wolves' display?

Come back on Thursday for a selection of your replies

Nottingham Forest make three changes to the side that lost 3-1 at Leeds last Friday in the Premier League.

Neco Williams, Lorenzo Lucca and Omari Hutchinson all start, with Igor Jesus and Nicolas Dominguez on the bench and Zach Abbott missing out.

Nottingham Forest XI: Ortega, Williams, Milenkovic, Morato, Aina, Anderson, Sangare, Lucca, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Hutchinson.

Subs: Gunn, Awoniyi, Ndoye, Domnguez, Jesus, Yates, Cunha, McAtee, Netz.

Image source, Premier League

Wolves make two changes to the side that began Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Chelsea.

Rodrigo Gomes and Ladislav Krejci come in for Matt Doherty and the injured Hwang Hee-chan.

Wolves XI: Sa, Krejci, Mosquera, Santiago Bueno, Hugo Bueno, J Gomes, A Gomes, R Gomes, Armstrong, Mane, Arokodare.

Subs: Johnstone, Doherty, Wolfe, Lima, Bellegarde, Tchatchoua, Sutherland, Rawlings, Edozie.

There are five games in the Premier League on Wednesday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Aston Villa v Brighton

• Crystal Palace v Burnley

• Man City v Fulham

• Nottingham Forest v Wolves

• Sunderland v Liverpool (20:15)

Kick-off times 19:30 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

And listen to Around The Grounds on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds from 19:00

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Why, if the facts suggest a generally positive trend, is the mood turning?

Following Forest's loss to Wrexham, Sean Dyche questioned his players - asking them to look in the mirror - and he is yet to get a fully consistent tune out of an expensively assembled group.

Some of Dyche's critics on the terraces have labelled him 'Dycheosaurus' with supporters losing faith in him and his tactics as the bond he initially had - having come through the Forest academy - wanes.

One seasoned observer commented the eyes told a different story than the facts, with defeats to Braga, Fulham, Everton - twice - Leeds and the FA Cup exit to Wrexham testing fan patience.

However, supporter frustrations are a symptom of a wider problem, opposite number Rob Edwards believes. The Wolves manager has defended Dyche.

"I think now you've got to win consistently and play well consistently to avoid any sort of criticism," he said.

"It's an impossible task to keep everyone happy. I think he's a brilliant manager and he's having an amazing career. "

Dyche has not been helped by injuries with Chris Wood - who played for him at Burnley - unavailable since his appointment.

Last season's 20-goal top scorer had knee surgery in December with no timeframe given on his recovery.

Matz Sels is also sidelined until March with a groin injury, meaning Forest have used four different goalkeepers in the league this season.

Key centre-back Murillo has battled hamstring problems, the Leeds defeat the latest game he has missed, while Nicolo Savona has a knee problem.

Yet, despite any mitigating circumstances, Forest have failed to pull clear of the drop and there will always be questions.

Read more here