Nuno Espirito Santo admits his Nottingham Forest future remains uncertain, promised talks ahead with owner Evangelos Marinakis were imminent, and urged the board to restore harmony.
Nuno dismissed the idea he might walk away from the City Ground as ‘absurd’ but his fate lies in the hands of Marinakis, who did not attend Forest’s 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The tension surrounds recruitment strategy and, despite four new signings last week, three of whom made their debuts at Selhurst Park, the Portuguese head coach says his squad requires three more before the deadline to be competitive on all fronts this season.
‘I cannot answer that question,’ replied Nuno when asked if he expected to be in his job when the transfer window closes. ‘What I know is that I’m working and trying to do the job the best I can.
‘Of course, the situation has to be solved. And we are responsible people, we are going to have good conversations to try to create more than anything a good platform for what is the most important, the team.
‘Everybody wants the best for Forest. Me, the first. The president, the first. All at the club wants the best for Forest.
Nuno Espirito Santo admitted his Nottingham Forest future remains uncertain
Nuno will hold talks with Evangelos Marinakis despite the tension between them
The head coach will not walk away but he believes he needs three more signings
‘In my career, it’s the first time I face a situation being asked these things and it’s not helpful, but I believe working in conflict doesn’t work out. We have to create harmony. We need it.’
Nuno said there would be talks with Marinakis and global head of football Edu in the days ahead.
‘We are going to have it, we must,’ he added. ‘We need these conversations and we will have them. It’s more important than anything. What’s going to be said is normal. And the players need it, the squad needs it, the club needs it. All of us need it and we’re going to have it.
‘Not only us three, all the club has to come together. First, let’s try to complete our squad. This is really important in the final days of this transfer market.
‘We need I would say three, one goalie more and two full backs because you cannot live with the fear that something happens to Ola Aina or Neco Williams. We need this. After this, what is important is Forest. Not the people.’
Angst behind the scenes has clouded what should be the start of an exciting campaign for Forest, back in Europe with the draws made at the end of the week.
‘There are things I cannot control,’ said Nuno. ‘What comes out, the sacking rumours, you cannot control that. I have thought long about it, and my concern is for the squad.
‘These boys achieved something fantastic last season. If we as a club don’t help them in terms of numbers and quality and talent, everything will go. What we have ahead, the Premier League, the Europa League, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, you know how many games this means. This is the respect we have to show to our squad.’
Marinakis was not at Selhurst Park for Forest’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday
The disharmony behind the scenes has clouded the start of what should be an exciting week
As for the theory he might be poised to quit, Nuno, 51, summoned the legend of former Palace boss Roy Hodgson, who was still coaching into his 70s, as he rapped: ‘Absolute nonsense, absurd. This narrative is absurd. I don’t know how many years coaching now. I love what I do. The moment I don’t enjoy it, it’s over.
‘I have huge respect for Roy Hodgson. Chapeau. If I can, every time I saw Roy working I said wow, can I do the same. I wish I could.’
