Sean Dyche is set on reinstating the fundamental principles that propelled Nottingham Forest to European success last season.
The club’s third manager in the current campaign, Dyche is gearing up for his debut match against Porto on Thursday, stepping in after Ange Postecoglou’s tumultuous 39-day tenure at the helm.
Daily Mail Sport has learned that the squad responded positively to their initial training session under Dyche’s guidance on Tuesday, with hopes high that he can rekindle the strong team unity that propelled Forest to success under Nuno Espírito Santo.
“Keep things simple” is believed to be Dyche’s central directive, a welcome approach for players who struggled to buy into Postecoglou’s tactics.
While the team’s style may undergo some changes under Dyche’s leadership, it is expected to be more akin to Nuno’s philosophy than Postecoglou’s. For the upcoming clash against Porto, significant alterations to the team’s structure are improbable, though the playing style might showcase nuances.
Nuno’s success last season was built on a counter-attacking strategy that almost secured Forest a coveted spot in the Champions League. Postecoglou, conversely, attempted to rush the transformation by pushing for an aggressive, attack-oriented approach prematurely, resulting in a disastrous outcome.
With Dyche at the helm, such hasty transitions are unlikely. The experienced manager, having previously led Burnley and Everton, boasts a reputable track record in the Premier League and also has experience in European competitions, guiding Burnley to the Europa League in the 2018-19 season.
During that European campaign, Dyche’s Burnley was ousted in the play-off round by Olympiacos, a team owned by Forest’s proprietor Evangelos Marinakis. Marinakis holds high hopes for Dyche to guide Forest further in their European journey this time around, aiming for a more successful venture on the continental stage.
