Nottingham Forest head coach Oliver Glasner has issued a fiery, definitive response to speculation regarding his managerial future, insisting he feels “100% supported” by owner Evangelos Marinakis despite the club languishing in 18th place in the Premier League table.
Heading into Saturday’s high-stakes away clash against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, the Reds find themselves stuck in the relegation zone with just a single victory to their name so far this season.
After last week’s controversial 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town ended a damaging three-game losing streak, questions naturally arose over whether Marinakis—a chairman notorious for wielding the managerial axe after churning through four head coaches during last term’s survival campaign—was growing impatient.
However, Glasner completely dismissed claims that his head is on the chopping block, revealing private pre-contract conversations held with Marinakis before he even agreed to take the City Ground job.
”I’m Not a Stupid Guy”: Glasner Reveals Private Agreement with Marinakis
When asked directly whether he feared losing his job if Forest’s early-season slump continued, Glasner delivered a refreshingly candid breakdown of his relationship with the Greek shipping magnate:
“No, not at all. I wouldn’t sit here if this would have been my concern. So you can be pretty sure that we talked about this scenario before.
“Before I decided to sign for Nottingham, I talked about it. I’m not the stupid guy that didn’t know what happened here last year. So, zero concern.”
Glasner outlined the exact message he delivered to Marinakis during contract negotiations, emphasizing that true leadership is tested when results go south rather than during winning streaks:
“This was one of the key messages I delivered to the owner… I said to him, ‘When we win five games, I don’t need you, but if we are in a tough situation, that’s when I need you, that’s when the team needs you, that’s when the club needs you.’
“This was the reassurance, because this is how he is. Yes, he’s ambitious and he’s not pleased with where we are now. But I’m not; no player is, nobody in the team is.”
Seeking Stability: Why Marinakis Is Sticking by Glasner
Despite the frustration over missed chances and defensive errors that have cost Forest crucial points, Glasner insists Marinakis views the club as part of his “wider family” and is actively seeking long-term stability rather than another chaotic managerial change.
According to the Austrian tactician, both the board and the squad remain convinced that Forest’s underlying performances are trending in the right direction:
- No Trigger-Happy Urges: “He’s not sitting at home thinking, when can I sack the next manager or when can I make the next changes? No, it’s completely the opposite.”
- Shared Belief: “He has the same feeling we all have, that we’re heading in the right direction after everything that happened. And he is the one who wants stability.”
High-Stakes Saturday at Brentford
With a potential double injury boost on the horizon for the weekend, Glasner and his squad must now transform Marinakis’ backing into tangible Premier League points.
A victory over Brentford would pull Forest out of the bottom three, relieving the immense media pressure and proving that Marinakis’ faith in Glasner is fully justified.
