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18 hours ago
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Nottingham Forest has plunged into an era of unprecedented managerial chaos, officially announcing Sean Dyche as their third manager of the 2025/26 season.
The move comes after Ange Postecoglou was dismissed following a brief, ill-fated 39-day spell that failed to deliver a single win, quickly following the departure of Nuno Espírito Santo.
Forest's decision marks one of the quickest successions of managers in Premier League history, forcing the club to rely on Dyche’s pragmatic style to secure stability.
The rapid turnover raises serious questions about the club's long-term planning under owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Historically, such instability at the beginning of a season has been an ominous precursor to relegation.
The fate of clubs with three managers so early on
Teams forced into three or more managerial changes early in a season often struggle to find the required cohesion to survive.
| Club (Season) | Managers in Succession | Time of Change | Final Outcome |
| Southampton (2004/05) | Sturrock, Wigley, Redknapp | August - December | Relegated (finished 20th) |
| Sunderland (2002/03) | Reid, Wilkinson, McCarthy | October - March | Relegated (finished 20th) |
| Newcastle United (2008/09) | Keegan, Kinnear, Shearer | September - April | Relegated (finished 18th) |
| Crystal Palace (1997/98) | Coppell, Lombardo/Brolin, Lewington | March 1998 | Relegated (finished 20th) |
The records show a grim pattern: in the instances where Premier League clubs have changed managers three or more times in a single campaign, the outcome is nearly always the same.
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Sean Dyche: the pragmatic choice for a volatile club
The appointment of Sean Dyche reflects Forest’s desperation for a quick fix.
Dyche is known for his defensive organisation and no-nonsense approach, a style that contrasts sharply with the expansive, possession-based philosophy of his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou’s incredibly brief tenure, one of the shortest in Premier League history, was a catastrophic misjudgment, as his style of football was a terrible fit for the squad Nuno had built.
Forest will be banking on Dyche’s renowned pragmatism to stabilise a team that is now fighting not only for points but for its very identity.
The two-time Premier League survivor will now need to immediately instil the grit and defensive discipline that has defined his career to avoid Forest suffering the same fate as those who came before them.
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