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NO WAY! ABSOLUTELY YES!

Quite possibly the least favored down-under figure to arrive in the Nottingham area since a sinister lodging owner from a famous TV drama appeared in a theatrical show two decades ago, Ange Postecoglou’s reign at the club’s home could begun in the worst possible way. While the boos and catcalls that TV star the Neighbours star was endured during Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood were generally lighthearted, the toxicity of the invective aimed at the Australian coach during the club’s European setback by their Scandinavian opponents on Thursday was so intense that it is difficult to imagine the coach who has been in charge for just six matches will still be around to listen to the seasonal boos this December. Multiple times the 60-year-old’s shouts of “He’s behind you!” went disregarded by his hapless players, especially when the opposition scored their first two goals from badly organized dead-ball situations. Nowhere near the celebratory mood they’d hoped for, Forest’s first European home game in 29 years ended in acrimony with supporters telling the boss he’d be “sacked in the morning”, before serenading his popular, just-removed former boss, Nuno Espírito Santo.

“I get the mood around the place isn’t going to be great, I understand people’s attitude, particularly towards me, but I never worry about that, this is nothing new to me,” the manager snapped in answer, while directing the floor around his feet to the now customary fierce look. “I’m never shocked in this sport, that’s the current environment. This seems to be the direction. It’s beyond my influence. Followers are let down, they are allowed to have an opinion on it. I heard their opinion.” And while those supporters are allowed to complain, it could be argued that they might be wiser selecting a better aim for their frustration. Ultimately, it was Evangelos Marinakis who sacked a firm fan favourite to bring in Postecoglou, who was always going to start under pressure. Observing from the owners’ area as he went through a series of sullen, fierce looks last witnessed during that occasion he learned Spurs had triggered the player’s buyout option, the shipping magnate has thus far mostly avoided any kind of serious criticism from supporters, a fair few of whom remain convinced the he can do no wrong.

By Friday midday, speculation of the coach’s imminent dismissal proved to be unfounded and sources indicate his job remains protected until such time as … actually, it’s not. Although the club boss can argue with some mitigation that he has had little or no time on the training ground to instil the style and strategic detail that resulted in Tottenham Hotspur failing to win 22 of their 38 top-flight games last season, his side’s schedule remains forbidding and relentless. Facing Newcastle, the London club, Porto and the South-Coast team coming soon it is difficult to see from where a maiden victory for the manager will come before what could possibly become the biggest dismissal-decider against the Red Devils.

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Tune in with Scott Murray at 7.30pm BST for WSL updates on the stalemate between United and Chelsea.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I avoid conflicts and disputes, who names people, actually, I’ll keep it anonymous. Yet I believe there was some disrespect, even a bit of rudeness too, with no one giving you a ‘good morning’, a ‘good afternoon’” – the United player takes a pop at the Red Devils over the cold atmosphere at the Theatre of Dreams, where warmth has likely worsened like the team’s form.

READER COMMENTS

Is it true the Forest manager has vowed followers he never loses a game in his next campaign?” – a fan.

I wouldn’t normally to wish to reinforce the cliché that the Emirates faithful are the game’s biggest moaners, but Thabo Caves (yesterday’s Football Daily letters) does make you wonder. Noting that rather than two games a week, the North London side are having to play over two matches weekly (oh, a half-hour more!) over a specific three-week period (for a squad with double coverage in all roles to boot) is not the argument-settler he might think. Instead it’s just going to have the orchestra of the world’s smallest violins tuning up their instruments once more, while the rest of football sigh in unison” – a different supporter.

I’m unsure whether your current contributors (on two or three games a week) are consciously, ironically recreating one of the classic instances of web discussion (family-friendly), or accidentally confirming Marx’s adage about history repeating first as tragedy, then as farce” – a fan.

If it’s any solace, Bob Cushion (the last mailbag), I’ve long felt that way [wishing wealthy English teams to lose in Europe]. From the time Forest stopped competing in Europe, European competition for me has led to a state of frustrated anger, broken up only sometimes by the Romanian side and, maybe, the La Liga outfit. I couldn’t care less for the Reds’ achievements from the eighties right up to the 2005 final. I feel nothing for {‘that