Oliver Glasner has thrown down the gauntlet at Nottingham Forest. After Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Brentford, the Austrian gave one of the most striking post-match briefings of the season: he blamed himself, but he also told his players to commit to a new way of doing things or move on, and warned the alternative is yet another change in the dugout.
Forest are in the bottom three and are the lowest scorers in the Premier League, with six goals from nine matches. Glasner is, according to Sky Sports, the club’s fifth head coach since August 2025. Owner Evangelos Marinakis dismissed four managers last season, The Guardian noted, which explains why few observers believe Glasner can rely on patience.
A defeat that summed up Forest’s season
Brentford won without having to create much. Both goals involved deflections off Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic, the first an own goal on the half-hour and the second an Igor Thiago shot in the 76th minute, according to Yahoo Sports. Forest had more of the chances but struggled to hit the target for long periods.
That has been the pattern all season. Forest have failed to score in five of their nine league games, the most in the division, despite their underlying numbers suggesting they deserve more. The Guardian’s analysis found that in no game this season have Forest scored as many goals as their expected goals figure.
The result was a good day for the Irish contingent at Brentford, where Keith Andrews is head coach, but a grim one for the visitors.
What Glasner said
Glasner said he takes full responsibility and that every decision has been his. He admitted he had made too many compromises since the start of the season and said he now intends to change things at the club from top to bottom.
His central message was blunt. Players who do not buy into what he is asking should leave, he said. If they do commit, he believes a turnaround is possible. If not, he suggested the club would end up needing a sixth manager. He also said there was a recurring pattern of Forest finding themselves in relegation trouble and that the same problems kept coming back.
Glasner revealed he had refused one player’s request to drive home from London alone after the match, insisting the whole squad travel together on the team coach. He also said he would no longer be consoling players with hugs after defeats. “I’m here not to be loved,” he told reporters, according to Sky Sports, adding that his job is to bring success to the club.
He accepted that real change takes time while recognising that supporters, and the club, will want results quickly. He said he had no plans to walk away.
Is his job at risk?
There has been no statement from Forest or Marinakis about Glasner’s position, and nothing to suggest a decision is imminent. But pundits are already speculating. On Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood predicted Glasner would not survive the coming international break. That is opinion, not reporting, and should be treated as such.
The Guardian’s view was more measured, pointing out that Forest’s expected goals data under Glasner is stronger than it was under several of last season’s managers, which suggests the problems may be about finishing rather than the overall approach.
What happens next
Forest have one more round of Premier League games before the November international break, which runs from 9 to 17 November. Results either side of that break are likely to decide whether Glasner gets the time he says he needs.
For now, his comments have made one thing clear: whatever happens, it will not be because he stayed quiet. Supporters will be watching the team’s response on the pitch, and the club’s response off it, very closely.
Sources
- Sky Sports: Oliver Glasner reveals anger, desire to change growing pattern at club (31 October 2026)
- Yahoo Sports / Futbol Chronicle: Glasner tells Forest players to buy in or leave after Brentford defeat (31 October 2026)
- The Guardian via AOL: Should Premier League strugglers stick or twist as pressure on managers mounts? (1 November 2026)
- RTÉ: Dates for Ireland’s Nations League fixtures revealed (13 February 2026, for international window dates)
Featured image: Nottingham the city ground stadium forest by Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.
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