Nottingham Forest Appoints Oliver Glasner as New Head Coach

Nottingham Forest have turned to a proven European specialist, appointing Oliver Glasner as their new head coach in a move that underlines the club’s growing ambition – and stirs up an old feud.

The Austrian replaces Vitor Pereira, dismissed last week despite steering Forest to Premier League safety and a run to the Europa League semi-finals, where they fell to eventual winners Aston Villa. Survival and a European last four would usually buy time. At Forest, it has triggered a reset.

A serial winner arrives

Glasner, 51, walks into the City Ground with a suitcase full of silverware and a reputation for building hard-edged, fearless teams.

He has just delivered back-to-back major trophies in south London, guiding Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory and then the Europa Conference League title last season with a tight, ruthless 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano in the final. Before that, he masterminded Eintracht Frankfurt’s Europa League triumph in 2021-22 – the club’s first major European trophy in more than 40 years.

This is not a coach learning on the job. This is a coach who walks into new environments and leaves with medals.

Glasner made clear why Forest tempted him away from that platform.

"I'm delighted to join Nottingham Forest as head coach," he said. "From my very first conversations with the owner and the leadership team, it was evident to me that they have a clear vision for this football club and complete trust and belief in me and my staff to build a strong future together over the long term.

"That trust and shared commitment, together with the potential that I see within the squad, were key factors for me and I am excited about what we can achieve together.

"Nottingham Forest is a club with incredible prestige and history, a two-time European Champion with one of the most passionate fan bases in football. Our aim is to build a team that can help take the club to the next level in the years ahead and that our supporters can be proud of.

"My immediate focus is on meeting the players and staff and getting to work as we begin pre-season. I'm excited for the future and will work tirelessly to represent this great club with pride and to bring success on the pitch. I can't wait to get started."

Marinakis raises the bar

If there were any doubts about Forest’s expectations, Evangelos Marinakis removed them.

The owner has never hidden his appetite for the big stage, and his words on Glasner’s arrival were laced with intent.

"In our discussions with Oliver, it was clear that we share the same vision, the same ambition and the same relentless desire to succeed," Marinakis said. "He has consistently demonstrated throughout his career that he can build outstanding teams and deliver success against the strongest competition.

"It has always been our goal to establish Nottingham Forest once again among the leading clubs in England and Europe. Our ambition is not simply to compete - our ambition is to win, to challenge for major honours and to create a football club that our supporters can be proud of for many years to come.

"Oliver is a winner. He has earned success through his leadership, his personality and the style of football his teams play. We believe he is the right person to lead us into this next chapter, and I am delighted to welcome Oliver to the club."

That “next chapter” line is doing a lot of work. Pereira’s exit, after what many would view as a successful season, sends a stark message: survival and plucky runs are not enough. Forest want nights that matter in Europe, and they have hired a man who specialises in exactly that.

A quiet snub with loud echoes

Glasner’s appointment does not land in a vacuum. It lands in the middle of a simmering rivalry with his former employers.

Last season, Forest and Crystal Palace effectively fought for the same European place without kicking a ball against each other in a decisive match. UEFA ruled Forest into the Europa League and kept Palace out, citing the conflict of interest created by former Palace co-owner John Textor’s controlling stake in Lyon.

The decision infuriated Palace supporters. When the sides drew 1-1 at Selhurst Park on August 24, home fans held up a graphic banner aimed squarely at Marinakis. The FA charged Palace with misconduct over the incident. The bitterness lingered.

Glasner responded on the pitch. Demoted to the Conference League, he still drove Palace to European glory, lifting the trophy in May. That win booked the Eagles a Europa League spot for next season.

Forest, by contrast, will have no European football.

So when Forest announced Glasner’s arrival, one detail stood out. His previous clubs Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt were named. His achievements at Selhurst Park were highlighted. But the words “Crystal Palace” never appeared.

It was a small omission, but not a subtle one. Given the recent history, it read like a deliberate sidestep – or a pointed snub.

A coach made for the spotlight

Strip away the politics and the story is still striking. Forest have lured a coach who has lifted major European trophies with two different clubs in the past four years, and who has shown he can navigate complex dressing rooms and high-pressure knockout campaigns.

He now inherits a squad that has already proved it can scrap for survival and punch above its weight in Europe. The challenge is to turn those flashes into a sustained identity: aggressive, structured, and brave enough to live with the Premier League’s elite.

Glasner has done that in Frankfurt. He has done it in south London. Now he walks into a club that still carries the weight of two European Cups and a fanbase that expects its team to live up to that badge.

Forest have rolled the dice on a winner. The question now is whether Glasner can turn a club that has rediscovered its voice into one that regularly dines at the top table again.