Nottingham Forest Appoint Geoff Scott as Director of Performance Amid Injury Crisis

Nottingham Forest have appointed Geoff Scott, the former head of medicine and sports science at Tottenham Hotspur, as their new director of performance. The move comes as Forest battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League and grapple with a significant injury toll this season.

Scott’s arrival signals a major overhaul of Forest’s medical department, with current head of medical, Dr. Prithish Narayan, set to depart and return to work within the National Health Service. Forest have seen 19 players sidelined with injuries at some point during the 2025-26 campaign, placing them among the clubs with the highest injury rates in the league. Only Tottenham, Chelsea, and Arsenal have reported more injuries, though those clubs generally operate with larger squads.

The appointment is particularly noteworthy given Scott’s previous relationship with Ange Postecoglou, who managed Forest for eight matches earlier this season. Scott spent two decades at Tottenham before departing two years ago following what reports described as a disagreement with Postecoglou regarding player workload and recovery management. Tottenham declined to comment on the nature of the dispute at the time.

Scott’s exit from Tottenham coincided with a restructuring of Postecoglou’s backroom staff, leading to the recruitment of Adam Brett from Brighton as Spurs’ director of performance services. During Postecoglou’s tenure at Tottenham, and continuing under Thomas Frank, the club experienced a high volume of injuries, totaling 41 last season and resulting in 1,553 days lost to injury – the second-highest figure in the Premier League after Brighton.

Vítor Pereira was appointed Forest’s fourth manager of the season this month, inheriting a team currently two points above the relegation zone ahead of their match against Brighton on Sunday. The club’s injury problems have undoubtedly hampered Pereira’s efforts to stabilize the team.

Reports from March 2025 indicated concerns about a decline in Tottenham’s medical record following Scott’s departure, with some players seeking external medical advice. The demands of Postecoglou’s high-intensity playing style were also raised as a potential contributing factor to the injury crisis at Spurs.