Nottingham Forest have sacked head coach Sean Dyche after just 114 days in charge, the club confirmed early Thursday morning. The dismissal, coming after a 0-0 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, marks the third managerial change for Forest this season.
News of Dyche’s exit broke around 12:30 a.m. GMT, according to Sky Sports, following a match in which Forest registered 35 shots without finding the back of the net. The club released a brief statement thanking Dyche and his staff for their efforts and wishing them well for the future.
Dyche’s appointment in October was intended to stabilize the team following the unsuccessful eight-game tenure of Ange Postecoglou. While Dyche initially appeared to have a positive impact, winning seven of his first twelve games, results deteriorated recently. Forest currently sit 17th in the Premier League, just three points above the relegation zone, with twelve games remaining.
The sacking comes despite Dyche’s assessment after the Wolves game that the decision on his future rested with owner Evangelos Marinakis. “People can demand change, and then it’s always up to owners whether they change or not,” he said, as reported by The Latest York Times. “I just perform very hard… If the owner wants to make a change, then that’s up to him, and that’s the way football is now.”
Marinakis has demonstrated a willingness to make swift changes in the managerial position. Nuno Espirito Santo was dismissed prior to Postecoglou, and now Dyche has followed the same path. According to the Daily Mail, Dyche’s departure makes him the third manager dismissed by Marinakis this season.
Despite the dismissal, some observers believe Forest were too hasty. Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer expressed his surprise on BBC’s Match of the Day, stating he would have given Dyche more time, citing his Premier League experience. Ex-Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy echoed this sentiment, arguing Dyche was well-suited to a relegation battle. “I think for this battle at the bottom you wouldn’t want a better manager than him,” Murphy said.
Former Everton defender Phil Jagielka, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, noted the parallels between Dyche’s situation at Forest and his previous role at Everton, suggesting a similar task of avoiding relegation. Jagielka also highlighted Marinakis’s reputation for decisive action and impatience with underperformance.
Looking ahead, Nottingham Forest are scheduled to face Fenerbahce in a Europa League play-off match on February 19th, followed by a Premier League fixture against Liverpool on February 22nd. The club has not announced any immediate plans regarding a replacement for Dyche.
