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NO WAY! ABSOLUTELY YES!

Without a doubt the most disliked Aussie to arrive in this part of England since a villainous hotelier from a long-running series starred in a theatrical show in the early 2000s, Forest’s new boss’s tenure at the club’s home could begun in the worst possible way. Even though the boos and catcalls that actor the soap veteran was subjected to during a festive pantomime were generally lighthearted, the hostility of the invective directed at Postecoglou during the team’s Europa League loss by Midtjylland on Thursday was so intense that it is tough to see the manager who has been in charge for just six matches will remain in post to listen to the festive cat-calls this holiday season. Repeatedly the experienced coach’s shouts of “There’s someone there!” went disregarded by his hapless players, especially when the Danish side scored their opening pair from badly organized set-pieces. Far from the joyous atmosphere they’d anticipated, Nottingham Forest’s first continental match at home in nearly three decades ended in rancour with home fans telling the boss he’d be “sacked in the morning”, before serenading his popular, newly sacked former boss, the ex-Wolves coach.

“I understand the atmosphere won’t be positive, I grasp the public’s opinion, chiefly directed at me, but that doesn’t concern me, this is nothing new to me,” the coach retorted in reply, while directing the floor around his feet to the usual fierce look. “Football holds no surprises for me, that’s the current environment. It seems that’s the way things are going. I have no power over it. Supporters are upset, they are allowed to have an opinion on it. I took in their thoughts.” And while those Forest fans are free to express anger, it could be argued that they might be more sensible picking a better aim for their frustration. After all, it was the club owner who dismissed a beloved manager to appoint the new boss, who was always going to start under pressure. Watching from the directors’ box as he went through a series of sullen, fierce looks last witnessed during that time he learned Tottenham had activated Morgan Gibbs-White’s transfer clause, the Greek tycoon has so far escaped any kind of harsh judgement from supporters, a good number of whom remain certain the sun shines out of his generously upholstered nether regions.

When Friday lunchtime arrived, rumours of the manager being fired overnight proved to be overstated and sources indicate his job remains protected until such time as … in reality, it changes. Although the club boss can make a reasonable case that he has had minimal opportunity on the training pitch to implement the approach and gameplan subtleties that led to the London club dropping a majority of their Premier League fixtures last season, his side’s schedule remains forbidding and relentless. With the North-East side, Chelsea, Porto and the Cherries next up it is hard to predict from where a first Postecoglou win will come before what could possibly become the biggest dismissal-decider against the Old Trafford side.

COVERAGE ON MAJOR SITE

Tune in with the sports writer at 7.30pm BST for women’s football coverage on the stalemate between United and Chelsea.

BEST REMARK

“I steer clear of heated debates, who singles out individuals, truthfully, I’ll keep it anonymous. Yet I believe there was some disrespect, along with some incivility, with no one giving you a ‘good morning’, a ‘good afternoon’” – Antony slams the Red Devils over the unfriendly setting at their stadium, where warmth has apparently declined like the team’s form.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

Is there truth the coach has promised supporters he never loses a game in his following term?” – a reader.

Far be it for me to seek to emphasize the stereotype that Gunners fans are the game’s biggest moaners, but a correspondent (yesterday’s Football Daily letters) does make you ponder. Highlighting that rather than a pair of fixtures per week, the Gunners are having to play over two matches weekly (oh, a half-hour more!) over a particular 21-day span (for a squad with two good options for every position to as well) is not the argument-settler he might believe. Rather it’s just going to have the tiniest violin ensemble preparing to play once more, while the rest of football sigh in unison” – a different supporter.

I’m puzzled whether your latest letter-writers (on two or three games a week) are deliberately, mockingly repeating one of the memorable moments of web discussion (safe for work), or accidentally confirming the famous quote about historical events repeating themselves as farce” – Nick Wiltsher.

For what it’s worth, Bob Cushion (the prior comments), I’m the same [wanting rich Premier League sides to lose in Europe]. From the time Forest stopped competing in Europe, continental matches for me has led to a state of seething impotent rage, broken up only sometimes by the Eastern European team and, maybe, the La Liga outfit. I don’t give a hoot for Liverpool’s exploits from the 80s right up to the 2005 final. I feel nothing for {‘that