Clinton Morrison: Nottingham Forest fans will enjoy the ride under Ange
After the first international break of the new season and the first Premier League casualty, we caught up with Clinton Morrison.
There was no surprise among sports betting sites as Nuno Espirito Santo was the first Premier League manager sacked, being replaced by Ange Postecoglou very quickly.
Clinton had a chat with Free Bets about Ange's return plus a couple of big matches in the EFL this weekend.
Nottingham Forest
The first international break saw the first managerial casualty of the season in the Premier League, with Nuno leaving Nottingham Forest.
What are your thoughts on that?
It wasn’t too much of a surprise in the end, after hearing some of the comments that came from Nuno.
It looked like it got to the stage where he fell out with the owner and Edu, and wanted to have more of a say in the signings that came in through the summer and just saw his influence diminish a little bit.
When you see Nuno make those kind of comments, you know straight away that his job is on the line, and I think he was angling for this to happen to be honest.
It is a bit surprising that he said those things. He was at a good football club and with an ambitious owner who wants to win things - if my owner wanted to win things like the owner at Nottingham Forest, then I’d be happy about it.
He will have to wait now for another job, but he will get one. He might have to bide his time until one becomes available, but his stock is high even if their recent form - including the end of last season - wasn’t quite as good as before.
He did really well last season to get into Europe. Their form at the end of the season was nowhere near good enough, but that doesn’t take away from the fantastic job he did there.
From a player’s perspective, what is it like to go away on international duty and then see that your manager has been sacked while you’re away? Along with all the press conference negativity, does it affect you?
It wouldn’t have affected them too much this week, because they’ll have all had a sniff of something happening.
When you’re at the training ground and you hear the manager saying things and then you get beaten heavily by West Ham before the international break - who were under a lot of pressure themselves - then it doesn’t look good.
As a player you get used to that happening in football. You have to get used to losing managers, and they will be disappointed because he has turned them into top class players and got them into Europe.
It is part and parcel of football, but you have to move on and back yourself as a player and try to impress the new manager.
Ange Postecoglou is the man chosen to replace him, he is quite different to Nuno, isn’t he?
He is very different. Forest have been used to not having the ball much, but he will want to change that - it will be expansive and open. It will be very different.
The two centre-backs - Milinkovic and Murillo - they will have a lot more defending to do, especially if he wants the full-backs to push on as much as they did at Tottenham.
So it depends on whether Ange will change or not, and I don't think he will because that is his style of play, and he prides himself on winning trophies everywhere he goes.
That’s what the chairman expects - to win trophies, and that is why he brought him in, because he wants to win and to challenge. Ange will be under no illusions, so it will be fun times for Nottingham Forest.
They might have to suffer a bit and lose a few matches, but they will win some and it will be exciting for the fans.
I don’t think he will go in all guns blazing and try to change things just like that, because it won’t work, but he will implement his style of play with the coaches he brought in from Tottenham. It will be open and expansive and Forest fans will enjoy the style, but last season they built their success on the defence and playing counter-attack football. I don’t think Ange will do that.
Arsenal v Nottingham Forest
It’s a tough start with Arsenal first up at Saturday lunchtime - how do you see that game going?
It is a tough game, but I don’t think Ange will set up to defend. Under Nuno you would probably give them half a chance but it will be expansive under Ange and they will look to play free-flowing football.
I think Arsenal will win it but there will be loads of goals and Forest have the attacking players to cause problems with Angeball.
Ipswich v Sheffield United
The big Championship game of the round is Ipswich v Sheffield United on Friday - is that win or bust for Ruben Selles?
I think it is.
I don’t know what the hierarchy are thinking there, but he has had no points so far this season and he’s brought a few players in.
It’s a big game for Ipswich too because they haven’t started great either and now McKenna has added a few players that he wanted, so I think they will start to climb the table.
It is huge for Selles though, a huge football match. I don’t think he will get the sack if he loses, i think he will get a couple more but if he keeps losing then it will be time to be shown the door.
It was a bit of a surprising appointment in the first place, and a bit far fetched to go from Chris Wilder to Selles and it hasn’t worked out yet. But this is the perfect game to kick-start the season against everyone’s pre-season favourites.
Ipswich need that result as well. They’ve spent a lot of money, and need to see some returns…
They need to improve, 100%.
With the players they’ve lost in Delap and Morsy, it is difficult because of the influence they had. Morsy was the captain and heartbeat of the team, and then Hutchinson goes last minute so you need to replace them, and they have finally done it.
They have spent wisely, but spent a lot of money and the players have to step up to the table.
The manager is outstanding though, and he has been there, seen it done it all before so they’ll be okay and will start climbing the table now.
Who are the players to watch?
Sheffield United need goals, so I would say Tyrese Campbell because he had a good season last season but they managed to keep Gus Harmer at the end of the transfer window, and he is one of the best midfielders in the Championship.
I thought someone from the Premier League or Europe would come in for him.
For Ipswich, I think Philogene is someone who has a lot of ability but struggled at first. He is an outstanding player on is day, but for whatever reason it didn’t work out in the Premier League. Now he’s in the Championship though, if they can get him fit and firing I think he could be a real weapon.
Sheffield struggles
You’re an ex-Wednesday man so maybe United aren’t that close to your heart, but it’s not great to see the two Sheffield clubs at the bottom of the table is it?
It’s not great for the city, for sure. With the predicament Sheffield Wednesday were in at the start of the season, everyone expected them to be where they are but no one expected Sheffield United to be below them at this stage of the season.
Do I think Sheffield United will be there at the end of the season? No, because they have quality players in their squad.
I’m hoping Sheffield Wednesday can get out of trouble but they need more players, hopefully they can bring in some free transfers because they need more bodies.
EFL game of the weekend
Aside from Friday night, what sticks out as the EFL game of the weekend?
Southampton v Portsmouth is the big game.
Will Still has made an alright start but you expect Southampton to be up there in the top two, and Portsmouth have started well under John Mousinho so will go into the game full of confidence.
These derby games are always the ones you get most excited about and fans want the bragging rights.
I’m really looking forward to it, it could be a hell of a game.
EFL Pre-Season Predictions
Gab Sutton is the in-house EFL tipster for Free Bets, and before the season started he had a look at how he thinks the EFL will pan out this year.
