“This badge is more significant than any manager,” Sean Dyche stated at his introduction as the club's head coach, sporting a training kit with his initials. He then, corrected himself. Actually, there was one manager who was likely as important as the badge – everyone recognizes who that was.”} Then came, an impression of Brian Clough, a crack at that distinctive drawl. Lad, well done,’” he said, reliving his time as a youth player at the club's stadium, the days he spent strolling down the Trent, with Clough’s labrador, whizzing past him and his manager’s voice invariably within earshot.
Dyche tells a anecdote of how, as a youngster, he and a couple of mates tended the manager's yard at his residence in the area. Our weekly wage was minimal and he gave you a ten pounds to tend his lawn. So we really thought: ‘This is pretty good.’ He’d prepare food for you and make sure you were cared for. It was quite enjoyable, not too much yard work.”
In his case, the appointment has been a long time in the making. He lives in the area and has a affection for the club. In lately, he and his long-term assistant Ian Woan, who was a member of the Forest side the last time they were in European competition, in 1995‑96, have sometimes popped into the West Bridgford cafe where Forest legends such as Frank Clark, another stalwart and Garry Birtles gather every Thursday to talk old and new tales. He will have to skip it this week to get ready for the visit of Porto, unbeaten this campaign, in the European tournament on this week.
I can't wait to seeing the club legends,” remarked the manager, who replaced the previous coach to become Forest’s third head coach of the term. “They will give me a bit of ear-holing if I fail to deliver, so I better secure some matches for them. Those fellows mean a lot to me. A great deal of Forest fans recognise the history of this institution. I’ve got my own and now I’ve got a opportunity to reshape my own story, I guess, as manager.”
The new boss took the team training for the first time on this week, a short while after his predecessor watched a three-nil home defeat by Chelsea that left the club in the Premier League relegation zone. the club captain, who joined as a child, admitted these are early days but he and his staff have eased some of the negativity.
Dyche’s staff features another club icon in a former player, as well as Billy Mercer and another staff member, both of whom played for the team. “I feel like a huge asset of this club is fostering the connection between the supporters, squad and coach and, let’s be honest, the last few weeks we lacked a good atmosphere around here,” Yates stated. “The new manager and his assistants have brought that sense of vitality and enthusiasm.”
Dyche made clear he doesn't “know the team like the inside out” considering his most recent encounter at the club has been as an opposition manager, but he thinks he has a wider grasp of the environment and expectations. The guidelines have been set. “I’ve let them wear light-colored footwear, for heaven's sake,” Dyche commented. I expect my former teammates caning me on messaging. But they’re not allowed to wear neck warmers or headgear … I had to do a deal somewhere.”
Forest have lost their past four fixtures and not won since the start of the season. Dyche said the proprietor, Evangelos Marinakis, understood the importance of stabilising things. Dyche encountered the Greek billionaire in the Europa League with his former club, when his team were beaten in a qualifier against Olympiakos in recent years. Following the initial match he expressed frustration at Olympiakos dignitaries, including the owner, confronting the officials at the break in the stadium. We laughed about it,” Dyche recalled.
One aspect of Dyche’s appeal is his image for building sides with solid foundations, pertinent for a team without a clean sheet in 20 matches. “I’ve been put in many boxes, I’m not concerned,” he stated. “I’ve never tried to hide behind what’s successful. It’s no point of pride to me. In the past people were saying: ‘Why do you rely on dead balls?’ Now they’re popular. Tight trousers, wide-leg pants, slim fits, bell-bottoms … my daughter criticizes me for whatever jeans I wear. It seems on social media even I got some stick for my shoes arriving at training [on Tuesday] … was surprised by that. Tom Ford [trainers] but, regardless, prefer not to mention it.”
Dyche is proud that his early career were at the club but believes that should not mean he or his staff are evaluated differently. No easy path with the supporters, but we are committed, that’s one thing I don’t think can ever be questioned,” he remarked. “All I dreamt of was wearing the jersey, but I didn't manage to achieve it. Steve Stone and Woany succeeded, Billy did as a temporary goalkeeper, Tony Loughlan featured and netted a strike. I was the only one who didn’t and they keep reminding me of that.
“For me to have that part of it is a significant matter for me personally. But it doesn't grant me a divine right, trust me. The fans want me to succeed. If I’m not winning, the crowd are going to criticize me because how fans behave and I’ve got no issue with that because it's the truth. I was at the club as a kid and didn't get to wear the shirt, the emblem. Well, currently, I’m sitting with it wearing it.”
