How an ‘ominously empty’ seat foreshadowed Ange Postecoglou's Nottingham Forest sacking after Chelsea defeat leads to mass City Ground exodus
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Updated 18/10/2025 at 16:47 GMT+1
Ange Postecoglou's Nottingham Forest reign came to an end after just eight games when Chelsea cruised to a 3-0 victory at the City Ground on Saturday. The "ominously empty" seat of Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis spelled trouble for Postecoglou, who was dismissed within minutes of the full-time whistle being blown after a loss that led to a mass fan exodus.
'That won't help Postecoglou' - Marinakis' seat left 'ominously empty'
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Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou went into Saturday’s lunchtime Premier League clash with Chelsea under huge pressure to claim the first win of a tortured spell.
The former Tottenham Hotspur boss found himself facing the wrath of sections of the City Ground after failing to win any of his first seven games in charge.
Despite being in the job for little over a month, Postecoglou was the subject of rumours that he could be sacked by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis if he failed to beat The Blues - speculation that proved true when he was sacked within minutes of the full-time whistle following a 3-0 defeat.
Forest started strongly, but failed to take their chances before the break in a game shown live on TNT Sports on discovery+.
However, things unravelled quickly when Josh Acheampong and Pedro Neto struck in the space of three minutes early in the second half to leave Forest staring down the barrel at yet another defeat.
Soon after, in an ominous moment for Postecoglou, the cameras panned to Marinakis’ empty seat.
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"The owner's seat is empty, ominously empty," said TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher.
Co-commentator Lucy Ward replied: "There were whispers about him talking to other managers over the international window. That doesn't help Postecoglou.
"But it's his opinion that counts, and how he reacts to this is what counts, Marinakis."
Marinakis had already dismissed one manager this season, firing the popular Nuno Espirito Santo three games into the season in September despite the Portuguese being a popular figure who led the club back into European football last season.
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Postecoglou succeeded him in his first job since leading Spurs to the UEFA Europa League crown last season, a success that wasn’t enough to save him from the sack following a 17th-place Premier League finish.
The Australian’s efforts to transition the team from a counter-attacking style to his more possession-based and attack-minded approach proved difficult.
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Teenager Acheampong bullets Chelsea in front at Forest
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Forest went into the Chelsea game with two draws and five defeats under Postecoglou in all competitions, including three in a row against Sunderland, FC Midtjylland and Newcastle United heading into the early kick-off at the City Ground.
Addressing the speculation over his future ahead of the game, Postecoglou launched a passionate defence.
"What I consistently say, and I was mocked and ridiculed for it last year, is: if you let the story play out, I’ll tell you how it finishes," Postecoglou said. "But I don’t hold that decision in my hands.
"I said last year, in my second year, I always win things, right? And what’s the key to that? That I’m there in my second year, because it takes a bit of time.
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'Double trouble for Forest' - Neto free-kick puts Chelsea 2-0 up
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"But the story always ends the same: you leave me here, let me do my job, it’ll end the same… with a trophy.
"If I don’t, and I’m removed, well, what can I do about it? I can’t win in this situation in terms of trying to convince people. You either see what you see or you don’t; either way, it doesn’t affect me."
Forest failed to claim their elusive first win under Postecoglou against Chelsea, with Reece James adding a third goal late on to spark a mass exodus from the home fans.
The travelling Blues supporters taunted Postecoglou with "sacked in the morning" chants as they cruised towards a fifth defeat in eight league games for Forest that leaves them deep in the relegation battle.
As it transpired, Marinakis did not even wait until the morning to make his decision as Postecoglou was dismissed.
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