SHOULD NUNO WIN MANAGER OF THE SEASON IF NOTTINGHAM FOREST QUALIFY FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
When Nuno Espirito Santo took charge of Nottingham Forest in December 2023, the club sat 17th in the Premier League, desperately fighting to avoid relegation. Now, in his first full season, the Tricky Trees are in fourth place, just weeks away from the scarcely believable achievement of securing Champions League football.
The incredible transformation Nottingham Forest have undergone this season is testament to Nuno’s managerial knowhow, tactical acumen, and fantastic man-management. LWOS have analysed whether the Portuguese manager deserves to win the Premier League Manager of the Season, should his team go on to finish in a Champions League place.
Should Nuno Espirito Santo Win Manager of the Season if Nottingham Forest Secure Champions League Football?
Nottingham Forest’s Dramatic Change in Fortunes
It took until the final day of last season for Nottingham Forest to guarantee Premier League survival, as they finished with a rather meagre total of just 32 points and only nine league wins all season. Just under a year later, the club are fourth having picked up 18 league wins and accrued 60 points in their 33 matches so far, leaving them firmly on track for a return to European football after 30 years in the wilderness.
Nuno’s side have punched above their weight all season, recording memorable wins against Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United, despite having the lowest average possession of any team in the Premier League. Nottingham Forest have the 16th-highest wage bill in the league and the smallest squad, with just 23 players making an appearance for the Reds this season. A Champions League finish would be a remarkable achievement, making them possibly the Premier League’s best underdogs since Leicester City’s 2015/16 triumph.
What Makes Nuno So Good?
When Nuno was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur after a disastrous four months in charge in north London, the Portuguese manager suffered a huge hit to the impressive reputation he had built at previous clubs. Now, as former employers Tottenham languish in 16th place, the 51-year-old has re-established his credentials at the City Ground, showing that his finest asset may be his ability to turn underdogs into winners.
At Wolves, Nuno took the club from the Championship to the Europa League, turning them into an established Premier League side who have still not been relegated since he achieved promotion back in 2018. The Portuguese coach is renowned for his demanding but overwhelmingly positive approach, creating teams that not only work extremely hard but work for each other, and that is exemplified by the amazing team spirit his Forest side possesses.
The 51-year-old is unafraid to be flexible with tactics, utilising a 4-2-3-1 system at Forest despite almost exclusively setting up in a back five throughout his time at Wolves. He is happy to adapt to best suit the players at his disposal, and many of his Forest squad are currently playing the best football of their careers, having improved dramatically under his management.
One of the key characteristics of Nuno’s teams is impressive defensive organisation, and Forest’s success this season has been underpinned by their outstanding ability to shut out other teams. The Tricky Trees have kept 13 clean sheets, second only to soon-to-be champions Liverpool.
Who Else Could Win Manager of the Season?
Arne Slot is undoubtedly the favourite, as his Liverpool side have blown away the competition to march towards the Premier League title, a hugely impressive achievement in just his first season at Anfield. With 24 wins and just two losses in 33 matches, it has been one of the most convincing title wins in a long time, and the competition has been remarkably poor.
Although Slot has had an outstanding impact at Liverpool, it is important not to underestimate just how miraculous securing Champions League football would be at Nottingham Forest, considering where they were just a year ago. Nuno would therefore be a worthy winner of the award.
If the 51-year-old were to win the award, he would become just the fifth manager to be named Premier League Manager of the Season despite not winning the title and only the second Portuguese recipient after Jose Mourinho.
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2025-04-24T19:44:13Z