Nottingham Forest have appointed former Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner as their fifth head coach in less than a year, replacing Vitor Pereira who was sacked on Tuesday – two minutes before an exit clause in his contract was due to expire.
The 51-year-old Austrian, who left Palace at the end of last season, signed on after contact was initiated earlier this summer. “Oliver is a winner,” said Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis. “It was clear that we share the same vision, the same ambition and the same relentless desire to succeed.”
“Nottingham Forest appoint Oliver Glasner as fifth head coach in a year, replacing sacked Vitor Pereira.”
Glasner becomes the latest in a revolving door of managers at the City Ground. Nuno Espirito Santo began last season in charge, while Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche and Pereira have all had spells since September. Pereira guided Forest to 16th in the Premier League, five points above the relegation zone, and the Europa League semi-finals where they lost to eventual winners Aston Villa. Contract talks with Pereira were paused last month, though he attended a recent meeting to finalise transfer plans.
Glasner arrives with a glittering recent record. He led Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League in 2021-22 and, after joining Palace in 2024, won the FA Cup in his first season and the Europa Conference League last year. The club also won the Community Shield in August, beating Liverpool on penalties. He is one of only three coaches to have won both the Europa League and Conference League. In January, he said he wanted a new challenge despite being offered a new contract.
“From my very first conversations with the owner and the leadership team, it was evident to me that they have a clear vision for this football club and complete trust and belief in me and my staff to build a strong future together over the long term,” Glasner said. “That trust and shared commitment, together with the potential that I see within the squad, were key factors for me.”
Marinakis added: “He has consistently demonstrated throughout his career that he can build outstanding teams and deliver success against the strongest competition. He has earned success through his leadership, his personality and the style of football his teams play. It has always been our goal to establish Nottingham Forest once again among the leading clubs in England and Europe. Our ambition is not simply to compete – our ambition is to win, to challenge for major honours.”
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have appointed Frenchman Pierre Sage as their new manager to replace Glasner, though details of his backroom staff are yet to be confirmed. Whether Glasner can stop the managerial merry-go-round at Forest and deliver the sustained success Marinakis craves remains to be seen – but the owner’s relentless desire to win has found a coach who matches it.