Nuno Espírito Santo: The Wizard of Nottingham | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest’s upcoming clash with Bournemouth on January 25th marks two curious milestones for Nuno Espírito Santo.

You can’t make this stuff up.

Let’s look back on Nuno’s managerial journey.

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 06: Nuno Espirito Santo, Manager of Nottingham Forest, acknowledges the fans after the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Molineux on January 06, 2025 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Wolverhampton Legacy

Before his time at Forest, Nuno’s managerial reputation was built on his success with Wolves. Taking over in 2017, he transformed them into a formidable Premier League side. Under his guidance, Wolves secured promotion from the Championship with a dominant style of play and then cemented themselves as a top-flight force, finishing 7th in consecutive seasons. His Wolves team played an exciting brand of football, blending solid defensive organization with lethal counter-attacks, and even reached the Europa League quarterfinals.

Nuno’s ability to develop talent was also evident at Wolves, with players like Raúl Jiménez, Diogo Jota, and Rúben Neves flourishing under his leadership. His time at Molineux was by any measure a successful managerial stint, and many still hold him in high regard for the way he elevated the club.

Hotspurs Shame

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If Wolves represented Nuno at his highest, Tottenham was Nuno at his lowest. His tenure at Spurs lasted just four months and was a disaster from the start. Appointed as a last-resort option after multiple managerial candidates rejected the role, he struggled to impose his tactical identity. His rigid and defensive approach didn’t align with Spurs’ attacking traditions, and his inability to get the best out of players like Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son sealed his fate quickly. After a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Manchester United, he was sacked in late 2021, leaving with his reputation tarnished. I myself am a Spurs fan, but the way we treated him was disrespectful.

A Saudi Reboot

Nuno took over the Saudi Pro League al-Ittihad and in 56 matches only lost 8. He led the team to a 2022 Saudi Super Cup, and also their first league title in 14 years. Although he only stayed 16 months, his impact on the club is undeniable.

Nottingham Forest

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Steve Cooper, so instrumental to Forest’s promotion and survival in 2022-23, was sacked on December 19, 2023 and Nuno announced as his successor. Under Cooper, Forest had stagnated and were struggling for consistency. Nuno’s appointment was met with skepticism, given how his time at Tottenham unfolded. The club were in 17th place, with 14 points, and relegation looked likely. The club was delivered another blow with a four point deduction for violating profitability and sustainability rules. Then there was the bizarre relationship with Mark Clattenburg, who as the club’s referee analyst only succeeded in causing social media outrage.

You could not have created a worse environment, yet Nuno defied it and kept the club in the Premier League despite the hurdles.

Nottingham Forest now play with a renewed defensive solidity, a hallmark of Nuno’s best teams. His pragmatic approach has tightened the backline, while his counter-attacking philosophy has made the team more dangerous on the break. Players like Morgan Gibbs-White, who flourished under him at Wolves, are thriving again, and the team looks far more structured in both attack and defense.

But most surprising is the resilience and determination of the team under his leadership. They are on a nine game unbeaten streak and sit 3rd in the table, even on points with Arsenal. In their fixtures against league leaders Liverpool they won and drew. They are the one team nobody wants to play.

Many happy returns to Nuno Espírito Santo, and we’ll wait to see if Nottingham Forest can continue their remarkable run of form as a gift to their leader.