Nottingham Forest caused a stir on September 9 when they announced the departure of head coach Nuno Espirito Santo just after midnight local time.
The Premier League club said the decision had been taken "following recent circumstances" as they thanked the Portuguese for his efforts over the past two seasons.
Nuno kept Forest in the league after being parachuted in partway through 2023/24, then took them to a first European qualification in 30 years. He also masterminded memorable wins over Manchester United at Old Trafford and Liverpool at Anfield while earning almost unanimous backing from the supporters.
So, how did we end up here? The Sporting News explains.
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Why did Nottingham Forest sack Nuno?
Although Forest did not offer a specific reason for sacking Nuno beyond referring to "recent circumstances", a report in The Athletic indicated that a major falling-out between the head coach and Edu, the newly appointed Global Head of Football for owner Evangelos Marinakis' group of clubs, was at the heart of the decision.
Daniel Taylor wrote that Nuno's working relationship with Edu "started badly" and then deteriorated to such an extent that the former Arsenal sporting director stayed away from the training ground due to the "deeply personal" animosity between the two men.
Nuno's public comments about Forest's preseason difficulties, transfer inactivity and being "worried" about the 2025/26 campaign also unsettled things at the club. Marinakis was widely reported to have been taken aback when Nuno told a press conference ahead of the game with Crystal Palace in August that the relationship between manager and owner had "changed", adding: "It's not so close. It's not on a daily basis. It's not good, everyone at the club should be together but it's not the reality."
These remarks came after speculation that Marinakis was preparing to dismiss Nuno that week — reports that the club seemed eager to quash until Nuno fanned the flames ("Where there's smoke, there's fire," he said of the rumours). The Greek billionaire did not respond to the claims directly, but there was no clear indication that a change of manager would be made that weekend. Indeed, it seemed things had calmed down somewhat just prior to the international break.
Speaking to BBC radio programme 5 Live Breakfast, Robert Earnshaw, the former Forest striker, said: "I'm very shocked to be honest with you. I'm really, really shocked.
"I know a few weeks ago Nuno came out and said he wasn't really in direct communication like he was last season with the owner Mr Marinakis. And everybody thought that was a fallout completely. I took it as he was just being honest: 'I'm the manager, I want to have more communication like it was last season'. But at the same time, Edu, the global director of Mr Marinakis' football clubs, there was a falling out with him rather than the owner.
"So, I'm a little bit shocked because these things and the job Nuno has done, I thought they would figure it out and mend the relationship with Edu."
Forest were careful to pay tribute to Nuno's work at the club given the support he has among the fanbase. "The club thanks Nuno for his contribution during a very successful era at the City Ground, in particular his role in the 2024/25 season, which will forever be remembered fondly in the history of the club," they said. "As someone who played a pivotal role in our success last season, he will always hold a special place in our journey."
Nuno record at Nottingham Forest
Nuno was appointed Forest head coach in December 2023, replacing Steve Cooper. He started life at the club with wins over Newcastle United and Manchester United before guiding them to Premier League survival on the last day of the season.
In 2024/25, Nuno transformed the team, leading them to a seventh-place finish in the standings and a place in the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League. He was rewarded with a new contract in June 2025, just a couple of weeks before Edu was appointed to run footballing operations for Marinakis' network of clubs.
In total, Nuno was in charge for 73 Forest games, winning 28 and losing 25. He won three Premier League Manager of the Month awards during his time at the City Ground.