Nottingham Forest have appointed former Burnley and Everton boss Sean Dyche as their new manager on a deal running until the summer of 2027. The 54-year-old becomes Forest’s third manager of the season after the short-lived tenures of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.
Dyche replaces Postecoglou, who lasted only 39 days in charge and was dismissed just 17 minutes after Forest’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday. The Australian failed to win any of his eight matches, drawing two and losing six, having replaced Nuno, who was sacked just three games into the campaign.
Forest currently sit 18th in the Premier League table, with only one win from their opening eight fixtures. Dyche’s first match in charge will be Thursday’s Europa League home tie against Porto, followed by a Premier League clash away to Bournemouth on Sunday.
The managerial search was led by Forest’s global head of football Edu Gaspar and global technical director George Syrianos. Former Italy and Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini held talks about the role, while Fulham’s Marco Silva was also a candidate admired by the club.
In a club statement, Forest described Dyche as “a respected and experienced Premier League manager” who brings “the perfect blend of character, tactical acumen and proven achievement to guide the club through its next chapter”. The club also noted Dyche’s local ties and previous spell as a youth player at Forest during the Brian Clough era, adding that he understands the values and pride of both the club and its supporters.
Dyche’s coaching staff will include Ian Woan and Steven Stone, both former Forest players.
Chris Sutton described the situation at Forest as “a mess” ahead of Dyche’s appointment, adding that the move reflects a shift in focus towards Premier League survival. Sutton said, “Dyche has always managed clubs where it has been a struggle. He bucked the trend at Burnley and got the best out of the players he had. At Everton he stabilised the club despite points deductions. Forest want to stay in the league, so it seems a sensible appointment.”
Postecoglou’s 39-day spell is the shortest permanent managerial reign in Premier League history. His dismissal comes after a difficult start, with the Australian unable to implement his high-possession, attacking style on a squad previously moulded by Nuno’s more pragmatic approach.
Unlike Postecoglou, Dyche’s style is tactically aligned with the counter-attacking and defensively organised football that brought Forest European qualification under Nuno. With no pre-season to work with and a heavy fixture list, Postecoglou struggled to make an impact. Dyche’s arrival is expected to provide stability and better suit the players already in place.
Dyche has been out of work since leaving Everton in January, where he managed 75 Premier League matches, winning 21, drawing 23 and losing 31. He led the club to 17th and 15th-place finishes during a challenging period off the pitch.
Before Everton, Dyche spent nearly ten years at Burnley from 2012 to 2022, winning two promotions to the Premier League and qualifying for Europe for the first time since 1967. He also managed Watford during the 2011–2012 season before losing his job following a change of ownership.
Dyche, who was born in Kettering, played over 500 games as a defender for clubs including Chesterfield, Bristol City, Millwall, Watford and Northampton, but never featured in the top flight as a player.
