How Ange Postecoglou’s Special Dinner with Evangelos Marinakis Helped Ex-Tottenham Boss Clinch Nottingham Forest Job

The Special Dinner That Sparked a Nottingham Forest Revolution

Sometimes in football, the most decisive moves don’t happen in boardrooms or on the training pitch. They happen over dinner. That seems to be the case with Ange Postecoglou, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager, whose unexpected meeting with Evangelos Marinakis in Greece months ago quietly set the stage for his dramatic arrival at Nottingham Forest.

While Forest only officially dismissed Nuno Espirito Santo this week, insiders claim that the club’s ambitious owner had been preparing for change long before. And in truth, the seeds of Postecoglou’s Premier League comeback were planted at that very table in July.

What Happened? The Dinner That Changed the Course

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According to the Daily Mail, Postecoglou and Marinakis sat down in Athens during a summer ceremony where the Australian coach was honoured for his Europa League triumph with Tottenham. For Marinakis, a proud Greek businessman with a passion for football, the night was more than a celebration of Postecoglou’s success—it was an audition, a chance to feel out whether this man could be the one to guide Forest’s next chapter.

The two men bonded quickly. Both shared stories about their Greek heritage, both spoke of resilience and ambition, and both seemed to recognise a kindred spirit. Marinakis reportedly left the dinner convinced that if his relationship with Nuno soured further, Postecoglou would be the ideal candidate.

What Evangelos Marinakis Said about Ange Postecoglou

In his speech at the event, Marinakis made no secret of his admiration. He praised Postecoglou for not only winning silverware with a Tottenham side starved of trophies but also for proudly representing his Greek roots on the international stage.

“What I want to say about Ange is that he has spoken about Greece many times, he is proud to be Greek, and in the great success he had with Tottenham by winning the Europa League, he spoke about Greece,” Marinakis said.

He added:

“He is a man who not only does not hide his origin but is also proud of it. What he achieved, he did with a team that has not won any titles, it has had a very difficult time in recent years. In this huge success that the whole world saw, he promoted Greece. We must thank him especially for this, and we wish him well, although we are sure that he will do well as he has the ability. Wherever he goes, the successes will come.”

Those words weren’t just flattery. They were a statement of intent, and perhaps even a hint that Marinakis was already thinking about a partnership that extended beyond pleasantries.

The Bigger Picture: Why Nuno’s Exit Opened the Door

The timing of Postecoglou’s appointment may look sudden, but the writing was on the wall for Nuno Espirito Santo long before the axe officially fell.

Yes, Nuno delivered Forest’s first European qualification in 20 years, a huge achievement. But behind the scenes, his relationship with Marinakis was breaking apart. He openly criticised the club’s transfer strategy, lamented the lack of control he had over recruitment, and grew increasingly frustrated after the arrival of Edu, the former Arsenal midfielder, who was installed as Forest’s new global head of football.

By August, the tension was no longer whispers—it was visible. Marinakis publicly dismissed rumours of a rift, but his actions on Tuesday morning told the true story. In the ruthless world of modern football ownership, Nuno’s credit quickly ran dry, and the club moved swiftly to replace him.

Ange Postecoglou’s Redemption Arc

For Postecoglou, the Forest job is not just another step on his coaching journey—it’s redemption.

His time at Tottenham was a rollercoaster. On one hand, he masterminded their first European trophy in nearly two decades, lifting the Europa League after beating Manchester United in the final. On the other, his domestic campaign collapsed spectacularly, ending with Spurs finishing 17th in the Premier League.

That failure cost him his job and, to many outsiders, his reputation in English football. But Marinakis clearly saw past the relegation scrap, focusing instead on Postecoglou’s resilience, tactical daring, and silverware credentials.

Now, at Nottingham Forest, he gets a second chance—at a club where ambition is high but expectations remain grounded compared to Tottenham’s chaos.

What This Means for Nottingham Forest

Forest fans know this is a gamble, but it’s an exciting one. Postecoglou is known for his attacking philosophy, his insistence on bravery in possession, and his ability to squeeze the maximum from squads that aren’t necessarily star-studded.

For a club like Forest, who have clawed their way back to the Premier League and now tasted European football again, this could be exactly the jolt they need. Postecoglou won’t settle for simply surviving. His style demands more, and that’s what makes this appointment intriguing.

The First Challenge: Arsenal at the Emirates

Of course, football has a cruel sense of humour. Postecoglou’s first match as Forest boss comes against Arsenal at the Emirates, a baptism of fire in every sense.

It’s not just any opponent. Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, are hunting the Premier League crown, armed with depth, cohesion, and confidence. For Postecoglou, this clash is less about the result and more about making a statement: Forest will be bold, fearless, and unafraid to go toe-to-toe with the very best.

Why the Dinner Matters More Than You Think

Skeptics might roll their eyes at the idea of a dinner shaping the managerial future of a Premier League club. But in football, relationships matter. Heritage matters. Trust matters.

For Marinakis, appointing Postecoglou isn’t just about tactics—it’s about identity. A proud Greek owner finding common ground with a proud Greek-Australian coach, united by ambition and resilience, determined to take Nottingham Forest to levels not seen since the days of Brian Clough.

It’s a reminder that behind the spreadsheets, scouting reports, and analytics, football still thrives on human connection.

What Next for Ange Postecoglou and Nottingham Forest?

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The next steps are clear:

• Stabilise the squad and win back the dressing room after Nuno’s turbulent departure.

• Navigate a tricky Premier League schedule, starting with Arsenal away.

• Reignite Forest’s European campaign while ensuring league survival is never in doubt.

For Postecoglou, this is the chance to prove that his Spurs tenure was not a fluke, nor a failure defined by one bad league season. For Forest, it’s the opportunity to marry tradition with ambition under a manager who has a track record of building teams greater than the sum of their parts.

Conclusion: A Special Dinner, a New Beginning

Football careers can hinge on the smallest of moments. For Ange Postecoglou, it may well have been a dinner in Athens with Evangelos Marinakis—a meeting filled with pride, ambition, and mutual respect—that opened the door to his Premier League comeback.

Now, with Nottingham Forest’s trust placed firmly in his hands, Postecoglou begins a new chapter. The question is simple: will this story end with Forest merely surviving, or can they dream bigger under the man who once turned Tottenham’s drought into a Europa League triumph?

Whatever happens, one thing is certain: that dinner will be remembered as the start of something special.