Nuno Espírito Santo is clearly loving life at Nottingham Forest. AFP Photo

Paul Kennedy

It seems to be third time lucky for Nuno Espírito Santo in the Premier League, much to the joy of Nottingham Forest supporters, not so much to those who follow Wolverhampton Wanderers or Tottenham Hotspur.

Nuno has been a revelation at Forest who currently sit third in the Premier League, four points ahead of Chelsea and with a place in next season’s Champions League as good as guaranteed.

But it’s taken the manager three goes to get it right in English football.

Granted, at Wolves, he did a pretty decent job during his tenure, without exactly setting the world alight, although he did surpass Mick McCarthy as the longest-serving Wolves head coach in the Premier League era.

The same can’t be said for his time at Tottenham.

On November 1, 2021, after Spurs lost 3–0 at home to Manchester United, their fifth loss in seven matches and which left them ninth in the table, Espírito Santo was dismissed after less than four months in charge.

He didn’t last that much longer when he managed in the Saudi Pro League, but I’ve no doubt got a bucket load of money for managing Al-Ittihad.

And then in December 2023, he was brought into Nottingham Forest, some might say his ‘last chance saloon’ in the Premier League.

Since then, well, ‘wow’. Forest fans must feel like cats with a big bowl of cream purring away on cloud nine.

Many thought this would be a tough season for the team from the East Midlands, and they were tipped as one of the favourites for the drop.

Instead they are virtually guaranteed a Champions League spot next season and for those old enough to remember, myself included, this is where Forest once were.

They’ve won the European Cup, the Champions League in years gone by, twice, and with the team also in the semis of the FA Cup, there’s a strong argument to be made for Nuno to win manager of the year.

It’s certainly between him and Liverpool’s Arne Slot, only of course if Liverpool win the league this season.

Forest are a well-run club. Colourful Greek business tycoon Evangelos Marinakis, who took over at Forest in 2017, has got the team, and fans, bouncing.

With Champions League qualification comes Champions League cash and with the right investments in the summer, this could really be the start of something big for the team from Nottingham. VNS