Clear Favourite Has Emerged to Be Next Nottingham Forest Manager After Arsenal Defeat With Oliver Glasner on Brink
A clear favourite has emerged in the race to become the next Nottingham Forest manager as pressure intensifies on Oliver Glasner following the latest home defeat to Arsenal. Thomas Frank is now widely regarded as the leading candidate should the Austrian’s position become untenable in the coming weeks.
Forest’s difficult start to the season has left them hovering near the bottom of the Premier League table with just one win from their opening seven matches. The 1-0 loss to Arsenal at the City Ground on Sunday extended a worrying home goal drought and marked a third consecutive league defeat. While Glasner’s side have shown flashes of organisation and competitiveness, the lack of cutting edge in front of goal and the failure to convert promising performances into points have raised serious questions about his future.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis has never been known for excessive patience, and the pattern of rapid managerial changes at the City Ground is well established. Reports indicate that the November international break is being viewed internally as a potential decision window. In that climate, the identity of the most likely replacement has become a major talking point among supporters and within the game.
Thomas Frank has emerged as the clear favourite. The Danish coach remains available after leaving Tottenham earlier this year and carries a strong Premier League pedigree. His work at Brentford, where he guided the club into the top flight and established them as a well-organised, competitive side capable of punching above their weight, is still highly regarded. That combination of proven top-flight experience, tactical clarity and an ability to maximise resources makes him an attractive option for a Forest hierarchy that needs stability and results in equal measure.
Those close to the situation believe Frank’s profile fits what Marinakis would look for if a change is made. He is experienced enough to hit the ground running, respected enough to command the dressing room, and pragmatic enough to prioritise the immediate need for points over long-term experimentation. Unlike some more ambitious or untested names, Frank would not require a lengthy bedding-in period. Forest supporters, who have watched the side struggle for goals at home and drop into the relegation zone, would likely welcome a manager with a clear track record of making teams difficult to beat.
Glasner arrived in the summer with a strong reputation after his successful spell at Crystal Palace, where he delivered the FA Cup and Conference League. Expectations were high. The early results, however, have not matched those hopes. Performances against stronger sides have occasionally been competitive, but the inability to score at the City Ground and the failure to turn draws or narrow defeats into victories have eroded confidence. Jamie Carragher recently warned that Glasner could face the sack before Christmas if results do not improve, citing Marinakis’ history of decisive action.
In that context, Frank’s name has risen to the top of the shortlist. He is out of work, proven in the Premier League, and available at relatively short notice. Other names have been mentioned in passing — including managers with previous links to the club or those currently excelling in the Championship — but Frank is the one generating the most consistent interest among those monitoring the situation.
Should the change happen, Frank would inherit a squad that still contains quality. Players such as Morgan Gibbs-White, Murillo, and the summer additions give him a foundation to work with. His task would be clear: restore defensive solidity, find a reliable goal threat, and climb away from the bottom of the table as quickly as possible. At Brentford he showed he can organise a side to compete week after week. That quality is exactly what Forest need right now.
The coming fixtures will decide Glasner’s fate. A strong run of results could yet buy him more time. Another couple of disappointing performances, however, and the conversation will shift decisively towards the next appointment. At present, the clear favourite for that role is Thomas Frank.
Forest fans have seen enough managerial turnover in recent seasons to approach any new speculation with caution. Yet the growing sense that Glasner is on the brink, combined with Frank’s availability and credentials, has made the Danish coach the name most frequently linked with the City Ground job. Whether the change comes in the next fortnight or later in the autumn, the direction of travel is becoming clearer by the day.
Thomas Frank stands ready. Nottingham Forest may soon decide whether the time has come to make the call.
