“I have seen enough fashionistas come in and out of this division,” says new Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche. “You’ve got to win the games, it’s as simple as that.”
The 54-year-old might not class himself as a football fashionista but as coaches place increasing emphasis on set-pieces and ‘going long’ he may find himself in vogue.
Ange Postecoglou lasted just 39 days at Forest after being brought in to win trophies and play more expansive, attacking football having replaced Nuno Espirito Santo on 9 September.
He lost six and drew two of his eight games in charge as the squad struggled to adapt quickly enough to the new manager’s demands.
Soon after Dyche walked down the stairs of the club’s museum in the Trent End as Forest’s third manager of the season, he outlined his philosophy and style, having been criticised at Burnley and Everton.
“I did a podcast with Tony Pulis and Mick McCarthy, Tony’s now being lauded for long throws when before he was getting hammered [as manager of Stoke],” said Dyche, who has signed a deal until the summer of 2027.
“It’s the fashion of football, it changes all the time and I’m not pontificating one way or the other but the bit I like is when you win.
“The Forest fans accepted a different way of working than in the history of this club last season which was very successful. They are more open-minded now.
“The players are aware of it. I took a lot of feedback from the players. They are very proud of what they did last season. That is no problem for me because I agree with them. Now can we mould it slightly differently but keep that winning mentality?
“Long ball, short ball? You’ve just got to play effective football. That will never go out of fashion.”
