Roy Keane says he has 'no sympathy' after Nuno Espirito Santo sacking at Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest’s decision to relieve Nuno Espirito Santo of his managerial duties prompted a blunt reaction from Roy Keane, who said he had "no sympathy" for managers in the role given what he called the club owner’s reputation.

Forest announced the departure of the Portuguese coach in a terse early‑morning statement on Tuesday, saying Nuno had been relieved of his duties "following recent circumstances." The club moved quickly to appoint former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou as Nuno’s successor, with Postecoglou set to take charge for Forest’s next Premier League fixture away at Arsenal after the international break.

Speaking on ITV ahead of England’s World Cup qualifier against Serbia, Keane said he was unsurprised by the move and suggested the manager’s position at Forest carries inherent risk. "Not surprised," he said. "Why should we be surprised at what happens at Nottingham Forest? I think we know what the owner is like there, no surprises, and I have no sympathy for any manager either that goes to Nottingham Forest. You're going to be under pressure with the owner there, so I certainly wasn't surprised when they moved him on. It's tough." Fellow pundit Ian Wright added the situation had elements of perceived insubordination from the owner’s perspective, saying Nuno had made clear tensions publicly.

Nuno, who joined Forest in December 2023, led the club into European competition for the first time this century. Despite that success, relations with owner Evangelos Marinakis reportedly deteriorated over the summer after the manager publicly criticised the club’s transfer policy and admitted last month that his rapport with Marinakis was "not so good." The club also restructured its football operations, installing former Arsenal midfielder Edu as global head of football, a change that sources indicated complicated the manager’s working environment.

In recent days Marinakis had sought to play down reports of a rift, telling TNT Sports from the Europa League draw in Monaco that he and Nuno maintained a "solid relationship" and that both parties were united in wanting the club to succeed. Nuno had dismissed suggestions he might resign as "nonsense" after a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace in August, but the reassertion of unity proved short‑lived.

Reports in the days before the dismissal said club‑record signing Omari Hutchinson had been omitted from Forest’s Europa League squad — a selection decision described in some outlets as one of several points of contention between the manager and the club hierarchy. Forest’s statement gave no detailed explanation beyond the reference to "recent circumstances."

The swift appointment of Postecoglou signals the club’s intent to move on quickly. Postecoglou inherits a squad that reached European competition under Nuno but faces a challenging immediate schedule, including the trip to Arsenal. The club will now look to stabilise on‑field performance while managing the fallout from the public breakdown in the manager‑owner relationship.

Keane’s comments add to an ongoing debate about the pressures and expectations placed on Premier League managers when ownership changes or governance structures evolve. For Forest, the next steps will be measured by results as Postecoglou prepares to lead the team back into league action.