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'Nobody could replicate Clough – he was such a one-off. What I do remember from my time with him, and maybe took with me into management, is the fact that he instilled a ‘Forest Way’ into everything we did' What Sean Dyche learned from Brian Clough

Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough, November 1992
Former Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough (Image credit: Alamy)

Sean Dyche is back where it all began after Nottingham Forest appointed the former City Ground hopeful as their new manager.

The 54-year-old former Everton and Burnley boss becomes the club’s third manager of the season, tasked with picking up the pieces from Ange Postecoglou’s winless 39-day reign and ensuring the club quickly moves out of the bottom three.

Sean Dyche on what he learned from Brian Clough

Everton manager Sean Dyche during a match

Sean Dyche has taken the reins at the City Ground (Image credit: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)

“Nobody could replicate Clough – he was such a one-off,” Dyche tells FourFourTwo when asked what he has taken from the two-time European Cup-winning manager.

“What I do remember from my time with him, and maybe took with me into management, is the fact that he instilled a ‘Forest Way’ into everything we did.

Manager Brian Clough and assistant manager Peter Taylor celebrate Nottingham Forest's 1977/78 First Division title win

Manager Brian Clough and assistant manager Peter Taylor celebrate Nottingham Forest's 1977/78 First Division title win (Image credit: Alamy)

“That can take time, which managers don’t really get any more, but in my nine-and-a-half years at Burnley we certainly tried to have a similar vein running throughout the club.

“Basically, it meant good manners, treating people the right way, and giving opposing teams and fans the utmost respect.

“We used to get loads of great feedback from the hotels we stayed in, and that was something that I took from my time under Brian Clough.”

Dyche’s return to Forest marks the fourth stop of his managerial career, following his first job at Watford, then stints with Burnley and Everton and comes ten months after he was dismissed by the Toffees, an exit that he insists he did not dwell on.

Everton squad for 2024/25 PRESTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 03: Sean Dyche, Manager of Everton, looks on prior to the pre-season friendly match between Preston North End and Everton at Deepdale on August 03, 2024 in Preston, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

Dyche is back in football after being sacked by Everton in January (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Oh, I don’t lick any wounds – there’s too much to do,” he says. “I promised my son we’d go for a pint or two, and promised mates that I’d go and see a few bands.

“I’d been at Burnley for over nine years. I had a great time and did a lot of good work, so I wasn’t going to start crying about it.”

Joe Mewis

For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.

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