Nottingham Forest start the Premier League campaign under a new manager – after a season-long relegation battle last time around.
Forest began last season with Nuno Espirito Santo in charge but cycled through Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche before moving away from the drop zone under Vitor Pereira.
This summer, owner Evangelos Marinakis opted to let Pereira go and appoint Oliver Glasner, who won the FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League during a highly successful spell at Crystal Palace.
Legend explains why predictions are wrong
Despite that appointment, some bookmakers have tipped Forest for the drop, believing that the constant changes around the club could destabilise them once more.
That prediction has been dismissed by Forest legend Stan Collymore, who thinks they have the ability to finish much higher in the table.
Asked if Glasner’s appointment may be Marinakis’ best decision in recent times, Collymore said: “It could prove to be his most impactful.
“Seeing bookmakers list Forest among the favourites for relegation seems wildly inaccurate based on their squad depth. Unless there’s internal friction between Glasner and the hierarchy, the team operates at an eighth to 10th-place standard.
“Glasner is a proven manager who’s won trophies across Europe. Retaining Morgan Gibbs-White gives them a strong core. Forest have the framework to compete around the European positions rather than lingering near the bottom of the table.”
Gibbs-White was wanted by Spurs last summer, but instead signed a new three-year deal at Forest.
“He is on a strong contract at Forest, and Evangelos Marinakis views him as their cornerstone player,” said Collymore, speaking on behalf of 10bet, who offer online casino and sports betting.
“His performance levels last season were exceptional. Aston Villa evaluated him before opting for Johan Manzambi – viewing Manzambi as a dynamic 20-year-old profile who carried the ball well on the European stage for Freiburg.
“At 26, Gibbs-White is in his prime. Early in his career, scouts might have viewed him as a player whose standard fluctuated between a nine out of 10 and a four out of 10, depending on his defensive work rate.
“However, he addressed those defensive tracking metrics over the course of last season. He has the technical quality to feature for any top six side.”
