SEAN DYCHE has broken his silence on being sacked by Nottingham Forest just four months into the job.
Dyche was tasked with steering Forest away from the relegation zone, but he was after only taking over in October.
Sean Dyche had a respectable record at Nottingham Forest but was still too close to the relegation zoneCredit: Reuters
The 54-year-old arrived as Forest’s third manager of the season. was replaced by , but he only lasted 39 days before being replaced by Dyche.
Vitor Pereira is now the man in charge after Forest owner lost faith in Dyche’s ability to keep the club up.
Speaking about his dismissal on The Football Boardroom podcast, Dyche laid out why he believes he was hard done by.
He said: “Well, I don’t [understand], statistically and factually, no emotion to it, if you look at the stats and facts – even after the last game, against Wolves. Our current form at that time was ninth in the Premier League.
“The stats and facts were there, clear as day. From my record, from when we got there to when we ended, we’d have been 12th in the Premier League.
“So on factual data and analysis, I can’t understand any of the decisions that were made. But is changing, and we witnessed it.
“The bigger picture with football now is it’s like selling chocolate teapots. People come out with these stories about how ‘we’re this club’. You go: ‘No, you’re not. You’ve had one good season in 30 odd.’
“You’re trying to remind the fanbase – this is where the keyboard warriors get really powerful, by the way – of the truth of what it is rather than what you think it is. It’s very difficult now.”
Dyche won 10 of his 25 games in charge of Forest and while they were not clear of trouble, their form relative to the rest of the league was fairly good.
They were three points above the drop zone when he left, now they are only surviving on goal difference.
Dyche also believes that some online Forest fans spread stories that he was overworking the players on the training pitch.
However, the former chief felt that wasn’t a justifiable criticism.
Evangelos Marinakis [right] has not been afraid to make a tough decision this seasonCredit: PA
“I’m scratching my head. Me and my staff were going: ‘Well, we’ve got all the data, the stats and facts.’ Lowest physical performing team in the Premier League when we took over, so what do you want me to do then? Not get them fitter? I mean, it’s just madness, right?”
While Dyche maintains he is not happy with the decision to sack him, he holds no grudges against Marinakis, insisting the Forest owner treated him well.
“I need to make this clear – this is really important to me as a football person and as a person – Mr Marinakis was nothing but good to me and straight.
“His final decision is a strange one, but as a bloke, with me personally, I’ve got no gripes at all. Nor over his son, Miltos, or the powers that be, no gripes at all.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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