MICK MCCARTHY WAS interviewed for the job and Roy Keane’s representative, Michael Kennedy, said the former Nottingham Forest midfielder would be interested in the post but the keys to the coaches office have been handed to Sean O’Driscoll.
Late on Thursday, Forest’s new owners replaced sacked manager Steve Cotterill with former first team coach O’Driscoll.
O’Driscoll, whose previous clubs include Bournemouth and Doncaster, worked under Cotterill for five months earlier this year before leaving to join Crawley in May.
The Kuwaiti-based Al Hasawi family sacked Cotterill shortly after taking control of the club and were linked with moves for a string of big-name bosses, including McCarthy, Keane and Glenn Hoddle.
The right fit
Majority shareholder Fawaz Al Hasawi declared O’Driscoll the ideal appointment.
He said, “We interviewed many well-known and high profile figures but we truly believe Sean O’Driscoll is the best man for the job.” Al Hasawi added:
Sean’s passion for Nottingham Forest, knowledge of the game and the Championship in particular, plus his work ethic, shone through in our conversations. We are delighted to welcome Sean back to the club. He has our total support and we are looking forward to a long and successful relationship.
“He is hugely respected, not only by members of our current squad and staff at the club for his work in helping transform our fortunes last season, but also within the wider football community.”
Three caps
Sean ‘Noisy’ O’Driscoll was capped three times to play in the Irish midfield whilst he was plying his trade at Fulham. He was appointed manager of Crawley Town in May but leaves the club having never managed a competitive game.
“It was an easy decision to make to return to Nottingham Forest,” he declared.
I enjoyed my time working with the players last season, and even in sometimes difficult circumstances the fans gave the kind of support you don’t often see in football today.
“The Al Hasawi family’s ownership opens exciting prospects for this club and I look forward to rebuilding the squad and playing the kind of attractive football the City Ground deserves to see.”
Fawaz Al Hasawi, a member of one of Kuwait’s richest families, bought Forest, now in English football’s second-tier, with the assistance of his brothers on 11 July.
Forest had been on the market since the sudden death of owner Nigel Doughty in February.