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Football

28th Jun 2019

Martin O’Neill has lost his job at Nottingham Forest

Patrick McCarry

The triumphant return of Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane last only five months

Martin O’Neill has ‘lost his job’ at Nottingham Forest.

On a day Forest launched their new home jersey for 2019/20, some altogether bigger news has swatted it aside.

But first, the jersey is a decent effort:

Back to O’Neill’s short-lived stint at the club he won league and European Cup trophies with a player. Forest are said to have taken on-board the views of several senior players and moved O’Neill on so they can get a new boss and his coaching team in place for the 2019/20 season.

The news comes from the well-connected Guardian reporter Daniel Taylor, who has a steady record of calling many of Forest’s big, bold moves.

Taylor beat Forest to the news.

15 minutes later, came the following statement from the club:

“Nottingham Forest can confirm that manager Martin O’Neill has left the club. The club would like to thank Martin for all his efforts during his time at The City Ground and wish him well for the future.”

There was talk of a player “mutiny”, not far off the dissatisfaction felt by many Irish players before the Derry native finished up as Republic of Ireland boss:

Earlier this month, Roy Keane – his assistant at Ireland and then Forest – left the club. In a departing statement, Keane declared:

“Working with Martin over the last few years has been a magnificent experience, one of my greatest in football both as a player and a coach and one I want to personally thank him for.”

O’Neill is following him out the ‘Exit’ door soon after.