Nottingham Forest will be hoping it is third time lucky as new manager Sean Dyche takes over the reins of the two-time European Champions for the visit of Porto in the Europa League on Thursday.
Dyche, already Forest’s third boss of a turbulent season, has arrived at the City Ground to take charge of a side seeking their first win in the competition after garnering just one point from their two previous outings.
Appointed on Tuesday to replace the sacked Ange Postecoglou, who won the Europa League last term with Tottenham but lasted only 40 days at Forest, Dyche will know that only victory will suffice to keep tempestuous owner Evangelos Marinakis happy.
For the 54-year-old, his Forest debut marks a personal milestone as it will be his first time in the dug-out for a European match proper since starting in senior management 14 years ago at Watford.
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In 2018/19, his Burnley side played in the Europa League play-offs but were beaten by Olympiacos and missed out on the league stage.
Dyche has built a reputation as a pragmatic manager who delivers results, if not always spectacular football.
“There’s some real talent here, so our job now is to find that balance,” Dyche told the club’s website on Tuesday.
“The risk and reward of going forward… but equally the solid base which has been such a big weapon for the club, particularly last season.
“Finding that balance will be key.”
On the surface of things, Dyche’s style would align him with the man who started the season in the Forest hotseat, Nuno Espirito Santo.
Unpopular after replacing Steve Cooper two years ago, the Portuguese eventually won over the Forest faithful during a sensational 2024-25 Premier League campaign.
Nuno’s team occupied the top four for much of the season, before faltering towards the end but nonetheless securing a return to Europe.
But after his falling-out with Marinakis and Postecoglou’s winless reign, Forest now lie in the Premier League relegation zone with just five points from eight games despite a squad bolstered by over £180 million ($241 million) of investment during the summer transfer window.
And in the league phase of Europe’s second-tier competition, they lounge in the elimination zone going into matchday three after a 2-2 draw at Real Betis and a 3-2 home defeat to Midtjylland.
‘Strong, fit, organised’
Having conceded five goals so far in the competition, Dyche will likely use the two days at his disposal to work on shoring up a leaky backline.
“The basics have always got to be in place. Strong, fit and organised is always a good place to start,” Dyche said.
Next up are Portuguese league leaders Porto, who sit sixth in the Europa League standings with a perfect two wins from two.
However, they have only found the net three times in the process — offering the hosts the chance to adapt to the new regime against a side that are not exactly free-flowing going forwards.
Kicking off his tenure by delivering a first win in Europe for Forest since 1995, against a high-profile opponent in 2004 Champions League winners Porto to boot, would do Dyche the world of good in getting both the fans and the owner on board from the get-go.
Struggling Rangers also have a new man at the helm in the shape of young German manager Danny Rohl.
The 36-year-old arrived on Monday in the wake of Russell Martin’s departure after a disastrous start to the season — both domestically and in Europe — for the Glasgow giants.
The 32nd-placed side travel to Norwegian outfit Brann, looking to earn their first points of the campaign following one-goal defeats to both Genk and Sturm Graz.
Premier League club Aston Villa visit the Netherlands and Go Ahead Eagles, where Unai Emery’s men will have their eye on maintaining their 100 percent record in the competition.
Elsewhere, Fenerbahce host Stuttgart, Nice make the trip to Celta Vigo and Celtic welcome Sturm Graz.