Why Glasner had "Butterflies in his Stomach" about Nottingham

After his contract ended at Crystal Palace, Oliver Glasner surprisingly joined Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest in the summer.

In an interview with "kicker", he spoke about his first conversation with owner Evangelos Marinakis, the condensed squad overhaul in the summer, and his long-term vision for the club.

During a joint dinner with Marinakis, who has owned Nottingham since 2017 and is said to have little patience with coaches, Glasner was able to get a clearer picture of the 59-year-old Greek. "He's been pigeonholed ever since he appeared on the pitch after a game. But when you sit with someone for four hours at dinner, you get a more accurate picture," said the former successful coach of Eintracht Frankfurt and Crystal Palace.

Glasner's Clear Message to Marinakis

Glasner is already the eleventh coach since the Greek's takeover. To ensure the partnership between him and Marinakis lasts, a frank discussion took place during their very first meeting: "I told the owner that I would need him when things got difficult. And that, despite everything he creates around the club (...), the most important thing is what happens on the pitch." They are currently "ordering these priorities," said the 52-year-old Austrian.

Glasner himself admitted that he "honestly hadn't considered Nottingham Forest as a possible new destination." But the conversation with Marinakis changed his perspective on the club.

"I need to feel that there is potential and that everyone is ready to exploit that potential. And that is the case here. During the discussions with the owner, I quickly got butterflies in my stomach, sensing: I'm passionate about this task."

Aston Villa as a Role Model

The medium-term goal is now to make the club a regular European competitor. Glasner cited Europa League winners Aston Villa as a role model. "The stadium expansion is a first step to create the conditions," Glasner explained, then posing the question: "But why shouldn't it be possible to become like Aston Villa? To get a taste of the Champions League, but then it's okay to miss out again."

The start of the season has been rather mixed, with five points from the first five league games and an exit from the EFL Cup. The 52-year-old has a simple explanation for this: "That's also due to the many coaching changes before."

"On the positive side, we concede the fewest dangerous scoring opportunities. But in offensive play, we need to improve, especially at home. There has only been one home league win in 2026 so far," Glasner pointed out, addressing a weakness. European places are not currently a topic, also because the Austrian himself knows that they "just narrowly avoided relegation," so it's "one step at a time for now."

Glasner: "I Even Rejected the Owner's Offer"

That was also the motto in the transfer market. With expenditures of 138.2 million euros, the "Tricky Trees" were significantly below the previous year's spending (241.8 million).

The condensed squad overhaul happened at Glasner's request. "Important when looking at the overall squad is the strategy, the overhaul: that we don't bring in many new players, but only targeted ones, like for example Xaver Schlager (free transfer from RB Leipzig, Ed. note). I even rejected the owner's offer to sign more players. Better to do that in January with more preparation time."

On Sunday, Glasner's emotional return to Selhurst Park is due. With a win against his former club Crystal Palace, he could further improve his record as Nottingham coach.