A chance to wipe the slate clean
17/12/04 | by Paul Severn

So, the Derby defeat proved to be the end of Joe Kinnear. Like so many post Brian Clough managers, success has disappeared as quickly as it arrived. Kinnear had to go. Some fans may rejoice that he has gone, but there is nothing to celebrate. Since Clough retired, Frank Clark and Kinnear have resigned, while Paul Hart and Dave Bassett were cut loose. Only David Platt has been “poached,” and in many supporters’ eyes, he has been the poorest Forest manager of recent times. 

Kinnear’s problems can, in part, be blamed on other managers. Firstly, poor signings have blighted a number of recent managers: Andrea Silenzi and Nicola Jerkan gave Frank Clark sleepless nights; Neil Shipperley and Nigel Quashie were disasters attributed to Bassett; Platt’s Italian signings were simply laughable. Paul Hart was the first manager to suffer from these expensive flops. However, when cash was finally made available, Marlon King was brought in for what still appears an inflated fee. 

Millions of pounds have been wasted on transfer fees and wages before Kinnear. He inherited a squad of rank-average lower league players and the limited budget meant that only more of the same could be brought in. Bad buys have been a cancer at Forest for years – and it will take several seasons of sound management to turn that around.

But, in the end, Kinnear had no choice but to jump ship. He could no longer handle the media after games, had lost a large number of supporters and was presiding over a squad unable to string more than one result together. There have been bizarre decisions for sure  – neither Kevin James nor Kris Commons have been given a decent run in the side, while stale veterans such as Andy Impey and Eoin Jess have played 90% of games. The continual use of the Gregor Robertson has been a mystery – he’s nowhere near a first team player at this point. Jon Olav Hjelde has battled manfully, but was regarded as well past his best 18 months ago.

A new era is now upon us – a chance to wipe the slate clean and let another man come into to clear up the mess that is Nottingham Forest. Whether it’s Mick Harford, Trevor Francis, Dave Jones or anyone else, the ghastly mistakes of past mangers still remain – but hey, the new man will still have five million pound’s worth of strikers at his disposal!

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