Sean Dyche has become the latest manager to be dismissed by Nottingham Forest, marking the third managerial change at the club this season. His departure was confirmed early Thursday morning, following a goalless draw against Wolves, who currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League.
Dyche took over in October, succeeding Nuno Espirito Santo, who was fired at the beginning of the season along with his successor, Ange Postecoglou.
According to sources, the club has identified former Wolves manager Vitor Pereira as their preferred candidate for the role. Pereira, who was dismissed by Wolves in September, had previously managed to keep the team in the Premier League and has past ties with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis from his time at Olympiakos in 2015.
Following the draw with Wolves, Forest currently sits in 17th place in the Premier League, just three points above the relegation zone.
A brief statement released by the club at 12:31 a.m. GMT on Thursday read: “Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that Sean Dyche has been relieved of his duties as head coach. We thank Sean and his staff for their contributions during their time at the club and wish them all the best for the future. No further comments will be made at this time.”
Marinakis, who had a public disagreement with Espirito Santo prior to his dismissal, was present in the stands on Wednesday. After the match, Dyche appeared to accept his imminent departure following a challenging period for the team.
“The owner has been fair to me, without a doubt,” Dyche remarked. “If anyone decides to make changes in football, that’s their prerogative. We’ve all seen it happen.”
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“People can call for change, but the decision lies with the owners. I’m committed to this club, and I work hard to improve our situation. If the owner feels a change is necessary, that’s up to him, and it’s simply part of the reality of football.”
Under Espirito Santo last season, Forest finished seventh in the Premier League, narrowly missing out on a Champions League spot due to a disappointing end to the campaign, but still securing European football for the first time since 1995-96.
Nuno had signed a three-year contract in June 2025 but was let go in September after a falling out with Marinakis. Postecoglou was then appointed but lasted just 40 days before being dismissed following a 3-0 loss to Chelsea.
Dyche, who has ties to the club as a former trainee, became the team’s third manager of the season on October 21 and was assisted by former Forest players Ian Woan and Steve Stone. They scored a notable victory against Porto in his debut match and seemed to have stabilized the squad after a convincing 3-0 win against Premier League champions Liverpool a month later.
The recent draw has left Forest with only two wins in their last ten Premier League encounters, a streak that also saw them eliminated from the FA Cup by Championship side Wrexham, as they work to avoid relegation.
Some information was provided by PA and ESPN’s Tom Hamilton for this report.