Postecoglou digs in at Forest: 'Give me time and story ends with a trophy'

Nottingham Forest's embattled manager Ange Postecoglou defended his early tenure on Friday, insisting that patience will be rewarded with silverware just as it was at his previous clubs.

The under-pressure Australian has overseen a dismal start since replacing Nuno Espirito Santo last month, with Forest winless in seven games and plummeting from fifth to 17th in the Premier League table.

But Postecoglou, speaking at length about his situation, rejected the narrative that he is a "failed manager" and painted an alternative picture of his recent stint at Tottenham Hotspur.

"From my perspective, I just don't fit. If you look at it through the prism of I'm a failed manager that's lucky to get this job... then it looks like this manager is under pressure. There is an alternate story," Postecoglou told reporters.

"I came to the Premier League two years ago, I took over 'Spursy' Tottenham. I was told by the chairman this club has to win a trophy. 'We tried to bring winners in, Jose (Mourinho) and Antonio (Conte), it hasn't worked, we need something different.'

'I SEE MYSELF AS A WINNER'

"I was slightly offended, I see myself as a winner... We finished fifth in my first year... But somehow that year has disappeared from the record books."

Last season, Postecoglou sacrificed Spurs' Premier League form and put all eggs in the Europa League basket, eventually guiding them to the title and Champions League qualification.

"We win a trophy, we shed the tag of being 'Spursy'. It's Champions League football which brings some rewards, opportunity to bring better players. But all I've heard since I finished at Tottenham is that we finished 17th last year," he added.

"If you look at that, then yeah, I'm a failed manager... Maybe I'm a manager that