Badge of Honour: Dyche Has Forest Heritage but Focuses on Urgent Task at Hand

The emblem is bigger than every manager,” the new Forest boss stated at his unveiling as Nottingham Forest’s manager, sporting a training kit with his initials. Subsequently, amended his statement. “Well, there was a single manager who was probably as important as the crest – everyone recognizes who that was.”} Then came, an imitation of Brian Clough, an attempt at that unique accent. Lad, well done,’” he said, reminiscing about his three years as a youth player at the club's stadium, the period he spent strolling down the river, with Clough’s labrador, whizzing past him and his manager’s voice invariably within hearing range.

The coach tells a story of how, as a youngster, he and a few others looked after Clough’s yard at his residence in the area. “We were on £28.50 a week and he gave you a ten pounds to do his garden. So we really thought: ‘This is decent.’ He’d prepare food for you and ensure you were cared for. It was rather fun, not too much yard work.”

For Dyche, the appointment has been a years in the making. He resides in the area and has a fondness for the club. In recent years, he and his longstanding coach Ian Woan, who was part of the Forest side the last time they were in European competition, in the mid-90s, have sometimes popped into the local cafe where Forest legends such as Frank Clark, another stalwart and Garry Birtles meet every week to talk stories from past and present. He will have to give it a miss this week to prepare for the visit of Porto, unbeaten this season, in the European tournament on Thursday evening.

I can't wait to meeting the club legends,” remarked Dyche, who replaced the previous coach to become Forest’s third head coach of the season. “They will give me a bit of ear-holing if I fail to deliver, so I better secure some games for them. Those fellows are important to me. A great deal of supporters appreciate the legacy of this institution. I’ve got my own and now I’ve got a opportunity to reinvent my own history, I guess, as coach.”

The new boss oversaw the team training for the initial session on Tuesday, a short while after his predecessor watched a three-nil home loss by Chelsea that placed the club in the top division relegation zone. the club captain, who joined as a child, admitted these are just the start but he and his staff have alleviated some of the negativity.

His staff features one more club icon in a former player, as well as a coach and Tony Loughlan, who featured for the team. In my view a huge strength of this club is fostering the bond between the supporters, players and coach and, frankly, the recent period we haven’t had a positive atmosphere around here,” Yates stated. Dyche and his assistants have brought that feeling of vitality and energy.”

Dyche made clear he doesn't “know the team like the back of my hand” considering his most recent encounter at Forest has been as an rival manager, but he believes he has a wider understanding of the place and expectations. The house rules have been set. I allowed the players wear white socks, for heaven's sake,” Dyche said. I expect my former teammates caning me on messaging. But they’re forbidden to wear snoods or headgear … I had to make a deal somewhere.”

Forest have lost their last four matches and not won since the start of the season. Dyche said the owner, the Greek businessman, recognised the significance of steadying the situation. He encountered the wealthy individual in the Europa League with Burnley, when his side lost in a qualifier against the Greek side in 2018. After the first leg Dyche expressed frustration at Olympiakos dignitaries, among them the owner, approaching the officials at the break in the stadium. “We had a bit of a giggle,” he said.

One aspect of Dyche’s appeal is his reputation for constructing teams with strong bases, relevant for a side without a clean sheet in many games. “I’ve been put in many boxes, I’m not bothered,” he said. “I’ve never tried to hide behind what’s successful. It’s no badge of honour to me. Five years ago people were saying: ‘Why do you rely on dead balls?’ Now they’re popular. Skinny jeans, wide-leg pants, skinny jeans, flared jeans … my child hammers me for whatever trousers I wear. It seems on online platforms even I got some criticism for my shoes arriving at practice [on Tuesday] … was surprised by that. A brand [trainers] but, regardless, prefer not to mention it.”

Dyche is pleased that his early career were at Forest but thinks that should not mean he or his team are judged differently. “There’s no shortcut with the supporters, but we do care, that’s one thing I believe can ever be questioned,” he remarked. “All I dreamt of was putting on the jersey, but I never got to do it. Stoney and Woany did, Billy did as a temporary goalkeeper, Tony wore it and netted a goal. I was the sole person who didn’t and they constantly tell me of that.

“In my case to have that part of it is a big thing for me personally. But it doesn't grant me a divine right, trust me. The fans expect me to win. If I’m not winning, the fans are going to come at me because that’s the way fans work and I’ve got no issue with that because that’s the reality. I was here as a youth and never wore the shirt, the emblem. Now, currently, I’m sitting with it wearing it.”