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"Ange could have been Man United manager": Slater
SEN • October 21st, 2025 8:41 am
If Ange Postecoglou had shown more patience instead of jumping into the job at Nottingham Forest, he could have been manager of Manchester United.
That’s the view of former Socceroo Robbie Slater who describes the events of recent days as “an absolute disaster” for Postecoglou, and one that could have been avoided.
The weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea proved the final straw for Postecoglou who was reportedly sacked 17 minutes after the final whistle.
He failed to record a single victory in the eight matches he was at the helm and can also now lay claim to the record of shortest full-time managerial tenure in EPL history. Just 39 days from hiring to firing.
It was never going to be a match made in heaven. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has sacked eight managers in as many years and Postecoglou should have shown more patience.
“It’s the record you don’t want to have and he’s got a few,” Slater said when asked about his compatriot’s departure. “This was a disaster from start to finish.
“It’s a job he should never have taken. It ended up how I thought it would if he didn’t start winning straight away.
“The first thing is Ange jumped the gun. I don’t know if his advisors said take the first job that came up.
“If he had waited, the Manchester United manager is on borrowed time and Ange wouldn’t be beyond getting a club the size of United if he had been patient.
“He shouldn’t have taken Forest. Nuno was not sacked because he didn’t perform, they had their best season or three decades. He had a run in with the owner.
“Ange jumped into a job where the coach had been punted but was loved by the fans.
“It was an uphill job from the start to jump in where a coach was loved.”
Slater is adamant that the writing was on the wall before Postecoglou even initiated conversations with Forest. The owner has a reputation.
“Ange should have realised the owner was trigger happy. He’s had 25 managers in 14 seasons across clubs.
“He went in there and he’s the polar opposite of how he plays the game to Nuno. Nuno was a defensive coach and Ange is attacking. Nuno recruited this whole squad not Ange.
“Ange went in and tried to change it instead of going slowly.”
In terms of what comes next for Postecoglou is anyone’s guess. The Aussie is yet to speak publicly since being sacked – the second time for him in 2025 having been cut loose by Tottenham in June despite winning the Europa League title.
“The shame for Ange here is, you can never say he is done, but it will be difficult for another EPL to pick him up after what’s happened here, it’s an absolute disaster,” Slater added.
“Take away the Europa league win, they finished 17th at Tottenham. Marinakis has done this because he can see relegation coming.
“He’s gone in to correct his mistake.”
