English football may lose a new wave of Black and Asian coaches if the sport does not change hiring rules, says anti-racism group Kick It Out. The exit of Nuno Espírito Santo from Nottingham Forest means no Black coach now leads a Premier League team. The last time this happened was in 2022, before Vincent Kompany joined Burnley.

Kick It Out’s chief, Samuel Okafor, said many ex-players quit trying to coach due to blocked paths. He urged clubs to be fair and open with hiring. He warned that without strong steps, more talent will be lost. A 2022 report showed 43% of Premier League players were Black, but only 4.4% of coaching jobs went to Black former players. Leadership roles were even fewer at 1.6%.

The FA and Premier League have made rules and schemes to boost diversity, but results remain slow. Kick It Out’s new Football United plan aims to push clubs to reflect local groups and give fairer chances in leadership roles.

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After only three Premier League matches, Nottingham Forest parted ways with coach Nuno Espírito Santo. That was a long time coming, as Nuno clashed with club owner Evangelos Marinakis and Edu Gaspar, the club’s head of global football. 

With that change, Forest brought in a new coach with Ange Postecoglou. He is back in the Premier League after he parted ways with Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2025.

Ange brings a fresh brand of football to Forest

The new Forest coach takes over ahead of the club’s clash against Arsenal on September 13. He brings a new brand of football compared to Nuno, as he is a more attack-minded coach. This has led to concerns about Forest’s durability, as Ange’s style demands a stable squad. Players like Nikola Milenković, who are used to a conservative and defensive system, must track back and run, which could lead to injuries.

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Nottingham Forest have sacked head coach Nuno Espírito Santo just three games into the new Premier League season. The move comes after his public clash with Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis.

Nuno, who joined Forest in December 2023, helped the club to a strong run last season. He guided the Reds to seventh place and secured a Europa League place for them. It was their best top-flight result in years and marked a huge step for the club.

Fallout with owner Marinakis

Despite the success, tension grew between Nuno and Marinakis. Back in August, the ex-coach shared how he feared for his job at the club. He once spoke out about the club’s squad and transfer plans at the time, which strained his ties with the owner. ‘Last season we were very close…this season it is not so well,�?Nuno remarked. 

On their official website, Forest thanked Nuno for his part in last season’s success. In the same post, they’ve confirmed that Nuno has ‘been relieved of his duties as Head Coach.�?/p>

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