Inside Oliver Glasner’s Nottingham Forest pre-season: 16-hour days, power of padel and why McAtee is key | OneFootball

Oliver Glasner has reset Nottingham Forest’s tone before his first Premier League match, Leeds visiting the City Ground on Saturday. Clarity, intensity and a defined 3-4-2-1 have underpinned pre-season, with James McAtee earmarked as pivotal.

According to NY Times, players view him as approachable yet demanding, he rejects moaning, prefers informal conversations around the training ground and even uses padel to build connections.

A self-confessed workaholic, he has clocked up to 16-hour days and assembled five senior coaches, Michael Angerschmid, Michael Gspurning, Michael Berktold, Emanuel Pogatetz and transitions coach James Holland, while speaking regularly with owner Evangelos Marinakis and chief football officer George Syrianos on recruitment.

Forest have rehearsed a back three with wing-backs and two No 10s, plus a higher press and a rapid route to goal. Glasner accepts reshaping tempo may take time, conscious that last season’s shift in style unsettled Forest.

McAtee has been prepared for a deeper role to keep him on the ball, which has cooled interest in Lucas Bergvall for now. Arnaud Kalimuendo has moved into Glasner’s plans, he said the aim is to keep him, and Dan Ndoye’s willingness to run in behind is prized, with Liam Delap fitting that brief.

There is no rush for volume signings, though Ousmane Diomande has joined from Sporting CP and Xaver Schlager’s familiarity has helped embed standards. Pre-season in Portugal mixed hard sessions, recovery and analysis, and Glasner wants a compact 20 to 22 outfielders with room for academy talent, including Zach Abbott and Grady McDonnell.

Source: NY Times

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