Nottingham Forest, fresh off an extraordinary season that saw them ascend to European football, is reportedly on the verge of losing a pivotal member of its coaching staff. Assistant Manager António Dias is set to depart the two-time European Cup winners to join Jose Mourinho’s new project at Fenerbahçe in Turkey.
Last season, Forest defied expectations, transforming from a side battling relegation to a formidable force in the Premier League. While they ultimately missed out on Champions League qualification, securing a spot in the Europa Conference League marked a remarkable achievement. A cornerstone of this success was the coaching staff’s meticulous approach, which masterminded one of the Premier League’s most resilient defenses.
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Journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu reported on X (formerly Twitter) that Dias will assume the role of assistant under fellow Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho at the Istanbul-based club. This move will see Dias leave England as Mourinho aims to clinch the Turkish title with Fenerbahçe.
The news is likely to disappoint Forest fans, who witnessed the profound impact of the coaching team’s work. The club achieved an astounding 33-point improvement from the 2023/24 season (32 points, 17th place) to the 2024/25 campaign (65 points, 7th place). This significant leap in performance, the greatest points progression among clubs in Europe’s top five leagues last season (surpassing Napoli’s 29-point improvement and PSG’s eight-point gain), underscores the positive influence of manager Nuno Espírito Santo and his staff, including Dias.
Nuno Espírito Santo will now face the task of finding a new assistant ahead of the upcoming season to maintain the momentum and continue the positive trajectory established last year. While the departure of a key figure like Dias presents a challenge, the club will be hoping to mitigate any impact as they prepare for a demanding domestic and European schedule.
