Postecoglou fired around 20 minutes after Forest loses 3-0 to Chelsea in Premier League

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Nottingham Forest head coach Ange Postecoglou shouts instructions, during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea, in Nottingham, England, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Chelsea's Josh Acheampong celebrates scoring the opening goal with teammates, during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea, in Nottingham, England, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP) — Nottingham Forest head coach Ange Postecoglou shouts instructions, during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea, in Nottingham, England, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

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9:28 AM on Saturday, October 18

By STEVE DOUGLAS

Around 20 minutes.

That's how long it took Nottingham Forest to fire Ange Postecoglou after the team's 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

It left Postecoglou without a win in eight matches since taking charge as the replacement for Nuno Espirito Santo on Sept. 9.

In a 39-word statement, Forest said Postecoglou was “relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect” after “a series of disappointing results and performances.”

British media has already been linking former Burnley and Everton manager Sean Dyche with the job, should Postecoglou get fired.

Now he has gone — after just 39 days at the helm.

Loud jeers

Goals early in the second half by Josh Acheampong and Pedro Neto, and another by Reece James in the 84th minute, earned Chelsea a victory that prompted loud jeers inside the City Ground at fulltime.

Postecoglou had been in defiant mood in recent weeks, even delivering a five-minute monologue on Friday in which he rejected talk that he was a “failed manager” and promised to win a trophy at Forest — just like he did at Tottenham last season before being fired.

However, Forest lost six and drawn the other two of its eight games under Postecoglou. That included four losses from five in the league, scoring just one goal in the process, to leave Forest hovering just above the bottom three.

A slack few minutes after halftime cost Forest dearly, with 19-year-old defender Acheampong heading home a left-wing cross by Neto in the 49th before Neto smashed home a shot from a indirect free kick in the 52nd.

James drilled in a third after Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels flapped at a corner, leading to hordes of home fans leaving the stadium and the Chelsea away supporters chanting “You're getting sacked in the morning” toward Postecoglou.

Chelsea right back Malo Gusto was sent off in the 87th for collecting a second yellow card.

What's to come

Later Saturday, there are six more matches including league leader Arsenal at Fulham in a London derby and Manchester City hosting Everton.

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer