Oliver Glasner arrives at Nottingham Forest with a clear message and an even clearer mission: restore order, then chase glory. After steering Crystal Palace to three trophies in two years — including a Europa League title — the Austrian manager has been handed perhaps the most complex rebuilding job of his career.

Forest endured a chaotic 2025-26 campaign, cycling through four managers in 12 months and finishing 16th in the Premier League. Only Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers suffered a steeper drop in points compared to the season before. Both of those clubs also enter this campaign under new management — Wolves in a different division entirely.

Setting the tone early

Glasner wasted little time identifying what needs to change. Speaking to Sky Sports from Forest's training base in West Bridgford, he delivered an honest assessment of the squad's mentality. "Great talent is here," he said. "But sometimes the atmosphere is maybe a little bit too laid back. We really must find the balance between hard work on the pitch, giving the best, and all coming together to get to our top level. We want the best version of every single player."

The 51-year-old is not typically associated with iron-fisted rule-setting — meticulous and self-confessedly obsessive about work, yes, but not a manager who imposes rigid structures off the pitch. At Forest, however, he acknowledges that firmer ground rules are necessary after such prolonged turbulence.

A system built on detail

Glasner's tactical identity is well-established: disciplined, combative, structured — sides that punch above their weight through a combination of sharp open play and ruthless set-piece delivery. Possession is not a prerequisite for danger under his watch.

The squad has already adapted to his preferred system, and defender Nikola Milenkovic offered an insight into the new regime. "He is a bit of a perfectionist," Milenkovic said. "He goes through small details. Sometimes that is what really decides a game."

Centre-back Ousmane Diomande has arrived as the headline summer signing, though Glasner — a former defender himself — is pushing for "one or two more" additions before the transfer window closes.

Ambition tempered by realism

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is not a man known for modest expectations, and the success Glasner delivered at Crystal Palace was a primary reason for his appointment. Yet Glasner is careful to frame his first objective in measured terms.

"Number one priority is getting stability into the club," he said. "Nobody wanted so many changes last season, but it happened. We need stability for everyone. And then we can talk about establishing in the top half of the table, but we have to be humble and go step-by-step."

He added: "If you only do the same you will always get the same." It is a sentiment his players appear to have embraced, with Morgan Gibbs-White and other key figures remaining at the City Ground despite reported interest from rival clubs.

Forest open their Premier League season against Leeds on Saturday, with Glasner determined to ensure that this time, a European semi-final is a springboard — not the high-water mark.