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Nuno responds to Evangelos Marinakis ban question as Nottingham Forest suspension continues
Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is confident headlines about off-field behaviour will not prove a distraction for Nottingham Forest.
On the back of a fine start to the Premier League season, the Reds sit eighth in the table ahead of Friday night’s trip to Leicester City (8pm kick-off). They claimed their first home win of the campaign by seeing off Crystal Palace 1-0 on Monday and will now be keen to make it seven away games unbeaten when they go to the King Power Stadium.
But amid their positive form, the Reds have mostly been in the national news in recent days for sanctions meted out to Nuno, owner Evangelos Marinakis and attacker Morgan Gibbs-White. However, the Forest boss is insistent his team are simply focused on matters on the pitch.
“Hopefully not,” Nuno said, when asked if negative headlines could be distracting. “We have to stick to what we can control, which is what happens on the pitch. Hopefully it doesn’t distract us and we keep being focused on what happens on the pitch.”
As was the case against Palace, Nuno will be watching from the stands against the Foxes as he serves the second of a three-match touchline ban. He has been punished for swearing at the match officials during last month’s 2-2 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Nuno says the situation did not impact his team’s performance on Monday. He is certain it will be the same again when they face Steve Cooper’s side.
“We are taking care of that and making sure things go normal, like it was on Monday,” he said. “We were in constant communication with the coaching staff. Now we are trying to prepare the same for Leicester.
“There are places (to watch from), like the analysts’ box. What I want is to be in touch with the coaching staff.”
Gibbs-White is eligible to face City after serving his one-match ban for his reaction to being sent off against Brighton, although it remains to be seen if he is fit to play. Marinakis will not be present as he serves the second of a five-game stadium ban after being accused of “spitting on the floor” as the match officials walked past him in the City Ground tunnel area after last month’s defeat to Fulham.
“We didn’t have a chance to speak about it and it’s an issue that is not of my concern. I don’t want to comment on it,” Nuno said of the Greek’s situation.
