Why Nottingham Forest’s recent recruit could be their most important this summer

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Nottingham Forest has been a club in turmoil for more than half a decade.

Kuwaiti businessman Fawaz al Hasawi took over the club in the wake of club legend Nigel Doughty’s decision to step down as chairman, injecting millions of pounds into the club without the necessary infrastructure.

In a seemingly directionless fashion, outrageous wages were being paid to players that weren’t necessarily deserving of it. The reckless spending completely overshadowed the clubs income, and after numerous failed pushes for promotion to England’s top flight, al Hasawi’s real-life Football Manager save fell starkly back into reality.

Financial Fair Play restrictions brought the club’s transfer activity to a halt, severely inhibiting any further pushes at promotion with the copious cash being thrown around by the Championship’s rich kids.

Financial problems didn’t only affect incoming players to the club. Numerous winding up orders were issued due to players and club staff alike receiving their wages late on; men and women with families to support were left helpless for days or even weeks at times as a result of the poor quality of the club’s infrastructure.

In footballing terms, seven managers have left the City Ground during the Kuwaiti business magnate’s chairmanship. Many of those decisions were regarded as rash by fans, others necessary, but the overarching belief amongst fans was that Fawaz al Hasawi was and is not a “football man” and should not have soul responsibility of running the club.

In the wake of the series of questionable decisions during his tenure at the club, it’s not hard to see why.

Amongst rumours of a takeover from Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis, there are finally measures being taken to put the necessary infrastructure in place to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself at the City Ground.

Pedro Pereira has been appointed as the new Director of Football at Forest. After 13 years working at Portuguese club Sporting Braga and one at Serie A outfit Fiorentina in similar roles, the Portuguese decided to take up the challenge of trying to attain promotion to the Premier League.

Prior to the official announcement, he stated that “the team is very strong. However, the qualities are there and the company wants to make an effort to bring quality players, along with those who are already there now.”

The appointment of a person with such considerable experience in running a European football club is vital for Forest’s progression as a club as they try to reach the same heights as they did prior to the turn of the century.

Nonsensical transfers and absurd financial issues have plagued the club for a considerable time, but the al Hasawi era brought those issues sharply into focus.

With a man of Pereira’s experience will provide a vital service to whoever may own the club in the future, be it al Hasawi or Marinakis.

Taking control of transfers (direct control, many rumoured) away from the chairman of the club and placing them in the hands of a “football man” should provide the balance between sensible financial choices and those that benefit the club on the pitch, preventing the catastrophe of the recent years from repeating itself.

Fawaz al Hasawi obviously cares deeply about the club, but conflicting interests will always jeopardise decision making in situations like these. Distancing owners from footballing matters will almost always pay off, and certainly will in the case of Pedro Pereira’s appointment at Nottingham Forest.

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