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Ange Postecoglou is set to persuade the club's directors to retain faith in his managerial philosophy when he meets with the team's principal Evangelos Marinakis in coming days.

Defiant Postecoglou detects signs of progress amid winless run

The former Tottenham manager was in unbowed, almost jocular form after the weekend loss at Newcastle. It extended his winless streak to seven games since he replaced Nuno Espírito Santo recently. Yet Postecoglou, who unusually started with a back five, identified indications of improvement as he prepares for vital talks with club officials.

"Yes, this is hopeless," he said, sarcastically. "I see it as an exciting opportunity. You have to be up for the battle and the challenge. I’d be silly to be sitting here at the sixty years old if I was without self-belief or fight. Even in the schoolyard I picked fights with people that defeated me."

Premier League theater gently mocked

Warming to his theme, Postecoglou lightly teased the pantomime of Premier League football that typically requires that at least one manager is always deemed 'in trouble'. "I get that this is part of the fanfare of the Premier League that it requires one manager to be in the spotlight. If people want to assess me less than a month into the role, there's nothing I can say or actions that will alter that perception."

"However my observations and felt in this timeframe is that we are heading in the direction I desire us to. The results will come. For now it is a struggle and a fight and there is nothing wrong with that. Life doesn't give things provided easily on a plate in life, we have to fight. I've struggled for things all my life. Why does everyone want everything neatly packaged? Modern mentality today seems to be that, as quickly as something goes wrong, you replace it."

Accepting the challenge at the club

During the lighthearted exchange, he suggested that a journalist might have been "hopeless at certain time but your parents didn't give up on you."

The manager then reiterated that he had joined the City Ground with his eyes wide open and always understood that his attempt to alter Forest’s playing style would not be straightforward. "I knew this was a significant test," he said. "There's nothing wrong with that. I'm unsure why people think difficulties are a burden, I love a challenge. The other option is staying home watching games and I prefer not to do that. If you guys have great enjoyment about this situation I don't care. I couldn't care less."