NafisaEvangelos Marinakis’ drive has brought incredibly thrilling moments at Nottingham Forest, but one choice he might make may not sit well with Reds supporters.
The Forest owner’s summer could turn out to be more complicated than initially expected, as Nuno Espírito Santo may depart his position as head coach amid attention from clubs in Europe and Saudi Arabia.
Nevertheless, Nottingham Forest News sources indicate that Forest plan to present Espírito Santo with a fresh contract to prevent the situation from reaching the stage of his exit.
This would give Marinakis the freedom to concentrate on incoming signings, along with one legacy-shaping matter that could make him quite unpopular at the club if he missteps.
Evangelos Marinakis could take alarming City Ground action:
The club’s proposed upgrades at the City Ground are well known, with Marinakis intending to develop the iconic stadium into a 50,000-seat venue to reflect the club’s forward momentum.
As of January, progress on the City Ground project was moving forward, but was eventually paused for the campaign, as the City Ground is set to host the England men’s national team in June.
Still, according to Tom Collomosse of the Daily Mail in a recent Q&A session, the development isn’t in the most promising state.
He said: “Forest hope to start redevelopment work in summer 2026 but there are still hurdles to clear, and Forest retain the option of building an entirely new home elsewhere – as unpopular as that would be initially with their supporters.
“Stadium projects can be infuriating for fans as there is continual back-and-forth with local government and other stakeholders, which delays the process. Look at how long Arsenal and Tottenham needed to deliver their new grounds.
“Marinakis would never publicly tie himself to a certain date as it would weaken his negotiating position, but the Forest owner wants the club to play in front of 50,000 and if that’s not possible at the City Ground, he won’t be afraid to take the tough decision.”
Definitely troubling for the vast majority of Forest followers who would loathe leaving the City Ground, Marinakis’ stance on this matter hasn’t shifted much lately.
Evangelos Marinakis has already alluded to a City Ground exit:
Michael Dawson encouraged Forest to stay at the City Ground much like the fans have done, but the thought of constructing a new stadium has always lingered in Marinakis’ mind.
In a conversation with the Daily Mail nearly one year ago, the Forest chief was asked about the City Ground redevelopment, and his response was foreboding.
He said: “It will change the history in years to come of the region and the team for our supporters.
“It’ll be hard to leave City Ground, but in an age when revenue streams dictate success on the pitch, there’s no doubt moving to a bigger facility will set the club on the right path.”
Forest supporters will be praying that this “right path” doesn’t steer their club away from their cherished ground, but the ongoing setbacks to the renovation project could push Marinakis to consider a different direction.
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