Oliver Glasner will lead Nottingham Forest out at the City Ground for the first time on Wednesday when the club faces Bayer Leverkusen, a moment that gives supporters their first home look at the new head coach in charge. Forest then stay at the City Ground for another friendly against Stade Brestois on Sunday.
Glasner said he was very excited about the occasion, but he also asked for patience. Speaking to Roundtable in Udine after the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup, he pointed to the work already being done in training and said he could see progress, even if the results have not shown it yet.
That balance matters because Forest have spent all seven of their pre-season friendlies away from home, including four in Portugal, two in Italy at the weekend and one close by at Meadow Lane. Wednesday is the first chance for the City Ground crowd to see the side on home turf under Glasner before the Premier League opener against Leeds United in less than two weeks.
The gap between promise and readiness still hangs over the side. Glasner said some players arrived late after the World Cup and that it can take three to six months for a squad to adjust to such a major change in system. He singled out Dan Ndoye, who had been with the club for only five days when he spoke, and Ibrahim Sangare, who had been away for 12 or 13 days, as examples of why the process is still at an early stage.
Even so, Glasner sounded convinced by the atmosphere around the group and the intensity of the work. He said the training ground has been top and that top opposition is exactly what Forest need now if they are to be ready for the league. Bayer Leverkusen offers that test first, with Stade Brestois to follow at the City Ground on Sunday.
For Forest, Wednesday is less about a result than a first real home reading of where the team stands under Glasner. The next few days will not settle everything, but they should give a clearer view of how quickly his ideas are taking hold.
