Oliver Glasner will lead Nottingham Forest out at the City Ground for the first time on Wednesday when they face Bayer Leverkusen in their final pre-season home test before the new campaign begins.
It is a notable moment for Glasner, who has already taken Forest through seven pre-season friendlies away from home. That stretch has included one match at Meadow Lane, four games in Portugal and two in Italy at the weekend, leaving Wednesday's meeting with Bayer Leverkusen as the first chance for Forest supporters to see the team at home under the new head coach.
Glasner asks for patience as Forest continue to build
Glasner said he is very excited to be back in front of the Forest faithful, but he also stressed that the process is still in its early stages. Last month, he said it could take three to six months for players to adjust to a significant change in system, and that message still applies as Forest prepare for the new season.
He pointed to the fact that some players arrived late, including Dan Ndoye and Ibrahim Sangare, and said the squad still needs time to settle. Ndoye has only been with the club for five days, while Sangare was away for 12 or 13 days. Even so, Glasner said the work ethic and atmosphere at the training ground have been excellent, giving him confidence that the team will get where it wants to be.
Forest's meeting with Leverkusen also fits into the final stretch of their pre-season schedule. On Sunday, Nottingham Forest are due to face Stade Brestois at the City Ground, and in less than two weeks they begin the Premier League season against Leeds United. For Glasner, the timing makes Wednesday's match useful as well as symbolic: another high-level opponent, another chance to build sharpness, and another step toward the start of competitive football.
There is also a familiar angle for Glasner, who previously managed Crystal Palace away from home against Forest three times. This time, though, the setting is different. The City Ground will be his first home stage as Nottingham Forest head coach, and the club will hope that by the time the season begins, the progress he has seen in training starts to show in results as well.
