Mike Phelan was in charge of Hull City for just 24 games but is reportedly keen to get his managerial career back on track with Nottingham Forest.
The sacking of Mark Warburton last week left Nottingham Forest fans split down the middle.
For all those who felt he was building something at the City Ground, for all those who admired the easy-on-the-eye style of play he was attempting to instil, his critics justifiably pointed to a run of one win in seven, a tally of 14 Championship defeats and an ongoing inability to organise a defence.
Warburton’s side was, in truth, far too beatable. But that is not something you could say about Aitor Karanka’s Middlesbrough.
The out-of-work Spaniard, who guided Boro to the Premier League in 2016, has emerged has as one of the frontrunners to take over at the City Ground and would appear to be a largely popular appointment among the Forest fanbase.
Certainly more so than Mike Phelan. The former Manchester United assistant coach has not managed since being relieved of his duties by Hull City a year ago, just three months after being appointed as their full-time manager.
In total, those 24 games at Hull remain the only time that Phelan has managed a club in a solo capacity – and he lost 13 of them.
So you can understand why Nottingham Forest fans are a little concerned after The Sun (2nd December, page 49) reported that Phelan was keen on taking Warburton’s place on the City Ground bench.
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