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Nottingham Forest legend Martin O’Neill has been making headlines with his recent media appearances, as some of his comments have sparked debate among the fans.
It’s no secret that O’Neill isn’t the biggest fan of Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, a sentiment he made clear during a rant on talkSPORT in November 2019, shortly after his brief tenure as the Reds’ manager.
The Northern Irishman’s criticism of Marinakis has continued, as evidenced by his recent comments on The Overlap alongside Roy Keane, who was his assistant coach during his time at the club.
Nottingham Forest Fans React to Martin O’Neill’s Criticism of Lewis Grabban
However, it’s O’Neill’s harsh criticism of former Nottingham Forest striker Lewis Grabban that has rubbed some fans the wrong way. The former manager revealed that he wished he could have sold Grabban almost immediately after taking the job, a seemingly unnecessary swipe at a player who is still highly regarded by the club’s supporters.
Grabban, who has since taken up a role in the Forest academy since retiring, has been a fan favorite, with one supporter stating: “Grabban was captain when we got promoted at 23 years. Legend in my eyes for my generation.”
- “The effort Martin O’Neill is going to, to remove his legend status at Forest is quite something,” said one fan.
- “Awful take on Grabban, too. Say what you like about him on a personal level, what he gave our club was excellent,” added another.
- “Think Martin O’Neill just needs to lay low at this point because there’s a generation of Forest fans that see Lewis Grabban as more of a Forest hero than him,” commented one supporter.
Another fan succinctly summed up the sentiment, stating: “All the respect in the world for Martin O’Neill, but he’s just so obviously bitter.”
Lewis Grabban Was Involved in a Training Ground Dispute Under Martin O’Neill
The tension between O’Neill and Grabban may have stemmed from a reported training ground dispute during the former’s tenure. According to the Daily Mail, Grabban was said to be taking advice from his personal fitness coach, which at times conflicted with the opinion of the club’s physiotherapists.
This issue came to a head the week before a match against Derby, with Forest officials questioning the extent of Grabban’s Achilles problem. The report stated that Grabban “took exception and left the Nigel Doughty Academy visibly irritated.”
While this incident may have contributed to O’Neill’s negative perception of Grabban, the striker’s subsequent goalscoring exploits and his role in the club’s recent success should surely outweigh any past grievances in the eyes of the Nottingham Forest faithful.
Conclusion:
It’s clear that Martin O’Neill’s recent comments have ruffled the feathers of Nottingham Forest fans, particularly when it comes to his criticism of club legend Lewis Grabban. However, the overall sentiment seems to be that O’Neill’s bitterness has overshadowed his own achievements and status within the club. As the fans have made clear, Grabban’s contributions to the club’s success are more important than any perceived personal issues between the two individuals.
