Evangelos Marinakis wants Nottingham Forest repeat after silencing ‘laughing’ doubters
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has big ambitions for the Reds after achieving success with Olympiacos
by Sarah Clapson · NottinghamshireLiveOwner Evangelos Marinakis wants to bring European football back to Nottingham Forest - once the Reds have established themselves in the Premier League.
The Reds, of course, have a rich history of competing on the very biggest of stages. And Marinakis is keen to bring back those glory days for the double European Cup winners.
He knows what it takes, having overseen Olympiacos’ Europa Conference League success last season. The Greek giants, who are also owned by Marinakis, beat Fiorentina in May to become the first club from the country to win a European trophy.
That triumph has only fuelled Marinakis’ ambition for Forest. As the Reds look to push on in the top flight under head coach Nuno Espirito Santo this season, the goal one day is to then take the next step.
“Why not? We did it with Olympiacos, and that was the first time ever a Greek team had won a European cup. We were the underdogs; nobody believed it,” Marinakis told the BBC.
“All these years when I was saying that we (Olympiacos) would eventually win a European title, a lot of people were laughing. That’s better because it means less competition. It is better to be underestimated. We did it.
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“Why not? Nottingham Forest have a very good team. If we perform well in the Premier League and we get into a European competition, then why not?
“We have what is needed to go all the way. I really believe that. But the first target is to perform well in the Premier League, and then if Europe comes we will look forward to performing (in it).”
Marinakis’ vision for the future Trentside is particularly poignant as it comes on the 20th anniversary of Brian Clough’s death. The Reds great, who famously oversaw back-to-back European Cup titles, passed away on 20 September 2004 at the age of 69.