Forest fans vent anger as McLeish lands manager's job ahead of Di Matteo just ONE day after O'Driscoll axing
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UPDATED:
23:18 GMT, 27 December 2012
ROUGH JUSTICE
Read Joe Ridge's Football League Blog for his opinion on Sean O'Driscoll's sacking just five months into the job
Nottingham Forest have confirmed the appointment of Alex McLeish as their new manager – just a day after parting company with Sean O'Driscoll.
The former Birmingham and Aston Villa boss will begin work tomorrow and will take charge of Saturday's npower Championship encounter with Crystal Palace at the City Ground.
The Scot, who will be presented to
the media following training tomorrow morning, welcomed the opportunity
to return to management at a club lying eighth in the second tier.

Wanted: McLeish has been out of a job since he was sacked as manager of Aston Villa on the final day of last season
'I'm really looking forward to working with Nottingham Forest,” McLeish told Forest's website.
'I've had time away from the game and now feel refreshed and ready to go.
'The fact that a club of Forest's magnitude has offered me a job excites me greatly – it's a wonderful opportunity.
'I can't wait to get started and I'm
looking forward to meeting the players, talking to them and taking my
first training session.'
'I'm delighted to welcome Alex to our
club and look forward to working with him,' Forest chairman Fawaz Al
Hasawi added.
'Alex took Birmingham to promotion from the Championship and has great experience of working in the Premier League.
'He's hungry for more success and I
believe he's the man who can help us fulfil our ambition of making it to
the Premier League.'
The 53-year-old McLeish, who has also
had spells in charge of Rangers and the Scotland national team, had
been out of work since being dismissed by Villa in May, after finishing
just two points above the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Shock: Roberto Di Matteo was a surprise contender for the Forest job

Missing out Roy Keane was in the stands for the match against Leeds United at the City Ground
News of McLeish's appointment was met with a lukewarm reception in Nottingham.
A local newspaper poll ran a list of
candidates in the wake of O'Driscoll's shock exit and McLeish
received no votes by way of support.
A number of supporters also took to Twitter to voice their frustration after being linked
with the likes of Roy Keane and Roberto Di Matteo, who lifted the Champions League
trophy with Chelsea last season.
Clency
Lebrasse (@Clency) posted: 'McLeish McLeish Is this a joke! Why
are forest raiding the brummie poundland for a boss Such an anti-climax
after hopes of a big name.

Harsh Sean O'Driscoll was sacked after Forest beat Leeds 4-2

Ruthless: (From l-r) Fawaz Al-Hasawi, Abdulaziz Al-Hasawi and Omar Al-Hasawi are determined to reach the Premier League
A RUTHLESS REGIME
New manager Alex McLeish may not feel too secure in his new position with how the Al-Hasawi family have treated his predecessors.
The Kuwaiti-based owners sacked Steve
Cotterill just two days after taking control of the club in July 2012.
Cotterill survived just nine months at Forest.
Sean O'Driscoll, who was sacked after a convincing win against Leeds on Boxing Day, parted ways with Nottingham Forest after joining the club five months earlier from Crawley Town.
Ben
List (@ACosmicHobo) added:'McLeish is a boring dour man who plays dour
boring football. They'll be no more 4-2s at the City Ground this year
🙁 #nffc'
Nick Pickard (@nickp210) said:
'Don't understand the appointment of Alex Mcleish, why would you get rid
of O'Driscoll for him. We will be going back to hoof ball again'
Simon
Ackrill (@simon_ackrill) was slightly more positive, adding: 'Not the
biggest fan of mcleish but we've certainly appointed worse! Just gotta
get behind the team and the new gaffa #COYR #nffc'
Ex-Chelsea chief Di Matteo
was the most popular choice but the former Italy international is
believed to be holding out for a post in the Premier League.
McLeish, who left Aston Villa under a cloud after fans reacted angrily to the former Birmingham boss' poor run of results, has remained in good shape and hopes to catapult his new club into the Premier League, a feat he performed with Birmingham City in the 2008-09 campaign.

Derided: McLeish left Aston Villa under a cloud after a poor run of form
