In 2017, Marinakis spelt out his vision for Nottingham Forest in his first Forest interview with BBC correspondent Richard Conway,
Marinakis told the BBC "We have a long-term plan and within this long-term plan we want to bring Nottingham to where it belongs. And of course Nottingham belongs in the Premier League. And Nottingham belongs to the elite of the Premier League," he says.
"Furthermore the supporters of Nottingham have been tired all these years, they didn't have such good times. But they remained loyal and for us that's very important.
"The potential is huge. The potential of this team is that when it will be very well organised, when it will achieve victories again, when it will have a better position in the Championship, when it will have a better position and we can look seriously at the Premier League, then we will be there to stay."
The Marinakis manifesto was
What next for The Marinakis manifesto?
Well, not sure this is the best time to overhaul a squad (again) as it is a short break, and finances hit due to the pandemic, but to me that also presents opportunity and to see if the Big Greek has got the money to invest in the side.
Reason for an opportunity, other clubs may need to sell, club, players, agents will not be able to demand such high wages and fees, align that with the FFP rules being relaxed as clubs get back on the "horse" and stabilize in this unsure financial times, surely we can take advantage of it?
Do Marinakis (and his co owner Socrates Kominakis, ) have the money, and the passion, that is the question?
His team (and where his heart lies and drives decisions) is Olympiacos, and he is now back on top in Greece, after splashing the cash on them Forest are a business he runs, and makes decisions with his head.
Well for me it is time to run with both his head and heart, if he wants success on and off the pitch.
IF he keeps Sabri, then he simply must back him, getting the recruitment right is crucial. January was a disaster and didn't help.
If he sacks him, then again, he needs to give the new guy every chance to succeed, someone who knows the league (Sabri himself said it took him ages to understand the Championship, yet i am sure he still doesn't which has been highlighted since project restart)
This also is the perfect time to get the plans for the City Ground approved, and starting the work whilst fans cannot attend games. I do think that would have been a hard decision to make to start work on building the new stand if we had got promoted, but now we face another year in the Championship, and no fans, its a no brainer to get the ball rolling on the work.
Marinakis told the BBC "We have a long-term plan and within this long-term plan we want to bring Nottingham to where it belongs. And of course Nottingham belongs in the Premier League. And Nottingham belongs to the elite of the Premier League," he says.
"Furthermore the supporters of Nottingham have been tired all these years, they didn't have such good times. But they remained loyal and for us that's very important.
"The potential is huge. The potential of this team is that when it will be very well organised, when it will achieve victories again, when it will have a better position in the Championship, when it will have a better position and we can look seriously at the Premier League, then we will be there to stay."
The Marinakis manifesto was
- Return "stability" to a club with "huge potential" which "belongs to the elite of the Premier League"
- Not make rash pledges, saying: "I never give promises - I deliver"
- Back Mark Warburton and says he will work within EFL financial rules to support him in the transfer market
- Formulate a 'fans advisory body' and 'youth council' with a representative attending board meetings
- Reduce ticket prices to reward fan loyalty
- Improve the City Ground
- Another year in the Championship (after previous seasons of flirting with relegation, we have improved in league, but after a hard long season, it was a bottle job that should go in the Guinness book of records (beating the Forest v Yeovil game)
- He hasn’t delivered yet – perhaps its time to make promises
- Well he didn’t support Mark, he soon sacked him, and Sabri was certainly not supported, even from a position of strength. In his tenure, we have sold more in transfer fees that we have spent, so yes worked within FFP, but the side is simply not good enough.
- He did that, and close ties with fans. Great and?
- Reduced ticket prices, then put them up
- Yes tidied it up, gave it a lick of paint renamed hospitality spots, but still waiting on the new stand
What next for The Marinakis manifesto?
Well, not sure this is the best time to overhaul a squad (again) as it is a short break, and finances hit due to the pandemic, but to me that also presents opportunity and to see if the Big Greek has got the money to invest in the side.
Reason for an opportunity, other clubs may need to sell, club, players, agents will not be able to demand such high wages and fees, align that with the FFP rules being relaxed as clubs get back on the "horse" and stabilize in this unsure financial times, surely we can take advantage of it?
Do Marinakis (and his co owner Socrates Kominakis, ) have the money, and the passion, that is the question?
His team (and where his heart lies and drives decisions) is Olympiacos, and he is now back on top in Greece, after splashing the cash on them Forest are a business he runs, and makes decisions with his head.
Well for me it is time to run with both his head and heart, if he wants success on and off the pitch.
IF he keeps Sabri, then he simply must back him, getting the recruitment right is crucial. January was a disaster and didn't help.
If he sacks him, then again, he needs to give the new guy every chance to succeed, someone who knows the league (Sabri himself said it took him ages to understand the Championship, yet i am sure he still doesn't which has been highlighted since project restart)
This also is the perfect time to get the plans for the City Ground approved, and starting the work whilst fans cannot attend games. I do think that would have been a hard decision to make to start work on building the new stand if we had got promoted, but now we face another year in the Championship, and no fans, its a no brainer to get the ball rolling on the work.
Everyone is entitled to my opinion - COYR :)
