The Oliver Glasner blueprint to get Forest 'climbing a mountain'

Hitting the kind of heights owner Evangelos Marinakis is interested in requires scaling a few mountains. And at the moment, the Reds are preparing themselves for the climb.

Foundations have already been laid but in Glasner they have a new guide who has his own way of showing players the ropes. To continue the theme, the Austrian is certain the view from the top will be one to be savoured but he doesn’t want his charges to be distracted by that prospect.

Instead, their full focus is required on the task in hand. To that end, a 12-day trip to Portugal has been invaluable.

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Glasner’s first week in charge was spent Trentside. He already had good knowledge of the make-up of his squad when he arrived, but he has been eager to get to know his players on a more personal level.

He wants them to get to know him, too; to understand what he wants and how he expects them to play. In the heat of the Algarve, his ideas are quickly being taken on board.

“When we started, we told the players: ‘If you want to climb a mountain, it doesn't make sense to talk about how lovely it is when you are at the top of the mountain’,” Glasner said. “Now it's really about taking it step by step. There will be some stones on the way, so we have to stick together and we have to work.

“It's hard work at the end, but it's really lovely to watch from the top of the mountain. But right now, we've just started in the base camp so many steps left to go.”

Glasner has shown his squad videos of the way he wants them to go about matters on the pitch. Forest have had moments in their first two pre-season friendlies where that work has paid off - the two goals against Notts County, for example, came from moves worked on in training while Jair Cunha’s driving run in the build-up to Igor Jesus’ opener against Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday highlighted the idea that defence can be turned into attack.

The Reds are not there yet, though. Glasner still sees much room for improvement. In the midday Portuguese heat on Wednesday, he was vocal and animated on the touchline as he directed his team and shouted instructions.

Ola Aina, in particular, seemed to cop a few earfuls. It might have been only a friendly, but the work done now can hopefully pay dividends further down the line.

It is defensively where Glasner feels Forest still need to make strides. They have kept two clean-sheets and given up relatively few chances, but the boss wants more than that.

“Honestly, I think this is where we have most of our work to do still - even if we don’t give the opposition a lot,” he said, reflecting on the 3-0 win over Rovers. “The habits. Nobody is to blame for this because we have had only one-and-a-half training sessions and a very long video meeting showing them what we want to do.

“Let's say 60 per cent of the situations we are doing well, but then we fall back into other habits. It’s now working on consistency - showing them and training, and showing them and training so they get used to what we want them to do and how we want them to defend. But the players are really listening and they are working very hard.”

Much has been made about the likely switch to a three-man defence - as has been Glasner’s preference in previous jobs. But just as much emphasis has been placed on a way of playing as formations by the 51-year-old.

There is a positive atmosphere among the squad at present. There is a sense of anticipation about what the season might hold under Glasner. After all, he has arrived with a proven track record in winning silverware - not least courtesy of his trophy haul at Crystal Palace.

“It’s been really good and it’s really exciting,” said defender Zach Abbott. “The way he wants to play is really clear to us - in and out of possession. That’s credit to him and his staff for implementing it so quick. All of us players are really excited for what’s to come.”

It is a clean slate for everyone in the squad. Abbott recognises that as much as anyone, as a young player eager for more minutes.

Proving himself to a new manager is something he got used to last season, with the merry-go-round in full swing at the City Ground. But now it is hoped stability is the order of the day.

“That’s what I’ve learnt over the past year, that every time a new manager comes in it’s another chance to impress,” Abbott said. “That’s what the academy has drilled into us.

“He’s obviously got his own ideas of how he wants to play, but as a youngster, if you can impress massively then who knows what can happen. I can’t control what people’s opinions are, I can only control how I feel I’ve done myself.

“Everyone knows that is the case. It’s a new season and new pre-season and he has come in with his own ideas.

“He has got six weeks or so to implement his ideas. He hasn’t directly said it’s a clean slate for everyone but it’s definitely a chance to impress - and most of all improve and develop your game.”

Striker Taiwo Awoniyi has said he is convinced the season ahead will be a “good” one under Glasner. Midfielder Ryan Yates is certain there is a “special feeling” about the head coach. Forest will hope he can take them to the very top of the mountain.

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