Nottingham Forest legend Martin O'Neill has opened up on his exit from the club three years ago, speaking for the first time on how he got on with one of the club's biggest figures at the time.
A two-time European Cup winner with the Reds, the Irishman returned to the City Ground as manager in 2019. However, his stint was short-lived, lasting just over six months.
O'Neill was sacked one week into preseason despite the fact his win percentage of 42% was better than his predecessor Aitor Karanka (31%). It also turned out to be superior to that of Sabri Lamouchi (36%), his successor in the job.
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The 70-year-old has previously commented on his disappointment at being sacked and how he was "absolutely not in charge" of transfers at Forest. But he has never spoken about his relationship with then-CEO Ioannis Vrentzos, who has since been made a director.
O'Neill says that the two of them did not "see eye to eye" while he was at the club, but has been pleased by the job that Steve Cooper has done since becoming head coach last year. He added that the Welshman should be "delighted" by the transfer business the club has conducted this summer.
"It was a brief stint, I came in January and left in the first week of July. That was 19 games, we actually won the last three of the season, believe it or not," O'Neill told Premier Sports.
"Let me put it this way, we didn't - maybe not so much the owner, but certainly the chief executive at the time - we probably didn't see eye to eye.
"However, a couple of managers on, they've done brilliant. Fantastic young Cooper has got them up.
"And if I was him I'd be delighted with the signings they've brought in, even if he doesn't really know them all. It doesn't really matter, because the side would not have been strong enough to survive in the league."
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