Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has explained the decision to re-appoint former coach Michel Gonzalez at Olympiacos.
The Greek giants had been on the search for a new boss since Marinakis took the decision to part ways with Carlos Corberan earlier this month. A reported meeting earlier this week led to the re-appointment of Michel, seven-and-a-half years after the manager was sacked from the same role.
The 59-year-old managed Olympiacos between February 2013 and January 2015, winning two Greek Championships and one Greek Cup. He also took charge of memorable matches including a shock 2-0 win over Manchester United in the first leg of a Champions League last 16 clash in 2014.
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Forest will be hoping that the new manager will help the development of loanees Josh Bowler and Hwang Ui-Jo, who both joined the club on temporary deals after signing for the Reds in the summer. Taking to social media to address the appointment, Marinakis explained that it was nights such as the United game that convinced him to re-appoint Gonzalez this time around.
"I welcome you all to Michel's presentation and to have a few words about him,” he wrote on Instagram. "Michel doesn't need any special introduction. We all know him from his tenure at Olympiacos and much more than his tenure as a footballer, top footballer, but also as a coach. With Mitchell we lived very good times, unrepeatable European nights, with an Olympiacos playing very good football and looking at the best teams in Europe and champions in Spain, Italy, even Manchester United.
“ We remember all these matches. We looked them in the eyes, we played good football, it wasn't just defence to get the result and we all enjoyed that. Also, what he accomplished was the players' psychology to be right to face these teams and win them.
“He also knows us well, he knows many people who have been with us for years. We had a good cooperation and when we stopped working we remained friends and everyone wanted the best for each other.
“And Michel, the best of Olympiacos, and for us, may he go well wherever he was. There was a contact, so there is no adjustment period. That's all I have to say we don't need to talk much. "I believe what is needed is a lot of work, focus and good performance in the field."
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