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The emblem is bigger than every manager,” Sean Dyche declared at his unveiling as the club's manager, sporting a training top with his initials. He then, corrected himself. Actually, there was one manager who was probably as big as the badge – we all know who that was.”} Following that, an imitation of Brian Clough, a crack at that unique accent. Lad, well done,’” he said, reliving his time as a trainee at the club's stadium, the days he spent wandering down the Trent, with Clough’s labrador, whizzing past him and his manager’s voice invariably within hearing range.

Dyche shares a story of how, as a youth player, he and a few others tended Clough’s garden at his residence in the area. “We were on £28.50 a week and he paid you a tenner to do his lawn. So we really thought: ‘This is pretty good.’ He’d prepare food for you and ensure you were cared for. It was quite fun, not too much yard work.”

For Dyche, this moment has been a long time in the planning. He lives in the area and has a fondness for the team. In lately, he and his longstanding assistant Ian Woan, who was a member of the Forest squad the previous occasion they were in Europe, in 1995‑96, have occasionally visited the West Bridgford coffee shop where club icons such as a former player, Colin Barrett and Garry Birtles gather every Thursday to discuss old and new tales. He will have to skip it this time to get ready for the arrival of the Portuguese side, unbeaten this campaign, in the Europa League on this week.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the miracle men,” remarked the manager, who succeeded Ange Postecoglou to become Forest’s latest head coach of the season. I'll get an earful if I fail to deliver, so I better win some matches for them. Those guys mean a lot to me. A lot of supporters recognise the history of this institution. I have personal ties and now I’ve got a opportunity to reinvent my own story, I guess, as manager.”

Dyche took the team practice for the first time on Tuesday, a short while after Postecoglou watched a 3‑0 at home loss by the London club that placed the club in the Premier League drop zone. the club captain, who joined as a child, acknowledged these are just the start but Dyche and his team have alleviated some of the negativity.

Dyche’s staff features one more Forest hero in Steve Stone, as well as a coach and Tony Loughlan, both of whom featured for the club. In my view a huge strength of this organization is getting the connection between the fans, squad and coach and, frankly, the recent period we haven’t had a good feeling around here,” the captain stated. “The new manager and his staff have introduced that sense of life and energy.”

He made clear he does not understand the team like the inside out” considering his most recent experience at Forest has been as an rival manager, but he believes he has a wider understanding of the environment and expectations. The house rules have been laid. “I’ve let them wear light-colored footwear, for goodness sake,” the manager commented. I expect my former teammates caning me on WhatsApp. But they’re forbidden to wear snoods or headgear … I had to do a compromise somewhere.”

The team have lost their past four fixtures and failed to secure a victory since the start of the season. Dyche mentioned the proprietor, Evangelos Marinakis, recognised the significance of stabilising things. Dyche faced the wealthy individual in the European competition with Burnley, when his team were beaten in a qualifier against Olympiakos in 2018. After the first leg he voiced anger at club officials, among them the owner, approaching the referees at half-time in Piraeus. We laughed about it,” Dyche recalled.

One aspect of Dyche’s appeal is his image for constructing teams with solid foundations, relevant for a team without a clean sheet in 20 matches. “I’ve been put in many boxes, I’m not bothered,” he said. I don't avoid behind what’s effective. It’s no badge of honour to me. Five years ago people were going: ‘Why do you rely on set pieces?’ Now they’re popular. Skinny jeans, flared jeans, slim fits, flared jeans … my child hammers me for any trousers I wear. It seems on online platforms even I got some stick for my trainers walking into training [on Tuesday] … couldn’t believe that. A brand [trainers] but, anyway, don’t like to bring it up it.”

Dyche is pleased that his formative years were at Forest but thinks that should not mean he or his staff are evaluated in a special way. No easy path with the fans, but we do care, that’s a point I believe can ever be doubted,” he remarked. “All I dreamt of was wearing the jersey, but I never got to do it. Stoney and Ian Woan did, Billy Mercer did as a temporary keeper, Tony Loughlan wore it and scored a goal. I was the only one who didn’t and they keep reminding me of that.

“For me to have that part of it is a significant matter for me individually. But it doesn't grant me a divine right, believe me. The supporters expect me to succeed. If I’m failing, the fans are going to criticize me because how supporters work and I’ve got no problem with that because it's the truth. I was here as a kid and never wore the shirt, the emblem. Well, now, I’m sitting with it wearing it.”