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The Australian manager is determined to persuade the club's directors to keep confidence in his managerial philosophy when he meets with the team's principal Evangelos Marinakis in coming days.

Resolute Forest boss detects signs of progress during winless run

The former Tottenham manager was in defiant, almost jocular form after the weekend loss at Newcastle. It prolonged his winless streak to seven games since he replaced Nuno Espírito Santo recently. Yet Postecoglou, who unusually started with a back five, detected signs of improvement as he prepares for vital talks with club officials.

"Yes, it’s a lost cause," he said, with irony. "I view this as an thrilling chance. You have to be up for the fight and the struggle. It would be foolish to be in this position at the age of 60 if I lacked confidence or fight. Even in the schoolyard I picked fights with people that beat me up."

Top flight pantomime gently mocked

Expanding on his point, Postecoglou gently mocked the drama of English top division that typically requires that at least one manager is always deemed 'in trouble'. "I get that this is part of the fanfare of the top division that it requires one manager to be in the limelight. If people want to evaluate my work less than a month into the role, there's nothing I can say or do that will alter that perception."

"However my observations and felt in this period is that we are moving in the path I want us to. Positive outcomes will arrive. For now it is a struggle and a contest and there is nothing wrong with that. We don't have things provided easily on a plate in life, we have to work hard. I have fought for things throughout my career. Why must everyone want everything perfectly arranged? Modern mentality today seems to be that, as soon as something fails, you replace it."

Accepting the test at the club

During the lighthearted exchange, he implied that one reporter might have been "a lost cause at certain time but your parents persevered on you."

Postecoglou then restated that he had walked into the City Ground with his eyes wide open and always recognized that his effort to change Forest’s playing style would not be easy. "I knew this was a big challenge," he said. "There's nothing wrong with that. I don't know why people think difficulties are a problem, I love a challenge. The other option is sitting at home viewing matches and I don't want to do that. If you guys have a lot fun around it I am unconcerned. It doesn't bother me."