Is Mullholland The Man To Fill Brazil Void?

North of the Border; will the Glaswegian influx help cement Forest’s position above the Championship border?

Whether its Toffolo and O’Brien, Lingard and Henderson, Lodi and Felipe, Danilo and Scarpa, Wood and Shelvey – and the list could go on, one rare consistency in Forest’s strategy this season has been to couple characters that have been previously familiar. This has withstood the tumultuous course of the season and looks set to continue, as the arrival of 39-year-old Ross Wilson in April 2023, replacing Filippo Giraldi after just six months in charge, appears likely to be followed by the appointment of Craig Mulholland, Wilson’s former colleague at Rangers, to fill the void left by Gary Brazil.

While somewhat less headline grabbing, these appointments are bound to have huge impacts behind the scenes, as Wilson becomes Sporting Director and Mulholland Academy Director. This inflow of Rangers backroom staff to the very centre of the Forest machine will herald yet more transition, however, the propensity for a longer-term settlement ought to be encouraging. But what are the likely changes and how will the club be affected both on and off the pitch?

There can be no dispute that Rangers fans were happy to see the back of Ross Wilson, who had been the subject of intense criticism for the Gers’ relatively ineffective transfer dealings of late. After John Bennett’s take-over as Chairman and amid rumours of interest from Forest, it seemed mutually beneficial that Wilson stepped aside. A degree of trepidation amongst the Forest fanbase may understandably follow Wilson’s appointment as a result of such an unamicable close to his time at Rangers, however, a more informed dive into Wilson’s career and time in Scotland can help ease some concerns.

Having worked at Watford, Huddersfield, and Southampton prior to his time at Rangers, Wilson has frequently operated within the top-flight of English football, and even been a feature during Rangers’ visit to the Europa League final. Adding to the success overseen on the pitch at Rangers is the undefeated campaign under Steven Gerrard, but more attributable to Wilson himself are the record transfer fees received during his tenure. Rangers brought in 14m Euros from Everton for Nathan Patterson and 23m Euros from Ajax for Calvin Bassey, the two highest amounts brought in in the club’s history. John Bennett also praised Wilson’s role in transforming the Rangers Training Centre, critically the playing surfaces, which included a new pitch at Ibrox and new changing rooms.

The emphasis upon improvement of training ground facilities which was such a core feature of Wilson’s time at Rangers suggests a close coalition with the academy director, Craig Mulholland, who is rumoured to be the main filling the huge void left by Gary Brazil. The 45-year-old had spent twenty years at Rangers, ending with nearly £20m worth of player sales in the last five years – a huge amount in the Scottish market. Similar to Wilson, Mulholland described his vision as ‘underpinned by strong processes and modern, innovative technologies.’ These two men, relatively early in their careers, both appear committed to modernisation and evolution, something which perhaps makes them attractive to Forest as the club settle into the top-flight, having undergone a rapid and somewhat unplanned-for rise.

There were unnerving reports that Wilson may seek a reunion with Steven Gerrard in the dugout at Forest during the latter stages of the season, yet the relationship between the incoming director and managers has shown promise of being more forward-thinking and less reliant upon reigniting the fires of the past. While Michael Beale declared that he had ‘lost an ally,’ when Wilson left, Steve Cooper has praised the new Sporting Director for developing the club’s infrastructure – deftly acknowledging that there are elements within the club which require improvement, through no fault of any individual, but merely as a result of the recent successes.

As Forest progress into their second campaign in the Premier League, the incoming Sporting and Academy Director’s historical commitment to wholesale redevelopment of club facilities invites some optimism. The looming stadium redevelopment, obvious need for changes in the medical department (given the injury record of last season) and Cooper’s transparency with regards to the need for training ground redevelopment will all fall under the remit of the new arrivals in some capacity. Yet, Wilson’s impact, good or bad, will doubtless be more immediate due to his involvement in the transfer market, which has thus far seemed more cautious than last summer – hardly a difficult achievement.

While Forest fans keep an eye out for the imminent arrival of Craig Mulholland, possible disappointment over the exit of Gary Brazil ought to be tempered by an appreciation of the competencies and experience which is being brought in. Football is a ruthless business where sentimentality runs low at the best of times and the arrival of two unfamiliar names into the heart of the backroom staff should be seen as a necessary step in the evolution of Nottingham Forest.