All Ready For A Successful Season.

Calderwood today pledged that his Forest side were ready for the big kick-off in League One – and now have the self-belief to succeed.

Forest suffered a 3-2 defeat in their final pre-season friendly of the summer against Leeds, but the Reds boss was encouraged by the performance.

They dominated the Championship side for long periods, particularly in the second half.

Leeds won following a controversial free-kick from Erik Bakke and a late own goal from Wes Morgan, which saw them overturn the 2-1 lead Forest had gained through Nathan Tyson and Grant Holt. David Healy had initially given the visitors the lead in the third minute.

Calderwood was pleased to see two strikers find the back of the net, to bring an end to Forest’s pre-season goal drought – but was more enthusiastic about Forest’s defensive resolve and commitment.

‘It is good that Nathan and Grant scored, because it helps them. What we have to do is not concede, that is the important thing,’ he said.

‘I felt the way we had been playing would create enough opportunities for people to score and that was proven against Leeds.

‘I have never been a striker. They all tell me it does make a difference to them if they do score a goal.

‘But I was always more confident as a player when the team did not concede. I felt better when my team-mates around me were 100% committed to the cause, which I feel we have at the minute.

‘We had the worst possible start, we came out in front of our home supporters for the first time this season and we go behind to an early goal. But we showed character.

‘We dug in, we responded well, which was about going to the other end and creating chances.’

Calderwood again began the match with a three man central defence – but intimated that a more traditional four-man defence would be used against Bradford in the first match of the season on Saturday.

‘From my point of view, I hope people walked away thinking that we looked like a good team with different attributes in different areas. We are not one-dimensional,’ he said.

‘We just have to get the best way that we think is right. But whatever way we line up, we will pose people problems.

‘We have tied down the way we want to play, but the reason we have played three at the back for much of pre-season is the boys know 4-4-2 well, they were very comfortable with that when they switched to it in the second half.

‘There were enough positives in the game, the lads were quietly confident in the dressing room afterwards,’ he added. ‘They feel as though they have done enough to feel happy with themselves, but they are quiet because they haven’t won.’