Gary Brazil remains in caretaker charge at Nottingham Forest and oversaw a second win from his third game in charge when beating Rotherham on Tuesday.
Had things worked out differently that game would have been Nigel Clough’s first I charge but he opted to reject the Forest advances to remain with relegation rivals Burton.
Brazil could end up becoming Philippe Montanier’s replacement on a permanent basis but he continues to remain coy on the chances of this happening.
The 54 year old said his focus had been on securing players ahead of the transfer deadline – and of course securing results – so he hadn’t even considered becoming the full time boss at the City Ground.
He told BBC Radio Nottingham.
‘Me and a number of key staff are trying very hard to make sure we do the job properly. We are making sure we can get ourselves in a sensible place in the league where a squad of this quality should be. Right now all the concentration has been going to the end of January on the window. The days have been long and we have worked hard on the training squad, and trying to strengthen the squad.’
Fawaz Al Hasawi will ultimately be the man who determines what happens with Brazil but after the Forest owner had met with Clough last week he decided not to return to the club to become the Reds’ boss.
However, Clough has said the uncertainty at the City Ground wasn’t behind his decision it simply wasn’t the ‘right time’ or ‘right thing’ to do. He told BBC Radio Derby.
‘I cannot tell you how attractive a proposition it is to go to Nottingham Forest. But it’s not the right time or the right thing to do.’
Adding.
‘I had a chat with the chairman (Al Hasawi). He came across very well, no problems at all. It was totally down to staying here. It was choosing a matter of principle. It was loyalty not to jump ship mid-season with the position we are in.’
The 50 year old finished by saying as much as it didn’t feel right to leave Burton again – having done so in 2009 to become Derby boss – he’s taking a never say never approach to a potentially one day taking charge at Forest.
‘Once that answer’s a no, then that answers the other question. Last time we left, we were 13 or 14 points clear in the Conference in different circumstances. Had we been halfway up the table and nearly safe by now it might have been a different question to consider – but not when we are battling away. All of the staff thought about it. We came in Monday morning and we were all agreed that it didn’t feel the right time to leave. But you never say never. Football is far too unpredictable to say things like that.’
