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The badge is bigger than any manager,” the new Forest boss 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 likely as big as the badge – we all know who that was.”} Following that, an imitation of Brian Clough, a crack at that unique drawl. “‘Young ginger, well done,’” he recalled, reliving his three years as a trainee at the City Ground, the period he spent strolling down the river, with Clough’s labrador, whizzing past him and his boss's voice always within hearing range.

The coach tells a anecdote of how, as a youngster, he and a few others looked after the manager's yard at his residence in Quarndon. “We were on £28.50 a week and he gave you a ten pounds to do his garden. So we really thought: ‘This is decent.’ He’d cook for you and make sure you were well looked after. It was rather fun, not too much yard work.”

For Dyche, this moment has been a long time in the making. He resides in the city and has a fondness for the team. In lately, he and his longstanding coach his deputy, who was a member of the Forest squad the previous occasion they were in European competition, in the mid-90s, have occasionally popped into the West Bridgford coffee shop where Forest legends such as Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and a famous name meet every week to talk old and new tales. He will have to give it a miss this time to get ready for the visit of the Portuguese side, unbeaten this campaign, in the Europa League on this week.

I can't wait to meeting the miracle men,” said the manager, who replaced the previous coach to become the team's third manager of the term. I'll get an earful if I fail to deliver, so I better secure some games for them. Those guys are important to me. A lot of supporters recognise the legacy of this club. I’ve got my own and now I’ve got a opportunity to reshape my personal history, I suppose, as coach.”

Dyche oversaw the team training for the initial session on this week, three days after Postecoglou watched a 3‑0 at home loss by the London club that placed the side in the top division relegation zone. Ryan Yates, who joined aged eight, acknowledged these are early days but he and his team have alleviated some of the negativity.

His staff features another club icon in Steve Stone, as well as Billy Mercer and another staff member, both of whom played for the team. “I feel like a huge asset of this club is fostering the bond between the supporters, players and manager and, frankly, the last few weeks we haven’t had a positive feeling around here,” Yates said. “The new manager and his staff have introduced that sense of vitality and energy.”

Dyche emphasized he does not “know the club like the back of my hand” given his most recent encounter at the club has been as an rival boss, but he believes he has a broader grasp of the place and expectations. The house rules have been laid. “I’ve let them wear white socks, for goodness sake,” the manager commented. I expect my former teammates criticizing me on messaging. But they’re forbidden to wear snoods or headgear … I had to make a compromise somewhere.”

Forest have lost their past four matches and failed to secure a victory since the start of the season. The coach mentioned the proprietor, Evangelos Marinakis, understood the significance of steadying the situation. Dyche encountered the wealthy individual in the European competition with Burnley, when his team lost in a qualifier against the Greek side in 2018. Following the initial match Dyche expressed anger at Olympiakos dignitaries, among them Marinakis, confronting the referees at the break in the stadium. “We had a bit of a giggle,” he said.

Part of his attraction is his reputation for building teams with strong foundations, relevant for a team without a clean sheet in 20 matches. People categorize me, I’m not bothered,” he said. “I’ve never tried to hide behind what’s effective. It’s no point of pride to me. Five years ago people were saying: ‘Why do you depend on set pieces?’ Now they’re in vogue. Skinny jeans, wide-leg pants, skinny jeans, bell-bottoms … my daughter hammers me for whatever trousers I wear. It seems on online platforms even I got some stick for my trainers walking into practice [on Tuesday] … couldn’t believe that. A brand [trainers] but, regardless, prefer not to bring it up it.”

The manager is pleased that his formative years were at the club but believes that should not mean he or his staff are judged differently. No easy path with the supporters, but we do care, that’s one thing I don’t think can ever be questioned,” he remarked. My only aspiration was putting on the jersey, but I didn't manage to do it. Steve Stone and Woany succeeded, Billy played as a temporary keeper, Tony wore it and scored a strike. I was the sole person who failed to and they constantly tell me of that.

“In my case to have that part of it is a big thing for me individually. But it doesn't grant me a divine right, believe me. The supporters expect me to succeed. If I’m not winning, the crowd are going to criticize me because that’s the way supporters work and I’ve got no issue with that because that’s the reality. I was at the club as a kid and didn't get to wear the kit, the emblem. Well, currently, I’m sitting with it on me.”