Forest backed themselves into a corner after the failed Postecoglou experiment.
They wanted the new man in before Thursday’s Europa League visit of Porto – and Dyche has to restore the organisation and solidity which was so evident under Nuno Espirito Santo, who took them to seventh in the Premier League last season.
Centre-backs Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic were nervous with Postecoglou’s more open style, while Matz Sels, who shared the Golden Glove with Arsenal’s David Raya last season, is yet to keep a clean sheet this term and was culpable for at least one goal against Chelsea.
Elliot Anderson is someone who has maintained his form and has had the most touches, 807, in the Premier League this season – but the midfielder is an exception to the rule.
It means Dyche will immediately need to understand the make-up and psychology of the squad after Forest spent £180m on 13 new players in the summer transfer window.
About £120m of talent was left out of the squad altogether on Saturday – James McAtee, Dilane Bakwa, Arnaud Kalimuendo and record signing Omari Hutchinson – with just two summer signings, loanees Douglas Luiz and Oleksandr Zinchenko, starting.
Sources close to the squad feel they have too many players and too many of the same type.
The unity which had been so pivotal has been disrupted by Nuno’s departure and Dyche must restore that.
“He’s one of the most charismatic men, he walks into a room and he demands the attention of the room,” said former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who played under Dyche for 18 months at Burnley.
“I always reacted really well to man managers, people whose door was always open and told you the truth whether you liked it or not, and that’s one of Sean’s great qualities.
“He’s a leader of men, he gets the respect from the dressing room immediately. At times, he’s been criticised for the way he plays, but he gets results and the thing I responded to and reacted to, he’s able to get the best out of players who may not be at the top level.
“There’s players in that Nottingham Forest squad – Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson, Neco Williams, Callum Hudson-Odoi – those type of players will absolutely love playing under Sean Dyche. He will be a manager who they will excel with.”
Forest started the season with European ambitions again and Postecoglou was brought in to win trophies, but they are having to reset to go forward again.
Dyche took Burnley to seventh in 2017-18, the Clarets qualifying for Europe for the first time in more than 50 years.
But Everton finished 17th and 15th under him, so will the 54-year-old be able to win the Europa League?
“I think they can still do it, the squad of players is still there,” said Robinson. “It’s changing the mentality. A losing run is hard to get out of but, if anyone could do that, he’s the type of man to do it.
“He doesn’t want to get labelled with the likes of Sam Allardyce, like a firefighter coming in, the trouble-shooter to keep teams in the Premier League. He’s got an opportunity now where he can be a builder.
“He’s got a great squad of players. Yes, there’s a financial constraint on them but when you look at the squad, it doesn’t need that much work this season.
“It’s just a great fit for him. It’s almost one of those jobs he’s been waiting for.”
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