League Championship side Nottingham Forest was "sinking into a deepening crisis" Sunday night as Fawaz al-Hasawi "began the search for an eighth manager of his five years as owner amid bitter criticism of his tenure," according to Steve Madeley of the LONDON TIMES. Al-Hasawi, who "effectively said his goodbyes to Forest almost two months ago" before an expected takeover by John Jay Moores, is "back at the helm after the deal with the American businessman collapsed." Al-Hasawi sacked Philippe Montanier, the French head coach, "within hours" of a goalless draw away to Birmingham City on Saturday that left the club without a victory in seven league games, "but the unpopular Kuwaiti faces a malaise that runs deeper than the manager's office." Removing Montanier represented Al-Hasawi's first move in a "desperate" bid to deal with a list of problems he believed would be Moores' to solve. Forest is without a CEO after Al-Hasawi promised an appointment last year, "only to shelve such plans pending the completion of the takeover." Finding a man to lead the fight in the dressing room will be Al-Hasawi's "immediate priority." Moores was still in England over the weekend, having flown in last week to complete the deal, but with Al-Hasawi having called a halt to negotiations after late disagreements, Moores' "chances of resurrecting the deal appear slim" (LONDON TIMES, 1/16).
