It was a season to forget for fans of a Nottingham Forest persuasion during the 2015/16 campaign, with the Reds finishing the season in a lowly 16th place and without a manager.
Caretaker boss Paul Williams oversaw the last 10 games of Forest’s campaign with just two victories coming during his spell in charge, following the departure of Dougie Freedman.
Things are likely to change at the City Ground ahead of the 2016/17 campaign with Greek investment in the club said to be close to completion, which could offer the football club a fresh outlook for the future.
A new manager will arrive at the City Ground in the coming weeks and whoever gets the chance to take Forest back to the Premier League will inherit a fairly decent set of players upon arrival.
With a few tweaks here and there in the transfer market, Forest could once again be a force to be reckoned with in the Sky Bet Championship during the 2016/17 campaign.
Football League World writer Lee Clarke takes a look at THREE of the current Forest squad who should already be playing Premier League football.....
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE THREE PLAYERS!
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Henri Lansbury
The ex-Arsenal man is one of the very best players in the Sky Bet Championship when he is utilised in his natural position of playing just behind the front two.
More often than not for Forest he has found himself dragged back into deeper role and it just doesn’t suit Lansbury’s strengths.
The Forest captain is more than capable of chipping in with goals for the team, and he really thrives on playing in a more advanced role, where his array of passing and technical skills shine through.
The 25-year-old has just 12-months left on his Forest contract and any new manager should do whatever it takes to tie him down to a new deal. However, if a Premier League club comes knocking this summer, there is every possibility that Lansbury could be on his way to the top flight.
Britt Assombalonga
The striker was well on his way to netting 20 goals in his maiden season for Forest back during the 2014/15 campaign, when a serious knee injury cruelly ended his first season as a red.
Now fit and raring to go for the new season, the ex-Peterborough United striker simply oozes class and very few will back against him hitting the 20-goal mark next season should he stay fit.
The 23-year-old has all the attributes to suggest that he can play in the Premier League one day and those of a Forest persuasion will be hopeful he can fire them to promotion in the near future.
Given his injury problems it is highly unlikely a Premier League club will take a chance on Assombalonga just yet, but a 20-goal season in 2016/17 could really bolster his chances for the following year.
Daniel Pinillos
A knee ligament injury suffered in December curtailed the Spanish left-back’s season during 2015/16, although he is set to be fit for the start of pre-season.
In the 19 games he played for Nottingham Forest last season he did more than enough to suggest that he was way too good to be playing in the Sky Bet Championship.
Dougie Freedman signed the 23-year-old on a free, following his release from Spanish outfit Cordoba, where he made 28 appearances as they were relegated from La Liga.
The left-back position has been a troubled area of the squad over the years for Forest and for Freedman to get one as competent as Pinillos on a free is pretty unbelievable.
The Spaniard is a key part of the Forest defensive unit and if he can rediscover his form upon his return from injury, the Premier League will beckon at some point for him.