Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi has claimed that the Reds will be a Premier League club soon.

The Frenchman took charge at the City Ground in June after Martin O’Neill was sacked.

He has had to endure a baptism of fire with Forest facing West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United in their first two Championship games.

The Reds lost to the Baggies on the opening weekend but secured an impressive draw against Leeds at Elland Road.

Forest will their results improve as they push for promotion this season and, speaking to The Athletic, Lamouchi has suggested that he is keen to end the club’s 20-year absence from the English top flight.

Discussing their extended exile from the Premier League, he said: “Of course you look at it and think ‘wow’ but I was more surprised that they did not make the final of the play-offs. I was most surprised at that.

“But 20 years without the Premier League. That is so long. It is not my fault, of course, but I cannot understand it.

“I do not know how the young people will feel, because this is a city with a young population and they are always behind Forest but their biggest moments were 40 years ago.

“Maybe there are fathers with sons who are behind Forest now, just because here in England, when you have one team in your heart, it is for life.

“Forest will play in the Premier League. It is only a question of when. But it will be soon, I hope, because the fans deserve that.

“When you look at the history of the club, owners have changed, managers have changed a lot–in football, you sometimes need a little stability.

“Stability with players, with managers, with people who work at the club and with the owners. Hopefully, we will see that.”

The Reds host Birmingham City in their third Championship game of the season on Saturday.

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The Verdict

These comments should be encouraging for Forest fans.

Lamouchi seems to have a lot of belief in the club and he is clearly intent on being the man to take them back to the top flight.

Stability is exactly what the Reds need. They have had 19 full-time managers over the past 20 years, which is a ridiculous rate of turnover at one club.

It will be interesting to see if the Frenchman can bring that stability to the City Ground but if that is going to be the case he will need the backing and the patience of owner Evangelos Marinakis.