Kuwaiti owners hire new Nottm Forest boss

Nottingham Forest's Kuwaiti owners have announced the appointment of Alex McLeish as the club’s new manager.

The 53 year old Scot will begin work at The City Ground on Friday and will be in charge for Saturday’s home game against Crystal Palace.

Chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi said: “I’m delighted to welcome Alex to our club and look forward to working with him.

“Alex took Birmingham to promotion from the Championship and has great experience of working in the Premier League.

“He’s hungry for more success and I believe he’s the man who can help us fulfil our ambition of making it to the Premier League.”

The appointment comes just a day after Al Hasawi announced the sacking on Sean O'Driscoll.

That announcement came shortly after Forest beat Leeds United 4-2 in their latest Championship game which left the club eighth in the table, having collected 36 points from 24 games.

McLeish made his name as a manager in Scotland with Motherwell, Hibernian, Rangers and the Scottish national team.

He led Rangers to two Premier Division titles, as well as three Scottish League Cups and two Scottish Cups and also guided them into the last 16 of the Champions League.

He told www.nottinghamforest.co.uk: “I’m really looking forward to working with Nottingham Forest. I’ve had time away from the game and now feel refreshed and ready to go.

“The fact that a club of Forest’s magnitude has offered me a job excites me greatly – it’s a wonderful opportunity. I can’t wait to get started and I’m looking forward to meeting the players, talking to them and taking my first training session.”

Kuwait’s Al-Hasawi family completed the takeover of the two-time European Cup winners in the summer.

Fawaz, Abdulaziz and Omar Al-Hasawi agreed to acquire the controlling stake from Nigel Doughty, who died in February four months after putting the club up for sale.

The family made its fortune in the refrigeration and air-conditioning business.