- Nottingham Forest travel to Brighton for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final tie
- Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo is worried for players after quick turnaround
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Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo says he cannot understand why clubs are being forced to play huge FA Cup ties so soon after an international break.
Forest had 14 players away with their countries over the last fortnight with many of his players only returning in the last few days to prepare for a monumental clash with Brighton that could see the East Midlands side reach their first FA Cup semi-final since 1991 under Brian Clough.
The quarter-finals have been crowbarred in just days before another round of Premier League fixtures.
‘If I look in a selfish way, yes,’ said Nuno, when asked if he thought the FA could have done more to protect their flagship competition.
‘I don’t understand the reasons behind the decision of us playing. Not only us, but Fulham and Palace, they play at 12.15pm so even shorter period of time, it’s very difficult.
‘The reasons behind the decision I do not know, in terms of preparation for the club, it’s hard, it’s very difficult. All of the clubs have international players.
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo is baffled at the scheduling of the FA Cup quarter-finals
Star striker Chris Wood hobbled off with an injury while on international duty for New Zealand
Matz Sels was Forest’s hero as they beat Ipswich in an FA Cup fifth-round penalty shooutout
‘I watched almost all of our internationals… praying, enjoying , understanding how hard it is for the players to go and play in national teams but, more than anything, proud.’
It has left Nuno without star striker Chris Wood for the trip to the Amex Stadium after he picked up a hip injury while playing for New Zealand.
The front man, who is Forest’s top scorer this season with 18 goals, had a scan on Thursday and Nuno admitted the club were anxiously awaiting the results.
‘He is concerned, we are all concerned,’ added Nuno. ‘He has improved in terms of pain but we will wait for the specialist.
‘I don’t know, honestly [if he will be fit for the next Premier League game]. We have been speaking and I think the right way is to wait and see. I hope he will be available for the next one as long as the image shows there is nothing there.’
FA sources admitted they appreciated the challenges of the increasingly busy football calendar but insisted the new FA Cup schedule, which includes this exclusive weekend for the Quarter Finals with no Premier League football ensured that it is protected and enhanced.
Two-time FA Cup winners Forest last lifted the trophy in 1959 and have failed to reach the last four since 1991 when they lost in the final to Tottenham.
Nuno has already taken Forest to within touching distance of qualification for the Champions League and wants his side to create even more history in the FA Cup.
Nottingham Forest face a tough task away against Brighton who saw off Newcastle United 2-1 in the fifth round thanks to strikes from Yankuba Minteh (pictured) and Danny Welbeck
Morgan Gibbs-White (left) was a late addition to the England squad but had no game time
Nuno Espirito Santo is trying to get Nottingham Forest to a first FA Cup semi-final since 1991
‘As a group and as a club we have managed to change many things,’ said Nuno.
‘We’ve broken records that have stood for 30, 40 years. Suddenly we have another chance to break another. This is how we think. We have had only one ambition: to go as far as possible.’
Nuno also insisted Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White had nothing to prove after his recent England snub and urged Thomas Tuchel not to become obsessed with picking players from just the top sides.
Forest playmaker Gibbs-White was originally left out of the national coach’s squad for World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia before receiving a late call-up after Cole Palmer picked up an injury but was left out against Albania and was an unusued substitute against Latvia.
‘Morgan is a top, top player,’ added Nuno. ‘So much talent, so much quality, the level of performance he is giving to us, with the ball, off the ball. He doesn’t have to prove anyone wrong.
