European football returned to the City Ground for the first time in 30 years, but supporters were left disappointed as the Danish side spoiled the party.
Goals from Ousmane Diao and Mads Bech gave Midtjylland a 2-1 lead at the break – with Dan Ndoye briefly equalising for the hosts.
Chris Wood found the net twice after coming on as a substitute, only to be denied by the offside flag.
Valdemar Byskov broke away to add a late third for the visitors, before Wood reduced the deficit with an injury-time penalty.
Fans made their anger at the result known as they directed their chants towards Postecoglou.
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Highlights: Forest supporters turn on Postecoglou during five-goal thriller
Video credit: TNT Sports
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, the Forest manager did not deny that he was aware of the supporters’ frustration.
“I heard it. They’re fans. They want to see their team win and they’re entitled to their opinion,” he said.
Postecoglou remains winless after six games in charge at the City Ground and he was asked if he was surprised at how early in his tenure the fans have turned on him.
“Nothing surprises me in football anymore,” he replied.
Reflecting on the match, Postecoglou said: “Really disappointing. Just really, really poor goals we conceded in the first half that again allow the opposition to get comfortable in the game and it’s been the story of our last few games. Key moments, let ourselves down.
“We knew the threat they provided. It wasn’t anything organisationally, it’s just in those moments we haven’t shared the same desire and determination as the opposition.”
Forest thought they should have had a penalty when Morgan Gibbs-White appeared to have his ankle clipped in the box but nothing was given – and Postecoglou did not want to hide behind that.
“That would disguise my disappointment at the way we dealt with key moments,” he said. “We allow things like refereeing decisions to dictate the outcome, it shouldn’t have even come to that. We should’ve handled the situation better.”
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‘Sacked in the morning’ – Forest fans rage at Postecoglou after Midtjylland goal
Video credit: TNT Sports
Speaking about what they need to do to move forward, Postecoglou said: “Progress is us winning games of football and we haven’t done that. Yes, our football has been compelling at times but we’ve got to win games of football and that’s what we’ve got to try and do.
“We’ve just got to keep going. There’s no hiding in the sport we’re in. Got to keep your head up and recover. We’ve got a tough game at Newcastle at the weekend and we’ve just got to make sure we’re ready for that.
“I don’t think I’ve seen anything to suggest they’re not on board or they’re not trying to implement the stuff we’re talking about but, again, if we’re not dealing with these key moments we’re not going to win the games of football we need to win.”
‘I do feel for him’ – O’Neill
Former Forest player and manager Martin O’Neill has sympathy for the position Postecoglou finds himself in so early in his reign.
“I’m not an apologist for a manager, but I do feel for him in a sense because he stepped into a situation here, he’s taken over from a very popular manager in Nuno,” he told TNT Sports.
I don’t think the crowd were too happy about the way he (Nuno) lost his job for a start, and secondly, it’s just not happening for him.
“It’s just bad news. You consider it’s been 30 years since they’ve been in European football and the crowd were right behind the team to begin with and to be booed off at half-time and full-time, is not great news.
“The crowd are already against him in many aspects and this is the sixth game. You would hardly know the name of the tea lady, never mind anything else.”
Ex-Forest striker Michail Antonio thinks Postecoglou has been fighting a losing battle from day one.
Antonio said: “He’s come in as a manager where the last manager that left, the fans actually loved because that manager did so well for them to get them into Europe. I don’t feel the fans wanted to see the back of Nuno.
“The team was happy with the manager, the fans were happy with the manager. It was just the board that wasn’t. So, him coming in and not actually starting hell blazing has caused a rift with the fans, and the players are struggling to play how he’s playing right now.”
