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“This emblem is bigger than any manager,” Sean Dyche declared at his unveiling as Nottingham Forest’s head coach, sporting a training top with his monogram. He then, amended his statement. Actually, there was a single manager who was probably as important as the badge – everyone recognizes who that was.”} Then came, an impression of Brian Clough, a crack at that unique drawl. Lad, well done,’” he said, reliving his time as a trainee at the club's stadium, the period he spent strolling down the Trent, with Del Boy, whizzing past him and his boss's voice invariably within hearing range.

The coach tells a anecdote of how, as a youth player, he and a few others tended the manager's garden at his home in the area. Our weekly wage was minimal and he gave you a ten pounds to do his garden. So we actually thought: ‘This is pretty good.’ He’d cook for you and ensure you were cared for. It was quite fun, not too much gardening.”

In his case, the appointment has been a years in the making. He lives in the area and has a fondness for the team. In recent years, he and his long-term assistant his deputy, who was a member of the Forest side the previous occasion they were in Europe, in the mid-90s, have sometimes popped into the local cafe where Forest legends such as Frank Clark, another stalwart and a famous name meet every week to talk old and new tales. He will have to give it a miss this time to get ready for the visit of the Portuguese side, undefeated this campaign, in the European tournament on Thursday evening.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the club legends,” remarked the manager, who replaced the previous coach to become Forest’s third manager of the season. “They will give me a bit of ear-holing if I fail to deliver, so I better win some matches for them. Those guys mean a lot to me. A lot of supporters recognise the history of this institution. I have personal ties and now I’ve got a chance to reshape my personal story, I suppose, as coach.”

The new boss oversaw the team training for the initial session on Tuesday, a short while after his predecessor oversaw a three-nil home loss by the London club that left the club in the Premier League drop zone. Ryan Yates, who came as a child, admitted these are early days but Dyche and his team have eased some of the gloom.

His backroom team includes another club icon in a former player, as well as Billy Mercer and Tony Loughlan, who played for the club. In my view a massive asset of this organization is getting the connection between the fans, squad and coach and, let’s be honest, the recent period we lacked a positive atmosphere around here,” Yates said. Dyche and his assistants have introduced that feeling of life and energy.”

Dyche made clear he does not understand the team like the inside out” given his most recent encounter at the club has been as an rival boss, but he thinks he has a broader understanding of the place and expectations. The house rules have been set. “I’ve let them wear white socks, for goodness sake,” Dyche said. “I’ll have my ex-players caning me on messaging. But they’re forbidden to wear snoods or headgear … I had to make a deal somewhere.”

Forest have lost their past four fixtures and failed to secure a victory since the opening day. The coach said the proprietor, the Greek businessman, understood the importance of stabilising the situation. He faced the wealthy individual in the Europa League with Burnley, when his side were beaten in a qualifier against Olympiakos in recent years. After the first leg Dyche expressed anger at club officials, among them the owner, confronting the officials at the break in Piraeus. “We had a bit of a giggle,” he said.

Part of his attraction is his image for constructing teams with solid bases, pertinent for a team without a clean sheet in many games. People categorize me, I’m not bothered,” he said. I don't avoid behind what’s successful. It’s no point of pride to me. Five years ago people were going: ‘Why do you depend on dead balls?’ Now they’re in vogue. Tight trousers, wide-leg pants, slim fits, flared jeans … my daughter hammers me for any jeans I wear. Apparently on social media even I got some criticism for my trainers arriving at training [on Tuesday] … was surprised by that. Tom Ford [trainers] but, anyway, don’t like to bring it up it.”

The manager is pleased that his formative years were at the club but believes that should not mean he or his team are judged in a special way. “There’s no shortcut with the supporters, but we do care, that’s a point I believe can ever be questioned,” he said. “All I dreamt of was putting on the jersey, but I didn't manage to do it. Steve Stone and Ian Woan succeeded, Billy did as a temporary goalkeeper, Tony Loughlan wore it and scored a goal. I was the sole person who failed to and they constantly tell me of that.

“For me to have that part of it is a big thing for me individually. But it doesn't grant me a special privilege, trust me. The supporters want me to succeed. If I’m failing, the crowd are going to criticize me because how fans behave and I’ve got no problem with that because it's the truth. I was at the club as a youth and never wore the shirt, the badge. Well, currently, I’m sitting with it on me.”