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The emblem is more significant than any manager,” the new Forest boss declared at his unveiling as Nottingham Forest’s head coach, sporting a training top with his initials. He then, corrected himself. Actually, there was a single manager who was likely as important as the crest – everyone recognizes who that was.”} Following that, an impression of Brian Clough, an attempt at that distinctive drawl. Lad, well done,’” he said, reliving his time as a trainee at the club's stadium, the days he spent strolling down the Trent, with Clough’s labrador, whizzing past him and his manager’s voice invariably within earshot.

Dyche tells a story of how, as a youth player, he and a couple of mates looked after the manager's garden at his residence in the area. Our weekly wage was minimal and he gave you a tenner to tend his lawn. So we actually thought: ‘This is pretty good.’ He’d prepare food for you and ensure you were cared for. It was rather fun, not too much gardening.”

For Dyche, the appointment has been a years in the making. He resides in the area and has a affection for the club. In recent years, he and his longstanding assistant Ian Woan, who was a member of the Forest side the last time they were in Europe, in 1995‑96, have sometimes popped into the local coffee shop where Forest legends such as Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and Garry Birtles gather every Thursday to talk old and new tales. He will have to give it a miss this week to get ready for the arrival of Porto, undefeated this campaign, in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the club legends,” said the manager, who replaced the previous coach to become the team's latest head coach of the term. I'll get an earful if I fail to deliver, so I must secure some matches for them. Those guys are important to me. A lot of Forest fans recognise the legacy of this club. I have personal ties and now I’ve got a opportunity to reinvent my own story, I suppose, as coach.”

The new boss took the team practice for the first time on this week, a short while after his predecessor oversaw a three-nil at home loss by Chelsea that left the club in the Premier League relegation zone. the club captain, who joined aged eight, acknowledged these are early days but Dyche and his staff have eased some of the negativity.

His staff includes one more Forest hero in Steve Stone, as well as a coach and Tony Loughlan, who featured for the team. In my view a huge asset of this club is getting the connection between the fans, players and coach and, let’s be honest, the last few weeks we lacked a good feeling around here,” the captain said. Dyche and his staff have introduced that sense of life and enthusiasm.”

He emphasized he does not “know the club like the inside out” given his most recent experience at Forest has been as an rival boss, but he believes he has a broader grasp of the place and expectations. The guidelines have been laid. “I’ve let them wear light-colored footwear, for goodness sake,” Dyche said. “I’ll have my former teammates caning me on WhatsApp. But they’re forbidden to wear neck warmers or headgear … I had to make a deal somewhere.”

The team have been defeated in their past four matches and failed to secure a victory since the start of the season. Dyche mentioned the owner, the Greek businessman, recognised the importance of steadying things. Dyche faced the wealthy individual in the European competition with his former club, when his team were beaten in a playoff against the Greek side in recent years. After the first leg he expressed frustration at Olympiakos dignitaries, among them the owner, confronting the referees at half-time in the stadium. “We had a bit of a giggle,” he said.

One aspect of his attraction is his reputation for constructing teams with strong bases, pertinent for a team without a shutout in many games. People categorize me, I’m not bothered,” he said. “I’ve never tried to hide behind what’s successful. It’s no badge of honour to me. In the past people were going: ‘Why do you rely on dead balls?’ Now they’re popular. Tight trousers, flared jeans, slim fits, flared jeans … my daughter hammers me for any jeans I wear. It seems on social media even I got some stick for my trainers arriving at practice [on Tuesday] … was surprised by that. A brand [trainers] but, anyway, prefer not to bring it up it.”

Dyche is pleased that his early career were at Forest but thinks that should not mean he or his staff are judged differently. “There’s no shortcut with the supporters, but we do care, that’s one thing I don’t think can ever be doubted,” he said. My only aspiration was wearing the jersey, but I didn't manage to achieve it. Stoney and Woany succeeded, Billy Mercer played as a temporary goalkeeper, Tony wore it and netted a strike. I was the only one who didn’t and they constantly tell me of that.

“In my case to have that connection of it is a big thing for me individually. But it doesn’t give me a special privilege, believe me. The fans expect me to succeed. If I’m not winning, the crowd are going to come at me because that’s the way fans work and I’ve got no issue with that because that’s the reality. I was here as a kid and never wore the shirt, the badge. Now, currently, I’m sitting with it wearing it.”