Charlie McParland created plenty of discussion among Nottingham Forest supporters last week, when he suggested it would be a failure if the Reds did not secure promotion to the Premier League.
As they prepare for a promotion showdown against Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Saturday, the former Forest coach and caretaker boss has explained in more detail why he feels it would represent a missed opportunity this time around.
“It’s not a disaster, it’s a failure,” McParland explained on Notts TV’s TeamTalk show with Forest sitting just five points off top spot and having a game in hand.
“I look at the league and the teams, for me, they’ll never get a better chance.
“There’s nobody running away with it at the minute, there’s nobody miles better than anybody else.
“There’s a great chance and this is a great chance this season.
“Nottingham Forest will not get a better chance.”
The Championship has also been dubbed ‘Premier League 2’ by some observers, given the size and calibre of clubs in the second tier, and the Scotsman believes his old club can lay claim to being one of the biggest in the league whilst being in better shape than one or two others.
“I feel they’re in the top three biggest football clubs (in the Championship),” he said.
“Nottingham Forest are a bigger club than West Brom, though they’ve not been in the Premier League for a few years like West Brom, Leeds United – massive club.
“They’re the three biggest in that league.
“Sheffield Wednesday, they’re in there. They’re getting 25,000 but at the minute, Forest are in better shape than Wednesday.”
