Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi jokes he does not have a “good memory” of the Championship Manager of the Month award.
The Frenchman has been nominated for January’s honour after the Reds went unbeaten in the league and climbed to third in the table.
Lamouchi has won it once already this season, back in September, but his team lost to Wigan Athletic after that success was announced - the so-called Manager of the Month curse!
Should he triumph again, the head coach is determined to avoid a repeat when Leeds United visit the City Ground on Saturday.
“I don’t have a good memory of that award,” Lamouchi teased.
“I was so surprised and very happy to be Manager of the Month for September, but immediately after I received the award we lost to Wigan.
“I don’t want to say I don’t want the award!
“It (the nomination) is just because we have been doing well. It is very positive for the players, for the club and for me and my staff.
“But this one would not be the most important one. The next (nomination) or the last one (for the final month) would be the most important.”
Lamouchi knows that if he is in the running for this title again before the campaign is out, it will mean Forest have a chance of securing promotion to the Premier League.
“The end of the season is so far away,” he said. “But if you ask me if I’d prefer to win it in January or in the last month, I’d prefer the last one because it would mean we’ve made the dream come true.
“But we are so far away from realising that.
“We just have to focus game after game.
“It is an important week this one, starting with Leeds, then Charlton and West Brom.
“I don’t want to focus so far ahead because this competition is like a marathon. It is so long, so difficult and so tough every week.”
It could be a double celebration for the Reds, with Joe Lolley in the running for the equivalent Player of the Month award.
The winger hit top form at the turn of the year, bagging four goals in five appearances.
“Joe Lolley deserves it. We all deserve it,” Lamouchi said.
“It is not easy to play every three days, but January was a great month for us.
“I hope Joe Lolley wins it.
“For me, it is different.
“But all my players deserve to have focus on them because they are doing a great job.”
