Football
Exclusive: Nottingham Forest Line Up Coaching Position for Veteran Keeper Wayne Hennessey
Veteran goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey is set to join Nottingham Forest's coaching staff after his contract ends. With over a decade of Premier League experience, Hennessey will work alongside the goalkeeping coach to develop young talent and support number one shot-stopper Matz Sels.
USA v Wales: Group B - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 by Marc Atkins | Getty Images
Nottingham Forest are set to offer veteran goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey a position on their coaching staff after his contract finishes later this month, SportsBoom sources have learnt.
Wales international Hennessey, 38, did not play a single game in the Premier League last season as one of two back-up keepers for number one, Matz Sels.
109-cap stopper Hennessey last game was an international friendly for his country in October 2023, but he has not played first-team football since starting in a 1-1 away draw with Crystal Palace in the Premier League in May 2023.
Belgian goalie Sels enjoyed a fine season between the posts for Forest last season as they finished an impressive seventh place in the table, narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification.
Forest have Brazilian keeper Carlos Miguel, 26, on their books, but he only played twice in the FA Cup last season and once in the League Cup.
And SportsBoom understands the City Ground outfit want to sign a more experienced keeper respectively in case of injury to Sels, who played in every one of Forest’s Premier League games last season.
INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE
Hennessey is well-liked at the City Ground and has been compared to fellow keeper Scott Carson, formerly of Manchester City.
Carson, 39, was part of a City squad that won 11 trophies – including the Treble in 2022-23 – but whom made only two appearances for the club.
However, like Hennessey, Carson has been praised for helping to develop young players and maintaining a positive attitude has a key member of the squad.
Hennessey has bags of Premier League experience having had eight seasons in the top-flight with former club Crystal Palace, as well as having had three seasons with Wolves at the same level.
And with over a decade of Premier League experience under his belt, Forest are keen for Hennessey to work closely with Forest’s goalkeeping coach Rui Barbosa, developing young talent and working with Sels on a regular basis.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.