The Austrian delivered the ultimatum in his post-match press conference on Saturday, after a defeat at Brentford left Forest in the bottom three and still the lowest-scoring side in the Premier League.

“It’s a clear way, I will tell what we want to do, what we have to do. And if the players buy in, we can have a turnaround. If not, the sixth manager will come in,” he said, according to Sky Sports.

That line is not rhetorical. Glasner is the fifth head coach Forest have turned to since the start of last season, after taking over from Vitor Pereira earlier this season, and owner Evangelos Marinakis used four different managers across the previous campaign.

At the Gtech Community Stadium a Nikola Milenkovic own goal from a Dango Ouattara cross put Brentford ahead in the 30th minute, before Igor Thiago added a second on 76. Forest had 15 shots and did not score. They now have just six league goals this season, the fewest in the division.

Read also: Liverpool make Federico Chiesa transfer decision but player has other plans

From “on the right track” to patience gone

The tone was a sharp break from Glasner’s language only days earlier. After a recent draw at Ipswich he had still insisted the club was heading in the right direction.

“The result doesn’t reflect the performance. But I don’t know a different solution than just keep going, because everyone feels we are on the right track,” he said after that match, according to Caught Offside.

By Saturday evening the diagnosis had hardened. Glasner told reporters that formation debates would have to wait, because Forest were being beaten on basics such as running and duels.

“We have to accept it’s not good enough. That’s why it’s for me, now time to change things,” he said.

Read also: Chicago Bears’ plans to leave Illinois take major twist as new agreement nears

Glasner turns the blame inward first

Before turning on the squad, he turned on himself, admitting he had been too willing to accommodate players since taking the job.

“I decided everything. It’s just one person to blame, and that’s me. That’s why I said… I can’t and I won’t continue in the same way.”

He said the pattern had been visible to him from the start.

“Everywhere. And I feel I could see a few things from day No 1. I feel now that maybe I made too many compromises in some stuff.”

Read also: Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner makes stunning admission about his future

Marinakis in the background

Any talk of a “sixth manager” at the City Ground carries weight because of how Marinakis has run the club. When Glasner took the job he said talks in Athens had convinced him the owner was “one of the few people more ambitious than I am,” and framed his arrival as a long-term project rather than a short-term salvage operation.

Forest, 18th after nine matches, next face Manchester City, with trips to Bournemouth and a home match against Chelsea also to come in the weeks ahead.

Read also: Unheard Max Verstappen team radio reveals what happened before Liam Lawson clash