'A name that slams you' - Francois Modesto's pride at Nottingham Forest role and looking for players

The Reds' technical director spent time getting to know the Championship by travelling around the country in his car

Nottingham Forest technical director Francois Modesto says travelling around the country in his car, watching games, helps give him an idea of the type of players to recruit.

And he has spoken of his pride at working for “such a mythical club” as the Reds.

The Frenchman’s appointment was confirmed by the club in October - along with head of international recruitment Jose Anigo - though the pair are understood to have already been working at the City Ground for some time before then.

Modesto played a key role in Forest’s summer transfer business, as well as the arrival of head coach Sabri Lamouchi.

And to help him adapt to the Championship, he spent time getting to know the league by going up and down the country watching games.

Asked how he came to understand what is a new division for him, Modesto told So Foot: “It’s simple. I left alone with my car to see matches in the Premier League, Championship and League One to understand this football.

“Seeing it on TV is fine, but living it on a daily basis is something else.

“Here you can go to a match every day.

“Being on the ground is important, because you meet people, opposing clubs, mentality. You feel things, you impregnate yourself and then you can ask yourself to choose the players to recruit.

“It was very important to come six months before, as an observer, to understand what is happening and to adapt. I'm coming to a foreign country, you have to respect that.

“You must not change everything. I always say that when you are a foreign player, you have to adapt to the country, it is not the country that has to adapt to us. It's the same as a leader now.

“I have to adapt to the people, the football and the club here, bringing our foreign touch that can perhaps improve some things.”

The former Olympiacos chief scout represented the likes of Monaco, Cagliari, Bastia and the Greek giants during his playing career.

And he says he never imagined himself one day travelling around England in his car to look for players.

“Never. But I believe a lot in destiny,” he said.

“I remember when I was little, I must have been about 10 years old, I had seen an English League Cup final, which Nottingham Forest had won.

“It was a match that marked me because at the time, few games were broadcast.

“In addition, when you're young, Nottingham Forest is a name that slams you. And at that time, the finals of the League Cup, I did not see many. It is Nottingham that I saw, not Liverpool, Manchester or I do not know which club.”

Asked for what he thinks when he takes to the road in England, Modesto said: “I think I was a boy from Bastia who was born into a very average family, who did not think he could one day end up in England in such a mythical club.

“I'm proud of it. It's a pride for me and for the name of my family to be here. It's beautiful.

“There is everything to do to win this bet. But it's the beauty of football, which gives a lot of life possibilities.”

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