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Even as he stood conducting interviews in the stairwell in the bowels of the stands at Bolton, raising his voice above the noise as the home fans celebrated their final-day survival out on the pitch back in May, Aitor Karanka had already started to form his plans for this season.

The Nottingham Forest manager, doubtless stung by one final taste of defeat, knew significant changes were required, to transform his squad into one capable of challenging at the right end of the Championship table.

Roughly three months and precisely 11 new signings later, the Spaniard heads into the new campaign with a squad of players he believes are at least capable of doing exactly that.

There is some final tinkering still be to done, in the form of an addition of another right-back and, potentially, one more "surprise" to come beyond that. But, as he looks ahead to the season opener at Bristol City, Karanka admits he has been swept up by the mood of excitement and anticipation as much as anyone.

(Image: Dan Westwell)

Weeks of hard work at the club, by both Karanka and the club hierarchy, have ensured that the team that faces the Robins at Ashton Gate will have a different look to it to the one that allowed a lead to slip away in Bolton.

And Karanka admits he is relishing the prospect of getting the season underway.

“You do still get a buzz and the day that I do not get that excitement, I will go home,” he said.

“Pre-season is nice, particularly when the club has been working really well. We have had the players since the very beginning, so it has been a nice summer and I have been able to enjoy the pre-season.

“Everything has been perfect so far.

“There is excitement, because I have been working for this moment since we finished last season against Bolton. When we lost that game, we wanted to get started as soon as possible. Now things feel completely different.

“Now we can get started and check how good we are.

“I do not like to say things are perfect when you are looking to the future, but looking back at the summer, so far things have been perfect.

“The players have done really well; the new players and the players who were already here – everyone has understood what is going on. I am really pleased.”

(Image: NFFC)

Forest have five games in the space of 14 days as the season kicks-off with a demanding flourish, with an EFL Cup game against Bury thrown in for good measure.

It is obvious to state that Karanka hopes to make a bright start, but he believes it could be particularly important for one reason, more than any other.

“It is always important to make a positive start, particularly for the environment around the club,” he said.

“It is not about me, because I know the aim is where we are on May 6. But for the environment at the club, it is important.

“There is excitement in the atmosphere and I want to start well for that.

“If we lose on Saturday, people might already start to think ‘it is going to be another year’. So I would like to transmit to everyone, the confidence I have. For sure we are going to do well this season.”

And Karanka is undaunted by the flurry of fixtures Forest face straight off because he believes they now have a squad to cope with the demands that will entail.

“It is the Championship. You can’t have time to regret or celebrate,” he said. “This is the Championship, which is why it is important to have a strong group on and off the pitch.

“I do not know for sure, but the team that starts on Saturday will probably be different to the team that finishes the season in May.

“I am going to need all of the players we have and they always have to be ready, because in football things can change quickly in one day.

(Image: Dan Westwell)

“Pre-season has been very good. We have built a very good team on the pitch. We need to keep the momentum and the good atmosphere.

“It is important to have a good team on the pitch, but what happens on the pitch is also a reflection of what is happening in the changing room and away from the pitch.

“We have a strong group outside of the pitch now.”

Key to the strength of that group will be the spine of experienced players Karanka has assembled.

Costel Pantilimon, Michael Dawson, Ben Watson, Jack Colback, Adlene Guedioura, Lewis Grabban and Daryl Murphy will all bring experience to the table, from goalkeeper through to the forward line.

“Yes, of course that is something we have done intentionally. You need a mix,” said Karanka.

“You do not want to work with just young players. You do not want to work with old players. Always, you need a balance.

“The main thing is to build a balanced squad and the first thing is to have good characters. Then you need a mix. Sometimes the veteran players know the game and sometimes the young players are really talented, but are maybe lost in games.

“You need the veteran players to organise them on the pitch.

“It is not just about the three Portuguese. We have Worrall, we have Brereton, we have Matty Cash, Ryan Yates and Joe Lolley. We have a lot of young players and we have a lot of veteran players.

“On paper, I am really pleased, because we have a really good, balanced squad.”

(Image: Dan Westwell)

There is a long way to go before that good, balanced squad can consider themselves to be genuine promotion contenders, amid the marathon that is a 46-game season.

But Karanka hopes Forest can produce a performance that demonstrates what they are capable of, against a Bristol City side that flirted with promotion themselves during the first half of the season, before falling away following a dip in form in January and February.

Forest and Bristol City crossed paths, very briefly, when the Robins checked into the same hotel as the Reds on the final day of their pre-season training camp in Spain.

But Karanka was well aware of Lee Johnson’s rise as a manager, before talking to him in the Marbella sunshine.

“The biggest focus now is the first game. I know how good Lee Johnson has been doing there,” said Karanka. “I have known him since he first started out, when he was at Barnsley. I really like him.

“They stopped in the same hotel as us in Marbella. We had a chat there.

“It is going to be a tough game, because this is not the Bristol side that won promotion two or three years ago. They were close to the play-offs last season and, while it is true that they have lost a few good players, their replacements look really good.”

This is also not the same Forest squad that finished last season and, it is safe to say, their own recruitment work has inspired a sense of optimism.

After the final whistle on Saturday, Karanka will hope he can this time reflect favourably on that painful afternoon at Bolton and the positive work it has helped to inspire since.