Costel Pantilimon initially joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Watford in January 2018 and his transfer was made permanent later that summer.
After keeping 15 clean sheets in the league last season, the former Manchester City man was included in Who Scored’s Championship Team of the Season.
Having finished ninth in the league table, the Tricky Trees appointed Sabri Lamouchi as their new manager before the start of this season.
Things have been contrasting for the Romanian goalkeeper this term as he was not included in the squad for any of Forest’s league fixtures. In the winter transfer window, Pantilimon joined Cyprus based side Omonia on loan until the end of the season.
The 33-year-old, whose contract at Nottingham is until 2021, has given an interview to Romanian newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor, where he gave an insight on the difficult moments he endured this season.
“What I can say clearly is that there is no question that I should not play professionally,” he said.
“The year before I was the best goalkeeper in the league, it wasn’t the performance issue. There are other things that I think it would not be good to expose to the public. I can clearly say that it is not in terms of performance.”
Pantilimon also admitted he shared a good relation with Lamouchi, suggesting it was not down to the manager for dropping him from the squad this season.
“I have a very good relationship with the coach, we even talked on the phone after I left and while I was there, even if I was in a group of players who trained separately,” he stressed.
“I have a special respect for him and his staff because they knew how to manage the situation even if it did not depend on them.”
