AS someone who loves cooking Moritz Volz knows that if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

Derek Davis

AS someone who loves cooking Moritz Volz knows that if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

As a professional footballer he is also used to the pressure-cooker atmosphere of a result-driven business, so understands what manager Jim Magilton is going through.

The German, on loan from Fulham, said: “I'm not surprised to what is happening because I'm used to high-pressure situations at clubs.

“We were playing against relegation for the past two seasons with Fulham so there was massive pressure on everyone involved, including players and coaches.”

Volz refuses to blame the perceived pressure and expectation on Town's poor early season showing though.

He said: “Expectation is higher this season so there is more pressure on the team and that can be an influence, but I don't think that is the reason why things have not gone for us at the start.

“We have not yet gelled as well as we could and while the team produced good performances last year with good passing build up play, this season we have been a bit too rushed. We have been looking to score at every opportunity which has lead to exciting games but sometime we need to settle down a bit and pace the game a bit more.”

While reluctant to discuss anyone specifically, he is still a Fulham player technically and didn't want to talk about Chris Coleman or Laurie Sanchez either, the former Schalke 04 and Arsenal is not an advocate of sacking managers too early

He said: “Managers need to be give time and usually you see with clubs at the top that they have consistency and most of those mangers have gone through rough patches and the clubs have stuck by them.

Usually those clubs who managers have been there four or five years produce better results.

“A few bad results should never question the manager too much. If the club's position and ambition fits with the manager's, then that is the important thing and I don't see that changes by a few bad results.”

Volz insists what is going on off the pitch does not affect the team's preparations or performances.

He added: “We as professional player focus on the job in hand whether there is pressure on the manager or not.

“We put ourselves under pressure to do because we demand high levels of ourselves as well as we can in every game so all we can do is look forward and get results.”

After playing against Forest in the past as an Arsenal youth and with Fulham in a cup competition, Volz is looking forward to going back and fancies Town to get a positive result.

He said: “It doesn't matter that they are bottom. It is another away game and we know it will be difficult but it is game we can win and are desperate to win.

“I have played at the City Ground a few times and there have always been great games. Forest is a massive club and a great pitch to play on. Nottingham teams tend to play attack-minded football so we can expect a high-tempo game.”

With Alex Bruce free from injury, Volz may feel a pressure of another kind with his place under threat tonight.