GREG Halford believes Billy Davies will ensure Nottingham Forest stamp their own identity on the Championship for the first time this season.
The versatile defender or midfielder says Davies is already instilling a clear blueprint for success at the City Ground.
And he believes the Scottish manager will have the courage to stick to that approach, regardless of the opposition.
Forest face Charlton at The Valley today and Halford believes Davies will focus on their own approach, rather than worrying about the Addicks' tactics.
"We have direction now, we have a way of playing the game now," said Halford. "We did not have an identity.
"We lacked that under the previous two managers.
"And Nottingham Forest, as a club, needs to have their own identity.
"We cannot accommodate other teams. We need to play our own way. Look at Barcelona.
"They play one way – their way – and that is it. Most of the time, they get their way.
"That is what we need and that, I feel, is where we are heading."
Halford particularly enjoyed playing under Sean O'Driscoll – but has already been encouraged by the impact Davies has had in his short spell back in charge.
"I am not taking anything away from the previous two managers because, in their own way, they were great," said Halford.
"I thoroughly enjoyed working under Sean (O'Driscoll) because his philosophy on football was very similar to mine. But that identity the team needs is what will drive us forward. The manager has instilled that here now.
"He is driving us toward the way we should be. It is about playing a style of football without accommodating other teams.
"We chopped and changed formations to suit other teams, previously. Now we play our own way."
Halford says the challenge facing the players is to prove they have the quality in the dressing room to mount a promotion push – whether that comes this season or next.
"As a squad of players, I think we have the quality of a top-two squad in the league," he said.
"If we manage to have our own identity; to play the way we want to play and put in 100 per cent, I can't see anyone getting near us – as you witnessed on Tuesday night."
