FAWAZ Al Hasawi has responded to claims he interferes in football matters at Nottingham Forest, saying: "I am chairman and owner full stop."
The Kuwaiti has spent millions on bringing players to the City Ground, but he insists he has never told any of the former Reds managers who to play or how to play.
And he is adamant he won't start now, as he looks for a new manager for the club, after sacking Billy Davies.
Al Hasawi has revealed both Gianfranco Zola and Glenn Hoddle are on his shortlist for the top job, after Neil Warnock turned it down.
It is Warnock who has sparked talk about Al Hasawi's role by intimating he rejected the chance to succeed Davies because he would not be able to manage the club in the manner he would like under the current regime.
"Previous managers know me very well, I never interfered in their job," said Al Hasawi.
"I never told them what to do or what to play. Sometimes I shared things together with them – that doesn't mean you are interfering.
"If you say an opinion, does that mean I am interfering. It's not, it's only my opinion.
"If I say 'why we don't play this player or that player', it's just opinion. In the end, it's his call. He's fine with it, but I never interfere or blame the manager for not doing this or that. Never.
"Otherwise, why should I bring in a manager, I will be the manager!
"I am director of football for seven years, I used to be a player in Kuwait. I understand football. Maybe I should save the club £1million and be the manager.
"With all respect for Neil Warnock, I never interfere with the manager's decision. The manager will say 'yes' or 'no', not Fawaz."
The Reds lost 1-0 against Charlton at the City Ground last night under caretaker boss Gary Brazil.
And Al Hasawi says Brazil will have the opportunity to prove himself – and that he had little choice but to make a managerial change following the humiliating 5-0 defeat at Derby and the seven games without a win prior to it.
"If Gary's performance is good maybe we carry on with him – if we see the right manager, maybe we sign with him two or three years," he said.
"It was game after game the same performance, that's why we needed the change.
"We were going lower and lower, there was no improvement, I don't want to repeat the same mistakes.
"We still have a chance of the play-offs, but I didn't want to risk it. If we can win six games between now and the end of the season, we can do it."
Brazil is also likely to be in the hot-seat at Ipswich on Saturday.
"He might be in charge until the end of the season, or the two or three games coming," said Al Hasawi. "But we are seeing people."
"John McGovern is our ambassador and he will advise me what to do."
