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Who is Vitor Pereira? Meet the fiery strategist charged with igniting Wolves’ season.

Published: 19 Dec. 2024, 16:39 Updated: 19 Dec. 2024, 18:04

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

Vitor Pereira in a photo shared on his Instagram account. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Portuguese manager Vitor Pereira looks set to begin a mission to save Wolverhampton Wanderers’ season after Gary O’Neil was sacked on Sunday following a poor run that left the club in the Premier League relegation zone.

As of press time Thursday, Wolves had yet to officially announce Pereira as their new manager, but multiple media outlets, including the BBC, reported that the Portuguese coach had already signed a contract.

Pereira, 56, has been described as a “hothead” by the BBC and is known for his passion. He has had a journeyman career, managing 14 clubs in seven countries. However, he has yet to coach in the Premier League.

So, who is Pereira, and what clubs has he managed so far?

Early coaching career

Pereira began his coaching career in Portugal in the early 2000s, managing teams like Sanjoanense, Espinho and Santa Clara. He joined Porto as an assistant manager in 2010 and was promoted to head coach in 2011.

He enjoyed immediate success, leading Porto to consecutive league titles in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. After that, he left Portugal to pursue opportunities abroad.

Although he was interviewed for the Everton manager position, he instead joined Saudi club Al Ahli in 2013 before moving on to other international roles.

Globe-trotting coaching experience

Pereira’s overseas career took him to Olympiacos in 2014, where he led the Greek side to both the league and domestic cup titles in his first season. However, he left the club by mutual consent in June 2015 to take charge of Turkish side Fenerbahçe.

Vitor Pereira [SCREEN CAPTURE]

His career has since spanned various countries, including stints at 1860 Munich in Germany, Shanghai SIPG in China, Corinthians and Flamengo in Brazil and most recently, Al Shabab FC in Saudi Arabia.

Though his trophy count diminished in the late 2010s, Pereira found success in China, winning the Chinese Super League in 2018 and the Chinese FA Super Cup in 2019 during his time at Shanghai SIPG.

A tactical innovator

Pereira’s passion for coaching predates his professional career. According to the BBC, he wrote a thesis on Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona, his favorite team, and even traveled to Munich to observe Pep Guardiola’s training sessions at Bayern. After Bayern's Champions League semifinal loss to Real Madrid in 2014, Pereira reportedly offered Guardiola advice on how to improve the team.

Known for his “tactically flexible approach,” according to the BBC, Pereira is adept at adjusting his team’s systems during matches, a quality that could prove invaluable at Wolves where disorganized performances have derailed the first half of their season.

Fresh start at the halfway point

Pereira will take over Wolves midway through the 2024-25 season, with the team sitting 19th on the 20-team Premier League table after just two wins in 16 matches. Wolves have conceded the most goals in the league with 40, highlighting one of Pereira’s immediate challenges: shoring up their leaky defense.

Pereira’s attacking options include Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan, who has struggled this season with no goal contributions in 12 appearances. This is a stark contrast to the 2023-24 season, when Hwang was Wolves’ top scorer with 12 goals in 29 matches.

Hwang, who joined Wolves in 2021, initially on loan and then later on a permanent basis, would be playing under his fourth manager at the club.

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan, right, vies for the ball during a Premier League match against Bournemouth at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England on Nov. 30. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Pereira will also have Matheus Cunha, the team’s most reliable forward this season with eight goals in 16 league matches, and Jorgen Stand Larsen, who has contributed six goals in the same number of appearances.

With no European commitments, Wolves can focus solely on domestic competitions. However, Pereira faces a baptism of fire, with upcoming fixtures against Manchester United, Son Heung-min’s Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle, Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Liverpool in their next nine fixtures. Wolves’ schedule only eases from late February — leaving Pereira with limited time to turn things around and avoid Wolves’ first Premier League relegation since 2012.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]